Tobacco Documents Online

Maintain Lifestyle Environments for Smokers

Abstract

This 11-page Philip Morris (PM) document outlines the company's strategies to fight public health restrictions on secondhand smoke in hospitality, transport and workplace venues. The estimated date of the document is 1989, but it tracks very closely with the strategies PM uses today to fight regulation of secondhand smoke. Authorship is inferred from references to Philip Morris within the text. The document was found in a Philip Morris file called "Workplace Kit" in the area of employee Aurora Gonzalez, who was a member of PM's ETS Work Group. Page one of the document states that "specific goals" of PM are to "maintain the controversy" about secondhand smoke, to "pre-empt further public smoking restrictions" and "demonstrate to general public...that tobacco smoke is a minor contributor to the quality of indoor environments."

Yet another objective is to "Maintain research activity...to provide support for our positions." The document then discusses how PM must stay behind the scenes to accomplish their objectives. The methods described are the same ones PM still uses today to fight public health regulation of secondhand smoke:

"In most markets it is difficult to attain the overall objective directly as Philip Morris. Therefore, we have developed...allies/coalitions which in turn communicate our messages...The goal is to reach decision makers or those who can favorably influence decisions regarding public smoking environments."

Likewise, the "key messages" PM's lists for use with hospitality groups are still in use today:

"Legislated smoking restrictions/bans in the hospitality trade are undesirable.

• Such legislation can have negative impact on business.

• Owners and operators --not government-- are in the best position to determine what arrangements best accommodate their patrons preferences."

The document discusses strategies to pre-empt workplace bans on smoking, recruit and work through hospitality groups, and lists "key messages" to be used with each group to fight smoking restrictions. One key message is that "Tobacco smoke is a minor contributor to the indoor air environment." Another is designed to take the focus off of tobacco smoke entirely: "Expand the workplace smoking issue to a discussion of overall indoor air environment."

Yet another strategy calls for Philip Morris employees to begin infiltrating and influencing local community groups:

"Encourage appropriate Philip Morris personnel to become active members of local Chambers of Commerce, personnel management associations, business management associations and community groups. Utilize their forums, e.g., meetings and newsletters, to communicate key messages."

Also note the careful manner in which PM crafts its statement regarding the health effects of smoking on board aircraft,(minimizing but not completely ruling out the potential for harm from passive smoking):

"Health effects from exposure to tobacco smoke aboard aircraft are highly unlikely."

Fields

Notes

This document was found in a file called "Workplace Kit" in the area of Aurora Gonzalez, a member of PM's ETS Work Group.

Quotes

[From Page 1, Bates No. 2503001585]

Overall objective: MAINTAIN LIFESTYLE KNVIRONMENTS FOR SMOKERS.

More specific goals are:

• Maintain the controversy and correct misinformation about tobacco smoke in public and scientific forums. • Pre-empt further public smoking restrictions. • Demonstrate to general public and specific issue groups that tobacco smoke is a minor contributor to the quality of indoor environments. • Build coalitions among appropriate individuals and local/international groups. • Maintain research activity and an academic, scientific and lay consultant team to provide support for our positions.

In most markets it is difficult to attain the overall objective directly as Philip Morris. Therefore, we have developed resources which can be used to communicate "key messages" to carefully targeted "audiences" or to develop allles/coalitlons which in turn communicate our messages. The "audience" will vary in both composition and time frame. In many instances, the "audience" will be potential allies. Hopefully, as time moves forward, they become a resource or part of a coalition whlch then communicates to other audiences. The goal is to reach decision makers or those who can favorably influence decisions regarding public smoking environments.

[From Page 3, Bates No. 2503001587]

Lifestyle - WORKPLACE

...Objectives:

• Pre-empt further workplace bans/restrictions.

• Assure equitable indoor air quality standards.

• Promote a building systems approach to workplace environment.

Key Messages

Tobacco smoke is a minor contributor to the indoor air environment.

Available science does not justify restrictive legislation based on health claims.

Management, labor and employee consensus -- not government regulation -- can best develop the workplace smoking policy.

[From Page 4, Bates No. 2503001588]

Strategies

...Expand the workplace smoking issue to a discussion of overall indoor air environment.

Conduct IAQ testing in workplaces -- at least 2 building in 3 cities in each selected market.

Conduct 'man in the street' office profile survey which addresses the workplace environment, including air quality.

Use results of survey and testing to publicize key messages through third party media briefings, IAQ conferences, trade meetings.

...Seek out and/or create opportunities to have consultants participate in discussions at government, local and trade society level regarding air quality standards.

[From Page 5, 2503001589]:

Encourage appropriate Philip Morris personnel to become active members of local Chambers of Commerce, personnel management associations, business management associations and community groups. Utilize their forums, e.g., meetings and newsletters, to communicate key messages.

[From Page 6, 2503001590]:

LIFESTYLE - HOSPITALITY

• restaurants • pubs/bars • hotels • sports facilities...

Objectives

--Pre-empt legislated smoking restrictions

--Develop allies in hospitality industry in opposing legislation to restrict/ban smoking in their establishments.

--Promote "self-regulation" and "accommodation" programs.

[From Page 7, Bates No. 2503001591]:

Legislated smoking restrictions/bans in the hospitallty trade are undesirable.

• Such legislation can have negative impact on business.

• Owners and operators -- not government -- are in the best position to determine what arrangements best accommodate their patrons preferences.

• Solution to tobacco smoke controversy in hospitality areas:

-- proper ventilation -- courtesy and mutual respect

[From Page 9, Bates No. 2503001593]:

Lifestyle - TRANSPORT

• airlines • trains • buses • boats • taxis

...Objectives

• Maintain smoking areas in transport vehicles.

• Create tools for changing attitudes towards smoking in the various transport environments.

• Put tobacco smoke in proper perspective for transport environments.

• Develop data for trains, buses, boats similar to that of airlines.

Key Messages

• Available scientific data does not support prohibition of smoking.

• Concentrations of tobacco smoke components are low.

• Health effects from exposure to tobacco smoke aboard aircraft are highly unlikely.

• Factors other than tobacco smoke may be major contributors to subjective complaints.

Solution to tobacco smoke controversy in transport vehicles:

- proper ventilation - courtesy and mutual respect

Strategies:

• Continue to work with International Flight Attendants Association.

• JAL paper to be distributed to all who attended original presentation.

• New airline review paper distributed to flight attendants who requested SAS video.

• Follow-up with journalists that showed interest in initial airline media tours.

• Publicize airline presentation from Aerospace Medical Society meeting.

• Encourage smokers groups to run "alternative carrier" ads in markets where consumers have a choice.

Company

Philip Morris

Author

Philip Morris, corporate author inferred from text.

Recipient

Corporate recipient Philip Morris, inferred from text.

Region

United States

Europe

Asia

Litigation

Stmn/Produced

Named Organization

ASHRAE (Am Society of Heating, Refrig and AC)

American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning

BCIA, Business Council on Indoor Air (PM funded, industry-formed indoor air quality group-)

Formed in 1988 "to address a growing mutual concern of a number of private companies representing a wide spectrum of industries about the serious national problem of poor indoor air quality." (2023920674/0683). Funded by Philip Morris (2023856052/6057)

Chamber of Commerce

EEC (European Economic Community)

European Economic Community

HBI Journal (Healthy Buildings International Journal)

Healthy Buildings International (industry-funded ventillation experts)

Worked closely with the industry to encourage corporations not to ban smoking but to look for other causes of air pollutions. Used the term "Sick Building Syndrome". Founder: @robertson_gray

Horeca (Hotels, Restaurants and Catering/Cafes)

European acronym for an association of hotels, restaurants and cafes or caterers in the European Economic Community. Also seen spelled as "Ho.Re.Ca" or referred to as the Horecasector. Businesses or individuals pay membership dues to belong to Horeca.

IAI Journal

IFAA, International Flight Attendants Association

JAL, Japan Airlines

National Manufacturers Association (Defense groups for cigarette companies worldwide)

In places around the world where these associations did not exist, the tobacco industry created them to help defeat public health efforts around tobacco.

PMII (PM Int'l Inc.)

PM Int'l Inc.

US Labor Relations Comm

Type

REPT, REPORT, OTHER

CHAR, CHART, GRAPH, TABLE, MAPS

Subject

secondhand smoke

Corporate strategy

industry activity

industry influence

industry response

industry sponsored research