Abstract
This 3-page Lorillard document summarizes the strategies and tactics the tobacco industry uses to thwart public health smoking restrictions at the local level throughout the United States. The "overall strategy" is summed up at the very beginning of the document:
"PULL THE TRIGGER Smoking ban 'Early Warning System'
PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ACCOMMODATION
Overall Strategy:
1. Form statewide coalition of third-party allies.
2. Monitor localities statewide for possible smoking ban ordinances.
3. Provide initial opposition to smoking bans.
4. Offer compromise/model legislation to onerous ordinance."
The document also lists "expert witnesses on ventilation," and names George Benda of the Chelsea Group, a long time a paid industry proxy who has fronted for Philip Morris promoting ventilation as a sollution to the problems caused by secondhand smoke. Other tactics include creation of phone banks to elected officials and "identifying and monitoring communities with public health departments and/or tobacco-free coalitions." A list of allies appears at the end of the document. While the list is specific to the state of Wisconsin, some tobacco industry allies listed are likely to be national. They include:
Bowling (alley) proprietors
Elected officials
Labor unions
Local convention and visitor bureaus
Tavern League(s) and Beer wholesalers
Chambers of Commerce
Innkeepers Association
Restaurant Association Tourism
Federaltion Golf Course owners
Associations of Counties and Towns
Fields
- Quotes
PULL THE TRIGGER Smoking ban "Early Warning System"
PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ACCOMMODATION
Overall Strategy
1. Form statewide coalition of third-party allies.
2. Monitor localities statewide for possible smoking ban ordinances.
3. Provide initial opposition to smoking bans.
4. Offer compromise/model legislation to onerous ordinance.
Form statewide coalition of third-party allies...and locality specific coalitions as ordinances arise.
1. Build workable and manageable database of third-party allies.
2. Meet with third party allies to form coalition.
3. Meet with third party allies to plan strategy/discuss reasonable solutions.
4. Implement focused effort at local level, as needed. --Follow up on city (village, town) council (board) meetings with additional steps Monitor localities statewide
1. Create "phone/fax/e-mail tree" among third parties as a first alert system.
2. Document requests to funding agencies and organizations/public records...
3. Request to be put on mailing lists of selected municipalities to receive meeting notices and agendas.
-- Identify communities with public health departments and/or tobacco-free coalitions.
4. Educate and maintain regular contact with Philip Morris sales force.
--Coordinate effort with sales force to urge local business support.
5. Educate and maintain regular contact with third-party allies through bimonthly teleconferences...
- Company
- Lorillard
- Author
- Presumed to be Lorillard, although Accommodation is known to be a program of Philip Morris.
- Recipient
- N/A
RegionUnited States
TypeREPT, OTHER REPORT
LitigationFeda/Produced
Named PersonBenda, George (CEO of the Chelsea Group (an industry proxy group_)The Chelsea Group works closely with Philip Morris to address the "threats" of smoking bans, push ventilation solutions
Marlow, M.
Operation/ProjectAccommodation
Options (Philip Morris program promoting ventilation in place of smok)Puts financial burdens arising from smoking behavior on venue owners (to provide updated ventilation systems). PM encourages this practive to preserve the social accpetability of smoking and defray smoking bans.
Named OrganizationAlliance of Cities
Assn for Individual Rights
Bowling Proprietors of Wisconsin Association
Cal Poly - California Polytechnical College
Chambers of Commerce
Chelsea Group (Works as Philip Morris' proxy in clean indoor air issues)CEO George Benda has traveled the country pushing ventilation as a solution to the problem of secondhand smoke.
EPA, Environmental Protection Agency
Mechanical Contractors Assn
Natl Federation of Independent Businesses
PM Sales Force
Tavern League of Wisconsin
WHO, World Health Org
Wisconsin
Wi Assn of Distributors
Wi Beer Wholesalers Assn
Wi Counties Assn
Wi Golf Course Owners Assn
Wi Innkeepers Assn
Wi League of Municipalities
Wi Restaurant Assn
Wi Tobacco Control Board
Wi Tourism Federation
Wi Towns Assn
Subjectsecondhand smoke
secondhand smoke strategy (Corporate strategy to deal with ETS issue)
industry activity
industry influence
industry response
industry strategy
industry surveillance (Intelligence-gathering on public health forces)
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'L'hird party allies
NO lE: Minnesota List to Follow
1) Alliance of Cities
2) Association for Individual Rights
3) Bowling Proprietors of Wisconsin Association
4) Elected officials
5) Labor unions
6) Local convention and visitors bureaus
7) Mechanical Contractors Association (HVAC)
8) National Federation of Independent Businesses - Wisconsin chapter
9) State and/or local chambers of commerce
10) Tavern League of Wisconsin
11) Wisconsin Association of Distributors
12) Wisconsin Beer Wholesalers Association
13) Wisconsin Counties Association
14) Wisconsin Golf Course Owners Association
15) Wisconsin Innkeepers Association
16) Wisconsin League of Municipalities
17) Wisconsin Restaurant Association
18) Wisconsin Tourism Federation
19) Wisconsin Towns Association
DEVELOP WEB PAGE RESOURCE THAT INCLUDES AND ARCHIVES ALL
OF THE ABOVE, PLUS PROVIDES FEEDBACK FEATURE (There are
arguments for and against a site that is password protected which will have to be
discussed before making a decision)
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Page 2: sba74d00
PULL THE TRIGGER
Smoking ban ' Early Warning System "
PROACTIVE APPROACH TO ACCOMMODATION
Overall strategy
1) Form statewide coalition of third-party allies
2) Monitor localities statewide for possible smoking ban ordinances
3) Provide initial opposition to smoking bans
4) Offer compromise/model legislation to onerous ordinances
Fornistatewide coalition (?f third party allies... and locality specific coalitions as
ordinances arise
I) Build workable and manageable database of third-party allies
2) Meet with third-party allies to form coalition
3) Meet with third party allies to plan strategy/discuss reasonable solutions
4) Implement focused effort at local level, as needed
Follow up on city (village, town) council (board) meetings with
additional steps
Monitor localities statewide
1) Create "phone/fax/e-mail tree" among third-party allies as a first alert system
2) Document requests to funding agencies and organizations/public records
Wisconsin Tobacco Control Board/ Minnesota Equivalent
3) Request to be put on mailing lists of selected municipalities to receive meeting
notices and agendas
Identify communities with public health departments and/or tobacco-
free coalitions
4) Educate and maintain regular contact with Philip Morris sales force
Coordinate effort with sales force to urge local business support
5) Educate and maintain regular contact with third-party allies through bimonthly
teleconferences
6) Monitor media
7) Review newspaper clips
Page 3: sba74d00
Resource center (available to third -party allies through coalition manager)
1) Scientific research on secondhand smoke from such organizations as EPA, World
Health Organization, etc.
2) "Options" website
3) Impact of smoking regulations in other states
4) State and local polling/survey data on attitudes toward smoking in restaurants,
bars, hotels, etc.
If possible, polling/survey data should be specific to locality in
question
5) Focus group data from general public on attitudes toward smoking in
restaurants/Focus group data from restaurateurs on how much smoking regulation
are you willing to take.
Such information will be helpful in developing materials, such as
talking points, news releases, etc. for tool kit
6) Newspaper stories
7) Smoking ban ordinance case studies
8) List of expert witnesses on ventilation (George Benda of The Chelsea Group) and
on effects of smoking bans on restaurants (Mike Marlow, economics professor at
Cal-Poly)
9) Ventilation standards data
"Tool kit" materials to .snppart local allie,s (turnkey)
1) Create and activate phone bank/fax network not only to elected officials, but
affected businesses as well
Create a master contact list of third-party allies
2) Distribute local ordinance to affected parties
3) Provide sample resolution opposing smoking ban
4) Provide "free" media relations counsel (e.g., pitch calls to media) to facilitate
editorial board meetings
5) Provide "free" lobbying counsel to facilitate meetings with elected officials.
6) Draft letters to the editor
7) Draft "In my opinion" pieces
8) Draft news release(s) that easily can be tailored to locality in question
Release for creation of local coalition
Release announcing model ordinance
Release/statement announcing success (or failure) in council vote
9) Draft letters to elected officials
10) Develop talking points for third-party allies for media interviews and testimony
before council/board meetings
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