Anne Landman's Collection
Minutes of ICOSI/SAWP Eighth Meeting-Amsterdam February 7-8, 1979
Abstract
These minutes of a 1979 ICOSI/SAWP meeting link the social acceptability issue to declining cigarette sales volume. (ICOSI/SAWP is the International Committee on Smoking Issues' Social Acceptability Working Party. ICOSI was the industry's global organization to fight public health efforts worldwide). The minutes discuss implementation of "global countermeasures" to fight public health efforts to reduce tobacco use [From Page 4]:
"Vogel [Christian Vogel of Reentsma, the German tobacco company] noted that it was important to stress to the national associations the impact the social acceptability issue is having on market volume volume...2. Development of Global Countermeasures: Hind reported...the Executive Committee has charged SAWP with the development of global countermeasures (which might then be adopted to the needs of individual countries) to counteract the public opinion trends."
Representatives of the following tobacco companies/countries attended this ICOSI meeting:
RJR (USA) BAT (UK) Imperial (Canada) Gallaher (UK) PM (U.S.A.) Reentsma (Germany)
Fields
- Notes
Produced by: RJR Affected Defendants: RJR, BAC, ITL, PMI, JMF, TII
- Quotes
[From Page 4, 00038136]:
[Christian Vogel, of Reentsma, the German tobacco company] noted that it was important to stress to the national associations the impact that the social acceptability issue is having on market volume, even though there are no figures on this subject...
...2. DEVELOPMENT OF GLOBAL COUNTERMEASURES
Hind reported that as a result of SAWP's presentations on the opinion surveys, etc., the Executive Committee has charged SAWP with the development of global countermeasures (which then might be adopted to the needs of individual countries) to counteract the public opinion trends. The Eexecutive Committee wished the model for such development and the budget to emerge from this meeting.
Jacob [Jacob & Medinger] reported Bill Murray's [of PM] thought that, in developing these countermeasures, SAWP might wish to engage outside experts. He also stated the Executive Commitee wanted expertise developed in addition to the social cost/social value study.
[From Page 5-6, 00038136-7]:
D. SAWP [Social Acceptability Working Party] Priorities
It was agreed that the following are SAWP's current priorities:
1. Meeting of National Manufacturer's Associations --arranging for --carrying out 2. Development of countermeasures...
- Company
- R.J. Reynolds
- Author
- McClendon, Janet S. (Lawyer for firm Jacob, Medinger & Finnegan)Took minutes at ICOSI/SAWP meetings, c. 1979
- Region
- United Kingdom
- United States
- Canada
- Germany
- Named Organization
- Exec. Committee
- Governing Board
- Social Cost/Social Values Project
- Paris Conference on "Science and Decision"
- UK
- US
- Fourth World Health Conference
- STAG
- National Manufacturer's Association
- SG
- Swiss Association
- Hosting Committee
- EEC
- USA
- Litigation
- Ness
- Operation/Project
- Countermeasures (Efforts by global tobacco indsutry to restore the social acc)Through ICOSI, the global tobacco companies worked in concert to undermine public health education about tobacco use, reverse the declining social acceptability of smoking, slow quit rates and preserve smoking as normal and accepted human behavior.
- Named Person
- Durden, C. Dennis (VP of RJR Industries, 1984, TI Communications)Director of RJR Corporate Public Affairs, 1975, Dir. of Public Affairs Council, 1977, VP of R.J. Reynolds Industries, 1984. Served on the Communications Committee for the Tobacco Institute, 1977 (while an RJR employee).TI Communications
- Hargrove, Gwynn C.INFOTAB
- Knowles, Colin G. ("CG") (Public Affairs Mgr., Imperial Tobacco (UK) 1978)
- Needham, D.
- Berman, George (PM Social Acceptability Working Party (SAWP))Philip Morris employee between Sept. 1976 and Feb. 1979 (estimate, could have been longer). Left PM to become independent consultant c. 1979. President of Devon Management Resources, Inc. 1979. Presented a talk on social costs for ICOSI, the International Committee on Smoking Issues, and assisted ICOSI with organization and implementation of the Social Costs/Social Values Project. WAs a member of ICOSI/SAWP. Appears to have been on a social costs working group with the Tobacco Institute arouned 1979-80.
- Covington, Mary W. (PM Corp. Affairs VP (1979), Public Relations Dir. (1996))PM Public Relations Director; Chair of ICOSI's Social Acceptability Working Party (1980)
- Vogel, Christian (Director, Public Relations Div. Reentsma , c. 1986)West Germany
- Hind, James F. (RJR Director 1979-80, VP of Planning, RJR c.1978)
- Herter, Ulrich Georg Volker (BAT Tobacco Managing Director & Board of Directors Member)New Business Development
- Brinkmann, Martin (Founder of Martin Brinkmann AG, Hamburg, Germany)
- Kuhlenschmidt, Ulrich (Employee with Martin Brinkmann, Germany)
- Jackoby, Robert
- McClendon, Janet S. (Lawyer for firm Jacob, Medinger & Finnegan)Took minutes at ICOSI/SAWP meetings, c. 1979
- Gorkom, Van
- Needham, Don F. L. (Gallaher Tobacco (UK), c. 1979)
- Murray, R. William "Bill" (PM Pres. & CEO, PM Companies Inc.)President and Chief Operating Officer, Philip Morris Companies Inc., USA. Served on Board of Directors for PM from 1987-89. Vice Chairman of Philip Morris Companies in 1990. Australian.Was President and CEO in 1992; Chairman 1994.
- Type
- Minutes/Draft
- Subject
- countermeasures
- social acceptability
Document Images
DRAFT 2/22/79
Minutes of
ICOSUSAWP Et~hth Meeting
Amsterdam
February 7-8, 19"/9
In attendanee=
Dennis Durdefl'- RJR (Chairman) (part of 7 Feb., 8 Feb.)
Gwyrm Hargrov.~- BAT
Colin Knowl_e~/- Imperial
Don Needham - Gallaher
George Berman/-/PM USA
Mary .~ington ".- PMI
Chr~ Vbgel~ Reemtsma (7 Feb. only)
Jim Hireit -
Ulri~!~:~rter eAVlartln Brinkmann
U1ri~::~i:~1~hl~nse[~Idt - Marti~ Brinkmann
Ed ,~)t~- t]aeob & Medinger
Janet::::~Clendon - Jacob & Medinger
P, epor,~ of V.xeeutlve Committee Action, (5 ,..and 6 February 1979) on
Deelsions"Requested by SA~/P
SAWP~i"~ests for decisions. Following are the most pertinent deeislons by
the Ex~e Committee with respect to SAWP.
:%ii::!iii::::::~::~ Meeting of National Manufacturers Association. (II.B.*)
Hind reported that the Executive Committee agreed with SAWP~s
view that a meeting of the associations is neoessary. SAWP was charged with
organizing the meeting. However, because of the need to explain ICOSI to
the associations, the meeting is to be held in the name of the Chairman of
*Reference is to SAWP's list of requested decisions, submitted to F~bruary 5
meeting of Executive Committee.
the Executive Committee (va~ Oorkom). (For more on this, see p. 6.)
i~::""
2. Widening Scope of ICOSI Coverage (II.C.4)
Hind reported that the Executive Committee deferred the ques-
tion of whether ICOSI shoutd widen its scope of coverage to other countries
to consideration and decision at the meeting of the Governing Board in
September. Any thoughts on this subject should be submitted prior to that
time.
....... ii:ii::: iii rman reported on his presentation to the Executive Committee
of the ~l~! Cost/Social Values Project, noting that the presentation was
simll~ ~i~'!i!~t presented to SAWP at its last meeting, with the exception Of
~he othe~.:~i!~i~:~sentatlons and had made a few comments on the recent
C~ferenee"=:~ "Science ~d D~lon"~ notsbly thst the eeonomNts st thst
confere~ce::~paren~y ~ree with us.
p~ce r~i~io~ study by only approving up to $50,000 for a pact laboratory
study. He noted~ ~wever~ that th~ bu~et~y restrlctl~ w~ have no linnet
on the project at this time. The Executive Committee approved $455,000 for
the entire project for the first year, all of which is subject to ratification by
the Governing Board at its September meeting. Jacob noted that the
Executive Committee realizes that, if the Governing Board does not
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ratify the budget, there will be wrap-up expenses, for which the Executive
Committee is prepared to pay. The budget tot the second and th|rd years has
not yet been approved,
Barman noted that he has material for the internationalization of
the proJeet~ to balance it equally among Germany, the U.E. and the U.S.
Vogel wondered why Germcny was being focused on, since the eoonomie cost
issue is not a pressing issue there. (For more on this, see p. 13.)
...:~::i!i::~i~: Public Smokin£ Position Paper (U.E.)
........ ~'~cob stated that the Executive Committee-agreed that the
public s~~tng position paper should be brought up-to-date to include such
things a~!~;i~::~ Jones hearing, the 1979 Uo$. Surgeon General's report on
:::::::::::::::::::::::::
nitrosam[~:~ etc. A draft of this up-dated paper will be circulated for
~men=::iii~ April L Agreement on the psper must be reached by May I, so
~hat it m e presented to the meeting of the national associations. The
paper w[11 ~ brought up-to-date again following the Fourth World Health
Confe~etlce.:~.~ Stockholm. The paper wltl then be presented to the September
meeting:~#~=::t~ ICOSI GovernLng Board.
5. International Opinion Survey (m)
Needham reported that the Executive Committee a~eed that
indlvldual reports for most of the countries surveyed would be produced,
including the addition of a summary and conclusion section. He wLll be in
touch with the people responsible for the Indlvldual countries and follow up
on this. He noted that SAWP must decide how to tackle the confidentiality
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question. Jacob stated that the Executive Committee was willing to take
some risk in this regard..
Vogel noted that it was Important to stress to the national
ass~lations the impact the soeicl aocept~bilRy issue is having on m~ket
volume, even though there are no figures on this subject. (For more on this,
see p. 12.)
6. Additional Material Requested by ICOSI (VI.)
.... ~i~i!~!~ii~i~-~.ind reported that Durden requested more time to get informa-
tion orti::~i~ial acceptability issue in Finland, Norway, ~3reece, Spain and
Brazil.:~:~::~:~ Executive Committee agreed that it would be compiled at
SAWP's~::i~::~enienee and the material presented when it .was ready. Hind
noted t....~.~is charge was deferred because of othe~" priorities.
::::::::::::::::::::: .........
B. Ne~t:~:~ges to SAWP from Executive Committee
-.
i:::.i~i:.~.~.::~::~i STAG
!!~"......:~i!ili~seob stated that the Executive Committee gave SAWP the
respons!~ of taking what STAG has done and making it usable by the
assoelatto~~ Accordingly, it is necessary to consider the relationship
between SAWP and STAG.
2. Development of Global Countermeasures
Hind reported that as a result of SAWP's presentations on the
opinion surveys, etc., the Executive Committee has charged SAWP with the
development of global countermeasures (which then might be adopted to the
~lHaOlJcl dMVS "(I
• pa~oiH l~uluae^oo ~ql {o :~ul~,oom eql ore, .'olad
arranging for
carrying out
2. Development of countermeasures
- short term= current inventory and knowledge (basis of
presentation in May)
- long term= new concepts (approach and system should be in
writing for May meeting of associations)
3. International Opinion Survey and Social Cost/Social Values
E.
~ "':ili::i!~::?:iiiii::~::i~ovington showed three films=
..... ~:~:~::.....~I~ Excerpts from Jo~es hesr|ng (prepped by T.I.)
',--::~
~ News coverage o£ re1~ of U.S, S~eon~eral's react and
T.I.'s c~~ to the pre~ prior to the release~ and
.... ~::~::~::~. A ~ of the MaeNe~/L~rer telev~ion show, foMowing ~e
rel~e ~:=t~e S~geon Gener~'s re~ort, In whleh a T.I. re~r~en~t[ve and
Surgeon-Oeneral Richmond were interviewed.
Meeting of National Manufacturers' Association (Priority #I)
I. Date: Sunday~ May 20 (evening) - Wednesday, May 23, 1979.
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2. Loeatiom Zurich. Thls loeatlon was suggested, because Vogel,
Herter and Covington felt stror~ly that the meeting should be on neutral
territory in order to emphasize the international spirit of ICOSI. Covington
ascertained that the Swl~ A~soolatlon had no p~oblem with holding the
meeting in Switzerland.
3. Hostln~ Committee:
Vogel
Knowles
Hargrove
Herter
.......
. ~:,::::i:i:~:~" :
This com~Rtee is responsible for:
..... iiiiii~ accommodations (Herter)
~.~ii~ii.~ compiling list of names to whom Invitations should be directed
(Knowle~i::!~ove, Vogel)
i::~i .....~!~::~ arrangements by the Hosting Committee, as well as the
agenda, willbe submitted tot approval -- as one document -- to the Executive
Committee ~ior to the associations' meeting.
L Chairman of Executive Committee (van Oorkom)
ii, Secretary-General
lii, SAWP representatives
b, Associations to be invited (in addition to the 9 non-
monopoly countries covered by the opinion survey)
Hind reported that an Executive Committee member suggested
that this decision should depend upon the intensity of the social acceptability
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issue in a particular country. Jacob noted that at the Executive Committee
meeting some reservation was expressed about Norway's association.
".::!:!:!:!:!::-'
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
,February 8~ 1979 (morning)
SAWP agreed that the following additional associatiotts should be
invited:
I. Denmark (lead eompanyz BAT)
li. Finland (lead company: PM)
.... ~:::::.i!~!i~ii~!i~ii~! fli. Norway (lead company: BAT)
It was g~...n....~i~lly agreed that the criteria for choosing th~se wa~ giving the
Secreta~:~neral the bet chance for establishin~ good relatlons with the
associa~ In addition, Denmark is in the EEC group of associations.
::~:~:::::i::i::i::~owever~ atl invitations depend upon an sssoelatlon's having a
~.msn~::~. ff member. (See below) It was agreed that there should be no
senior com~.L~any management at the meeting.
~~ Invitations
ii ............. ~::iiii::ii! a. Date: It was agreed that the invitations~ perhaps with a
tentati~::~da attached~ should be sent by told-March.
,:~:~:~:~:.~:~i .. b. Content of invitations: It was agreed that this should be
Cleared with van Gorkom. It was agreed that it would be preferable to limit
the participation to a maximum of three people from each association.
c. Direction of Invitations: It was agreed that no invitation
should be sent until advice has been received from the lead company as to
whom the invitation should be addressed. There was agreement with
Knowles' suggestion that it be sent to the senior permanent staff member,
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with a copy to the chairman. It was also agreed that if an assoolation had no
permanent official for its cigarette branch, the lead .company should
advise the hosting committee and no invitation would be sent.
6. Brieflnll of van Gorkom: It was agreed that Hind and Hatter,
assisted by Durden, would, following this meeting, brief van Oorkom and
obtain hls approval on the concept of the meeting, stressing SAWP's desire
that no company senior management be present.
7. Purpos~
.... ~::i~:~i~i::i::i~ii~::::::iiiii A list of the purposes of the meeting, as agreed upon, is
attache~i!!!~:~.~i~:~i~hese minutes. It was agreed that it is desirable that the
assoclat~i~ake many of the presentations and that a setting be created in
which t~:~i!?~i!~eeretary General and the .associations could discuss the
assoeiat~#eeent activities.
......... ~.,~i Attached to these minutes IS the draft agenda that was
develop~::~::!~he meeting. Following are the decision reached with respects
to the ~"t-~:":~f the agenda:
.=~i~::~:.::~i~::~i~:~:~ L May ~0 -- dinner. Van Gorkom wRl decide whether or not
'he wish~::i~ake a welcoming speech.
2. May 21 - 9 a.m. Van Oorkom wil/introduce hlmseif. It
was suggested that he use material similar to that which Kit Stewart-
Lockhart used at Copenhagen. The Seeretary-Oeneral wi/1 be responsible for
what van Gorkom says about him.
3. May 21.- 9:30 a.m. Seeretary-GeneraPs remarks. Jacob
stated that the Executive Committee expects SAWP to be available to assist
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the Secretary-General before the May meeting, if need be. He may wish to
use his operating guidelines -- which will be developed by Hargrove prior to
the Secretary-General's coming on board -- as the basis for his discussion of
the role of the secretariat.
4. May 21 - 2t30 p.m. "Aquarius" presentation - Hanby.
Needham, with assistance from Hargrove and Knowles a~ needed, will help
Hanby recast the work so that there is ~ overtop with the international
opinion survey.
.... ~::~;i~i~i::i~!~iiii::ii Needham will give thought to coordination of the three
studies ~.#..port the detaLls at the next SAWP meeting. -
i::::!i!!!!~.!!!!!~.! iiii 5. May 22 - 9:00 a.m. Durden will note the availability of
the pub~::i::i~klng position paper~ highlighting the Bavarian workplace study
and the ~i::~tant blue book as something that can be done. Jacob will be
.... ~i::::!?~:":: : 6. May 22 - 10'.00 a.m. Discussion of Jones hearings.
Covington ~Jjl point out that the Jones hearings meet a need to establish a
scientlfl~....~e of reference for dealing with the public and pubtic officials.
Durden n.o.:te~d' that the equivatent of the ,/ones hearings Is needed in every
oountryo~::~H~ked whether there had been anything tike thLs done other than
in the U.S.A.
7. May 21, 4:00 p.m. and May 22, 4:30 p.m. -- Verband and
EEC reports. Herter will relay to Vogel the consensus that senior manage-
ment should not at the meeting for presentation or otherwise.
8. May 22 - Films. There was agreement with Knowles'
suggestion that the lead companies, in conjunction with the national associa-
tions, collect possible films, which will be reviewed and selected at the next
