Tobacco Documents Online

THE `I:odcco INSTITUTE C 71f:.s 1iS'i1H}:rT. N(llrmflVF.ST 1VAS1',11Nk:'TnN. DC 'tNl(lGi ZUE', 95'7•9H3U . April 27, 1982 ~~ Mr. Timothy J. Muris Director Bureau of Consumer Protection Federal Trade Commission 6th and Pennsylvania Avenue, N. V.'. Washington, D1. C. - 2'00'3~2 Dear Mr. M~~uris : 1'JIIRACF R. FUH\F,C/YY ChHirmnn At our meeting on April 15, 19'821, you stated that you were concerned by the finding, of the FTC Staff that 41 percent of smokers did not "know".that smoking decreases one's life expectancy. (Staff Report at p. 3-47') I aave you various materials at our meeting that explained the overall deficiencies in the FTC Staff's analysis and conclusions; I am,writing now to point out how those defi'ciencies are reflected in the specific finding that . you mentsoned. The fundamental error in the Staff"s finding regarding public awareness of life expectancy statistics is that the Staff has taken information conicerning belief -- whether smokers believe that smoking decrease- 1 fe expectancy -- and' used that information to support a conclusion concerning knowledge ora"<aareness . As!we! pointed out in our formal Comments on, the FTC Staff Report (pp. 26-29), and as explained by Dr. Yoram L^'ind in, his testimony at the hearing~ held~ on March 12 by Representative Waxman, of the Youse Subcommittee on Health -and'the Environment, belief and awareness are entirely different concepts. The asserted health hazards of smoking, including decrease in life excectancy, remain, alcontroversy; indeed, insurance companies that have investigated the life expectancy guestion have acknowl- edged'that although statistical associations exist, there is no proof that decreased life expectancy' can be attribr wted, to smoking per se. It stands to reason, then, that people may well be aware of claims made about the effects of smoking on life expectancy, but simplyn~ot believe, them. Thus, statistics concerning public belief about smoking, and

Mr. Timothy J. 1-;uris ~ Page Th~ree~ staff our pcsition with refer-ence to the legiislation pendiing in the Congress which would require, among other things, the rotation of several different warnings on cigarette packages and in all cigarette advertising. With all good wishes, I am. Sincerely yours, ~ ,~---~ -~ Horace R. Kornegay Chairman The Tobp.cco Institute

Fage Twoo life expectancy significantly understate the level of public awareness about that question. The Staff's confusion between belief and awareness is particularly evident with respect to the 19180 Roper Study, from which the information, about life expectancy was taken. That study was expressly aimed at testingi people's belief "s,, asking respondents ""how true you, personally think" particular statements are. At Qur meeting, I gave you a copy of a letter submitted' to Representative Waxman by Burns jnl', Roper, chairman of the Roper organization, which pointed out the FTC'Staff's misuse of the Roper Study in this respect. The Staff's concl'usion about public awareness of the, claim that smoking decreases life expectancy also il- lustrates the danger of relying on a response to, a specific question as an indication of the extent of public awareness about the general subject to which that question relates, The studies conducted for the FTC' Staff show that well over 80 percent of the public believes that smokers are many more times as likely to develop lung cancer as nonsmokers, and that more than 910 percent believe that heart disease has been found to be associated with smoking. Similar high percentag,es respond affirmatively' to questions linking smoking with numerous other health conditions. These high percentag;es of-beiief', which outstrip public belief or awareness~ of virtually any other issue, belie the Staiff's notion that if a number of people are not aware of a specific detail of the smokingg and health controversy, those people'are not aware of the claims that smoking is claimed to have serious adverse health consequences. Finally, I think it is important to note that even taken at face value, the statistics that you mentioned demonstrate that a majority of smokers and almost three-quarters of non- smokers believe that smoking shortens life expectancy. These statistics confirm that the curre t Surgeon, General's warning and' other initiatives by government agencies and! private anti-smoking orgianizationis have been remarkably successful inlinforming the~ public about thesmokingandhealth controversy. In closing, let me ag,ain express to you my appreciation for the opportunity to meet and discuss with,you and your W