Anne Landman's Collection
Indoor Air Quality: Alternative Strategy
Abstract
This one-page document from Philip Morris'(PM) files succinctly describes PM's strategy to take attention away from the health issues surrounding secondhand smoke by changing the discussion to encompass all types of ambient air pollutants. Incredibly, the writer likens the plan to how the industry deafeated public calls for a self-extinguishing cigarette:
"We should refocus our efforts against smoking restriction legislation and regualtion to a general promotion of comprehensive indoor air quality review and improvement. This is analagous to our effort on the 'self-extinguishing' cigarette to focus on overall fire prevention and isolate its supporters as anti-smoking."
The writer recommends "us[ing] a scientific front" group to make the effort believable, and specifies use of "especially some liberal Nader group." He further plots to "create a model indoor air quality bill" that would be introduced in state legislatures and that focuses on "ventilation, filters, inspections, etc. Smoking would not be dealt with directly."
The author suggests they "Organize firms like ACVA into a travellin road show to hawk their wares to government and businesses much like the antis sell their advice to business and government on smoking policies."
He concludes that the program "would require money, staff time and a first-rate PR firm."
Documents show that Philip Morris did eventually carry out most of this plan, forming scientific front groups like The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), sending Gray Robertson of ACVA around the world giving talks about "sick building syndrome," and suggesting that building owners needed to install expensive new ventilation systems.
"especially some liberal Nader group"
Fields
- Quotes
The central argument ACVA Atlantic, Inc. [a firm specilaizing on indoor air quality] makes is that indoor smoke is merely a symptom of a larger problem: inadequate ventilation. Inadequate ventilation causes several serious problems including fungus and bacterial contamination. These pollutants often cause illness and discomfort which are then blamed on cigarette smoke--a more visible and socially acceptable object of attack.
We should refocus our efforts against smoking restriction legislation and regulation to a general promotion of comprehensive indoor air quality review and improvement. This is analagous to our effort on the 'self-extinguishing' cigarette to focus on overall fire prevention and isolate its supporters as anti-smoking.
Strategy:
1. Mobilize all scientific studies of indoor air quality (i.e., radon, wood stoves, gas stoves, formaldehyde, asbestos, etc.) into a general indictment of the air we breathe indoors. Use a scientific front -- especially some liberal Nader group.
2. Use this material to fuel PR offensive on poor indoor air quality.
3. Create a model indoor air quality bill to be added to suggested state legislation book published annually. Model bill would focus on ventilation, filters, inspections, etc. Smoking would not be dealt with directly.
4. Make presentations to all trade associations (USC of C, NMA, API, etc.) on the real indoor air quality issues.
5. Organize firms like ACVA into travelling road show to hawk their wares to government and businesses much like the antis sell their advice to business and government on smoking policies.
To exectue this program would require money, staff time and a first-rate PR firm.
[all emphasis in original]
- Company
- Philip Morris
- Author
- Not stated
- Recipient
- Not stated
Document Images
