Tobacco Documents Online

This document is a proposal sent from Covance Laboratory in the United Kingdom in response to an inquiry from Dr. Bruce Davies at the Philip Morris Tobacco Company, who apparently asked Covance about the possibility of performing a scientific investigation "to determine whether the addition of ammonium compounds by cigarettes enhances the avilability of nicotine to the smoker."

The lab sent Dr. Davies this proposal to do the experiment using human subjects. Mark Bentley of Covance proposed that the human subjects would smoke test cigarettes and then have blood samples drawn at various intervals prior to, and after puffing on the test cigarettes. The subjects's blood would then be analyzed to determine the concentration of nicotine in their plasma before and during smoking the cigarettes.

While we don't know if this study was ever done, this correspondence appears to reflect a continued interest by Philip Morris' in finding ways to enhance the delivery of nicotine to the smoker without actually adding more nicotine to their cigarettes.

1977 B&W brainstorming document wonders, "How have a cigarette that's cancer free" and "How smoke something that burns AND won't hurt you"

1988 B&W budget shows funding to develop genetically engineered high nicotine tobacco which will "led to competitive advantage."

This early tobacco industry grassroots organizing manual uses the themes of war, army, freedom and patriotism to motivate "tobacco family" members to serve as "Minutemen" to "provide [the industry with] the ammunition to defeat our opponents." ("Minutemen" refers to soldiers in the American Revolutionary War, who were called "Minutemen" since they were ready to fight the British on short notice.) The manual gives instructions on how to "recruit a 'Ready Reserve,' as an army of citizens ready to act at the direction of the [Tobacco Institute.]" Its sections have titles like "How to Recruit Your Minutemen" and "Appointing District Commanders": "Your District Commander is responsible for...staying in touch with his Minutemen so that after a call to action goes out, he is able to give you weekly reports regarding the activity of his troops."

Silhouettes of a Davy Crockett-like character holding a musket appear on many of the pages.

An organizational chart shows that smokers' rights grouped are linked back to a "Command Post" staffed by a Tobacco Institute area manager. "Minutemen" were to act as "the eyes and ears of the organization" and report back to the "Command Post" on any smoking and health bills, social movements, law or action that could affect the tobacco industry.

This document demonstrates that history does indeed repeat itself, as in United States post 9-11, the themes of freedom, war and patriotism are once again being widely used by public figures, elected officials, retailers, corporations, etc. to try and motivate people to act a certain way, buy a certain product, etc.

This Authorization Request, stamped "RJR SECRET" shows that in 1987 RJR deeded partion of its property to the city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The act allowed allowed access to a cemetary that was adjacent to the RJR site.