Anne Landman's Collection
Consumer Freedoms Overview EU and National Support
Abstract
This 1994 Philip Morris (PM/Altria) presentation describes the cigarette maker's strategies to fight public health efforts in Europe to reduce secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and counter activities of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). PM's objectives, clearly aligned with fighting public health, include "maintain debate on ETS science among EU legislators," "counter anti influence," "delay EU legislation," "interdict national legislation via [European Union] resolution on [Good Epidemiological Practices]," and "ensure legislation accommodates smokers."
The document also communicates PM's plans to use its typical hospitality allies to fight regulations on secondhand smoke:
"Build upon existing relationships with the International Hotel Association, European Restaurant Association and European Chefs Association to target advocacy on EU policymakers."
The plan's wording also suggests that public opposition to smoking bans in Europe was not forthcoming particularly among white collar workers and unions, and that therefore PM had to create opposition:
"Develop public opposition to bans among EU groupings of independent...white collar and public sector unions...using U.S. workplace kit."
PM strove to hide its overbearing influence from European media by using third parties:
"Create a European Tobacco Information Centre to disseminate third party news to EU influencers including policy makers and the media..."
The document further reveals PM as the driving force behind the creation of supposedly "independent" smokers rights groups:
"Create a European Smokers Rights Group to bring smokers' voice to EU legislative debate and to provide a network for coordinated actions and information sharing by national SRGs."
and
"... where gaps exist (Germany, Belgium, UK, Spain) create smokers rights groups to defend against ban threats direct[ly] with legislators and via the media."
PM was also behind the creation and touring of a bizarre front group called ARISE ("Associates for Research in the Science of Enjoyment"), an industry-funded "scientific" group out of the United Kingdom which toured Europe putting forth the message that a little pleasure is essential to stress relief and hence good health. In their public proclamations, ARISE members subtly grouped tobacco use in with benign, pleasurable and stress-relieving activities such as drinking tea, shopping, and eating chocolate.
The PM document further describes as a "THREAT" a European "directive for the protection of transport workers' health and safety" because it "provides for a de facto total smoking ban" on "all modes of transport operating within EU territory." The document further lists plans to fight this "threat."
The document also reveals PM's strategy of working through Libertarian groups to influence the media and to "communicate messages of tolerance and...extremism" about public health smoking restrictions.
Quotes:
EU legislative threat driven by IARC ETS activities • Introduce mechanism to prevent legislation on flawed epidemiology • Maintain debate on ETS science • Mobilize allies • Counter anti influence • Current EU transport threat EU - 1994/1997 THREAT
THREAT:
EU legislation to ban smoking in workplaces, public places and on transport, driven by IARC ETS study and monograph and ensuing media hype.
--Delay EU legislation
--Interdict national legislation via EU Resolution on GEP --Ensure legislation accommodates smokers --Maintain debate on ETS science among EU legislators... --Build support amongst Pan European groupings of business owners and employees for mobilisation against severe legislation --Build upon existing relationships with the International Hotel Association, European Restaurant Association and European Chefs Association to target advocacy on EU policy makers. --Encourage the European Trade Union Confederation to support accommodation vs bans via collaborating on a Pan European workers' attitude survey to demonstrate discriminatory nature of bans and wide support for tolerance in the workplace.
--Develop public opposition to bans among EU groupings of independent (CESI), white collar(CEC) and public sector (CEEP), Unions and the European Personnel Managers Association (EAPM) using US workplace kit.
--Collaborate with the European Tourism Action Group to promote economic impact of bans in Horeca and Transport sectors.
Counter influence of WHO, BASP and anti-cancer groupings.
--Create a European Tobacco Information Centre to disseminate third party news to EU influencers including policy makers and the media including positive scientific studies, public opinion data, favourable legislative developments, economic impact data, libertarian views.
• Expand ARISE network and through bi-annual attitude surveys (1995- stress in the workplace) generate maximum publicity for ARISE message of pleasure as beneficial to health.
• Create a European Smokers Rights Group to bring smokers' voice to EU legislative debate and to provide a network for coordinated actions and information sharing by national SRGs.
• Develop PM Communications tool on accommodation to support direct dialogue with legislators and allies.
• Encourage opposition to bans within EP.
• Encourage European Public Health Alliance and EP Health intergroup to prioritise non-tobacco health concerns with DGV.
THREAT: 1993 proposed Directive for the protection of transport workers' health and safety amended by the European Parliament to provide for a de facto total smoking ban with application to all modes of transport operating within EU territory.
OBJECTIVE: Obtain Commission withdrawal Of proposal in accordance with subsidiarity principle during German Presidency; ensure new proposal provides maximum flexibility in line with existing health and safety directives
STRATEGY:
. Reinforce and support German Government position to obtain withdrawal by promoting subsidiarity argumentation among other Governments.
• Mobilize international Transport/Health and Safety bodies using jurisdictional argumentation
• Reinforce UK Government position for withdrawal.
• Encourage through provision of legal argumentation, other governments to support German position (France, Holland, Italy and Denmark) via national transport groupings
• Determine feasibility of obtaining additional support from other governments
• Develop support for withdrawal among Commissioners and DG VII
THREAT:
Legislation banning Smoking in the workplace, public places and on transport driven by EPA, IARC activities, SCOTH (UK), ICAO and political opportunism
OBJECTIVES:
. Capitalise on EU Resolution on GEP to prevent governments legislating on basis of flawed epidemiology.
• Lock in and defend legislation that provides for accommodation.
• Defend against further airline bans and other key public impact ban threats in transport sector...
CONSUMERS:
• Support and expand existing SRGs and where gaps exist (Germany, Belgium, UK, Spain) create smokers rights groups to defend against ban threats direct with legislators and via the media.
MEDIA OUTREACH
--Communicate messages of tolerance, and US extremism both directly and via libertarian and smokers rights groups.
--Encourage a balanced coverage of ETS science via libertarian groups, independent scientists pre, during and post IARC study release.
--Promote examples of other low level risks, confounders arguments and other weaknesses of epidemiology via scientists and libertarian groups to undermine public confidence in science and to provide perspective.
--Educate targeted scientific editors on ETS science via scientific consultants.
--Encourage business owners to advocate accommodation via speaking opportunities.
User-Contributed Notes
Fields
- Quotes
EU legislative threat driven by IARC ETS activities
• Introduce mechanism to prevent legislation on flawed epidemiology
• Maintain debate on ETS science
• Mobilize allies
• Counter anti influence
• Current EU transport threat
EU - 1994/1997 THREAT
THREAT:
EU legislation to ban smoking in workplaces, public places and on transport, driven by IARC ETS study and monograph and ensuing media hype.
--Delay EU legislation --Interdict national legislation via EU Resolution on GEP --Ensure legislation accommodates smokers
Maintain debate on ETS science among EU legislators...
--Build support amongst Pan European groupings of business owners and employees for mobilisation against severe legislation
--Build upon existing relationships with the International Hotel Association, European Restaurant Association and European Chefs Association to target advocacy on EU policy makers
--Encourage the European Trade Union Confederation to support accommodation vs bans via collaborating on a Pan European workers' attitude survey to demonstrate discriminatory nature of bans and wide support for tolerance in the workplace
--Develop public opposition to bans among EU groupings of independent (CESI), white collar(CEC) and public sector (CEEP), Unions and the European Personnel Managers Association (EAPM) using US workplace kit
--Collaborate with the European Tourism Action Group to promote economic impact of bans in Horeca and Transport sectors.
Counter influence of WHO, BASP and anti-cancer groupings
--Create a European Tobacco Information Centre to disseminate third party news to EU influencers including policy makers and the media including positive scientific studies, public opinion data, favourable legislative developments, economic impact data, libertarian views
• Expand ARISE network and through bi-annual attitude surveys (1995- stress in the workplace)generate maximum publicity for ARISE message of pleasure as beneficial to health.
• Create a European Smokers Rights Group to bring smokers' voice to EU legislative debate and to provide a network for coordinated actions and information sharing by national SRGs.
• Develop PM Communications tool on accommodation to support direct dialogue with legislators and allies
• Encourage opposition to bans within EP
• Encourage European Public Health Alliance and EP Health intergroup to prioritise non-tobacco health concerns with DGV.
THREAT: 1993 proposed Directive for the protection of transport workers' health and safety amended by the European Parliament to provide for a de facto total smoking ban with application to all modes of transport operating within EU territory.
OBJECTIVE: Obtain Commission withdrawal Of proposal in accordance with subsidiarity principle during German Presidency; ensure new proposal provides maximum flexibility in line with existing health and safety directives
STRATEGY:
. Reinforce and support German Government position to obtain withdrawal by promoting subsidiarity argumentation among other Governments.
• Mobilize international Transport/Health and Safety bodies using jurisdictional argumentation
• Reinforce UK Government position for withdrawal.
• Encourage through provision of legal argumentation, other governments to support German position (France, Holland, Italy and Denmark) via national transport groupings
• Determine feasibility of obtaining additional support from other governments
• Develop support for withdrawal among Commissioners and DG VII
THREAT:
Legislation banning Smoking in the workplace, public places and on transport driven by EPA, IARC activities, Scoth (UK), ICAO and political opportunism
OBJECTIVES:
. Capitalise on EU Resolution on GEP to prevent governments legislating on basis of flawed epidemiology.
• Lock in and defend legislation that provides for accommodation.
• Defend against further airline bans and other key public impact ban threats in transport sector...
CONSUMERS:
• Support and expand existing SRGs and where gaps exist (Germany, Belgium, UK, Spain) create smokers rights groups to defend against ban threats direct with legislators and via the media.
MEDIA OUTREACH
--Communicate messages of tolerance, and US extremism both directly and via libertarian and smokers rights groups.
--Encourage a balanced coverage of ETS science via libertarian groups, independent scientists pre, during and post IARC study release.
--Promote examples of other low level risks, confounders arguments and other weaknesses of epidemiology via scientists and libertarian groups to undermine public confidence in science and to provide perspective.
--Educate targeted scientific editors on ETS science via scientific consultants.
--Encourage business owners to advocate accommodation via speaking opportunities.
- Company
- Philip Morris (Altria Group)
- Author
- Presumed corporate author: Philip Morris
- Recipient
- Presumed corporate recipient: Philip Morris
Document Images
