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W *** nstiitute Nlewrsletteir PREPARED FOR YOUR INFORMATION lYTHE:INSTI'TUTESTAFF '177t IC:STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C.: 20006 '. • 2l8-1b3{. Number 89 January 7',, 1974 *** *** *'** CONS!UMER' PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Chairman Simpson appeared' om NBC'"s "Today Show,"'with Frederick E. Barrett, who's been designated as the commission's executive director. (~Simpson,and the Civil Service Com- miission are having a public argument at the moment about Barrett's job status). Said Simpson: "'I!'ve been quoted as saying I've been,, you, know, favoring banning cigarettes. But I've also saidlI would not be in,favor of banning cigarettes. I think, that would be:an unwarrantedd intrusion of government regulation in the:rights of individuals. How- ever, I did say, and I do believe today,, that the subject of jinrisdli'c- tion over tobacco is an open question under the Harzardbus Substances Act...if this'commission has jurisdiction, several possible things you might consider (,sic). And one woulid be to look at the'rights of indi- viduals, say, smokers who have,to ((smoke))~ -- smoke all you want and'd perhaps live a little longer,while doing it., And then we should al- ways consider the rights of nonsmokers'to not have to be subjected to smoke of others., So I don,"t know what we would do. It has not offi- cially come before,the commission. But it wiTl." Simpson and Barrett each,described h,imself'as a,smoker during the broadcast. CLEA;RINGHOUSE FOR'SMOKING AND HEALTH, according to newly released Sen- ate appropriations~hearing6, will functiion'this year'about as usual inn terms of money,, though on paper its budget is red:uced' by around 60 per- cent., Its budget request is only $900,000, but admiinistration testi- mony indicates'th,at,"National Cancer Institute will assist in the pro- gram" to the extent that no cutback from the Clearinghouse's'usuali $2 million-plus, 26-person operation will be necessary. No one questioned'd or inquired into details of the,apparently intended bookkeeping trans- action, but Sen. Magnuson (D-Wash.), chairman of the appropriations subcommittee,, made'a random observation that "The cigarette people themselves are,engag'ediin almost vicious competition as to who can 1

i -2- produce the safest cigarette:. They're competingiwith each other in ad- vertising that safer cigarettes are available with less tar and nico- tine." Magnuson also said that in his opinion "anything you inhale," including "'sawdust, "' is "causingi trouble. " LUTHER TERRY, no longer the cynosure of the news media that he once was, chose the pages of the American Lung Associa- tion's Bulletin to deliver a message on the tenthianniversary of the report of his.advisory committee on smok,ing-heallth. He led off with,two errors of fact: 1) The 1964 "findings implicated cigarette smoking,as aicause of'cancer, coronary heart disease, and pulmonary i~llness"--at best an overstate- ment. 2) "The report put the gpvernment on record officially as recognizing cigarette smokiing,as a health hazard." In fact„ it put only Surgeon General Terry and his committee on record', not "the government." Congress andlthe PFesii- d'ent„ after weighing the matter, set the government policy in a statute that smoking "may be" hazardous. MARSTON, former director of Nationali Institutes of Health, put forth some sharp criticism of'the government's cancer conquest program in Prism, a magazine published by AMA. What it boiled down~to is that political laymen shouldn't be making so:many deciisions on research,di- rection--the political process should be limited to "how muchlyouiput into health as.opposed to how much,you put into highways, food andd other things." Even the NIH advisory committees have been subj'ect,to political influences, thwartiing the reason they were established, he said. REP. STAGGERS (D-W.Va.) introduced a resolution,requiring the HEW Secretary to organize and pay for anlinternationall healthiconference on heart disease, cancer and stroke in Washington, D.C. inithe fiscal year ending June 1975. The resolution was referred1to the I-Iouse, Committee oniInterstate and ForeigniCommerce, which Staggers:chairs., **~ *** **~ *** HOW,WELL do "population studies" serve us,in learniing, any ill effects of such things as r,adiiation,, birth,control pills, pesticides, tobacco smoke and air pollutants? Not very well, according to statiisticilan Sterling,: writing in the current The American Statistician. He thinks most,professional,colLeagues "may w~ell,be aware of the prevalence off statistical malpractices in public heallth, matters," but sees them ass reluctant to engage in controversy. one example: The smoking-health datai"collected by volunteers of the American Cancer Society. . . stem from a study population. ..that dramatically di~ffers in,most signifi- cant comparable measures from the U.S, popula:tion."' CIGARETTE',SMOKING'AND OTHER,heart disease risk factors are minor compared with, high,cholesterol levels and'certain i C) X ®

-3- types of stress, according to Dr. Richard Rahe, professor of psychiatry at U.C. San Diego. He told an,American,M'edical Assn. clinical meeting that heart disease victims:h,ave a certain personality which he called "Type A." "You can pickk out the heart patients from the other patients inia hospital ward,"'he said., The heart patient "is restless and won't stay in bed',, always'anxious to be up and doing,, and back at work~." "HYPERTENSIVE SMOKERS have six times more inciidence of stroke than non- smokers with high blood pressure," Dr. Frank Finner:ty, Sr., of George- town University told Business Week. Noting that hiigh~ blood' pressure canicause serious circulatory damage, he said that 90% of the time doc- tors cannot pinpoint the causes of hypertension. PASSING'THE BUCK?, A nationwide study of:29,000 bloodldonors in 18'geo- graph,ic areas over three years by a team of Wisconsiniresearchers has concluded that Americans are regularly exposed to potential dangers off excessive amounts of'carbon monoxide. "Tobacco smoking,"'said thee study, "was the single most important factor." It added that environ- mental factors such as occupation, geography and exposure to auto pol- lution,were also consid'eredo to be important. WHO SPONSORED THE STUDY? The Coordinating Research:Council,. an organization set up by the automobile and petroleum in- dustries with partial support from the Environmental Pro- tection Agency. AD:AGE reported that a government-sponsored~commission in Canada has identified alcohol as the nation's "most,serious non,medica:l drugiuse problem" and recommended warnings in liquor advertising., The paper said the commission also recommended government-required statements inn cigarette ads: "to cl'earlly convey that regular smoking of cigarets, be- cause of the dependence that develops,, almost inevitably leads to the level that is dangerous." The commiission apparently did not identify "the level." IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION OF THE FACTS, American Cancer Society has distributed "free" ads for med'iia use that say "the ciig- arette smoke that you inhale contains more "particulates, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide than auto exhaust, diesel engines and incinerators." "THREE LITTLE'PIGS" story is rewritteniby ACS in a four-color leaflet being distributed'through elementary schools to children. In this propaganda version, the "Big Bad Wolf"', a cigarette smoker, "huffs and puffs, and triies to suck aiir into his sickly lungs" in order to blow down,the pigs' house. "He is coughing and wheezing and'rafltling-- a:ndifinriousll Suddenly he is diizzy,, and has no breath--from all that smoking,. He falls--splat right on his long, mean-looking snout." -%.

AMERICAN LUNG' ASSOCIATIiON BULLETINi publiished aicondensed' version of'a paper given at ALA's national annual meeting by Sandra Kessler, who is "program administrator"'of the ALA of S'outheast Florida. TI Newsletter presents;the following further condensation,, all in. Kessler's wo:rds, as strikingly candid evidence of alproblem con- fronting all who produce and enjoy tobacco products. Her title is:, Protecting Nonsmokers in Public Places ...The American Lung Association of Southeast Florida, has jumpedli~nto the program with both feet. ..The program has been goi~ng,on for two years:now. ..The associati~onn had learned that you,get nowhere if you say only that cig- arette smoke is annoying. Instead, you must back up your plea with the facts about the health hazards. .. The first battleground was the public library. ..When our smaIl, group got to the library board meeting, thee directors., ., saiid: we were a radical group, ., .They voted not to ban smoking,. .. But., ..the newspaper report about,the requested smoking ban registe:red.: ., .Many people called'the llungiassociatiion saying, "'I want to report that smoking is allowed in such- and-such:buildings.". ..This was the start of our neww non-smoker"s rights constituency. . . I would write an authoritariian: letter whichistartedi out liike, th:is:, "I't has been brought to our attention that smokiing is being, allowed inlyour office. .. The letter would end with a formal request to no longer permit smoking. .. The next assault was onicigarette smoking inithe mu- nicipal audlitorium.,.: We got some students to write letters saying, for example, "Smoke is aiprobllem to me because I have asthma. .. These statements really packed a punch:.A:nything from kids has a definite appeal. Thenithe newspapers took up the cause. ..We started a massive letter-writing attack. We were able to interest a number of students in the cause,, and some of themieven delivered letters. ..to the commissioners' homes., On the day of the presentation, the lung association brought alongia group of junior high students who,, withh their teacher, were extremely interested' in the proposed C smoking ban inithe,audiitorium., The students put oniaa C..:' couple of skits inithe city chambers. They also., ... ~. helped pack the room.. ~ ~ ...The commissioners voted 4 to 1 to ban smoking totally ~ in the auditorium.. . .J C) .

The next phase in the campaign,was the organization of a smoking deterrence,committee from the lung association's boardlof directors. ..The committee decided to start an, . all-out public awareness campaign., ..They did reprint... some of the posters dreamed up by GASP. ., . Copies went out to physicians, andlcitizen volunteers a11so distributed them. Floods of requests for the posters came in...This was one activity that people are very: much interested in giving, money tolbecause of,its specific appeal. The posters paid for themselves., Out of the committee itself came. ..a wallet-size piece that youican slip underhand to aismoker. It says,, "Please don't smoke. .." On,the back there's a form sayi~ng, "I would like to report that,indiscri~minate smoking is being, allowed at. . ._ The association follows up with d letter to the so-called offender. . . The lung, association sent copies of the standard "Reso- lution for Creature Comfort" to about a thousand organi- zations in southeast Florida., ..A survey of smoking policies in hospitals was the next th,ing. ..We,found' that, out of 16lhospiitaIs, only 5 were separating smoking pa- tients frominon-smok:ers. ..We sent,the report to the medical staff and the hospital directors, asking that they take: up the matter of separating patients., .. Behindlthe. ..program is one over-all objective -- to create social awareness of how, offensive smokingican be. - If the association hears of a theater which de- cides not to allow smoking...we then inform the lung disease patients in the area that they can now go to that particular theater without discomfort. ...You can usually engiineer a change of policy by going to the right person., ..We ultimate:Iy hope for city and countywide ordinances to ban smo}'cing, in public,places... Get ainonsmoker to head' up the campaign.: ., Attend'city and county commission meeti~ngs. . . Learn who inithese bodies smoke., ..IIse students because it's hard!for the commissioners to say no to pleading,,young, sweet smiling voices -- and by students I mean younger students. If you:get college students, sometimes the elected officials think that non-smokers' rights is another rad'icall issue., . Precede your appearance at hearings with many letters. ...Expect increased contributions. A, $5 Christmas Seal contributor wrote us to say, "Because;,of what youl're doing to get smoking prohibited, "'Im,increasing my contribution to $200."

-6- CANCER SOCIETY in Schenectady called for elimination of student smoking areas in local schools. Od'd thing was,, however, that,there wereni"t any. THE YOUNGSTERS in senior hiighlat Oneonta,, N.Y., were treated to a take- home for family reading: A reprint of "What Happens When You Smoke?" from Reader's D3qest "distributed as a public service by Reader's Di- gest and the American Cancer Society." A,sample of the copy "The instant you inhale cigarette smoke, ...,it chokes the airways and rots the air sacs, leaving a residue of cancer-causing chemicals."' MINNEAPOLIS!STA:R'told in a full-page article how:a high school psychology class put on an all-out, all-school, stop- smoking campaign. Result: No change in student smoking, patterns. And' an Ohio paper quoted a Cancer Society offi- cial, inia speech to students:, "All of our statistics, pam- phlets, lectures and'programs turn you people off. This year I am not ordering all of our fancy literature to pass out, but I amiinstead asking you to help me in wri!ting the material,,, presenting your own programs in your own way and convincing your friends.that smoking isn't the cool thing to do•" *** **~ ~o-** **,~ A S!PRINGFIELD, MO.,, M.D., said air pollution tests in City Council cham- bers and a conference room indicate a substantial increase in suspen- ded1particulate levels as a result of tobacco smoke,, whereupon thee council took up a,proposal to~prohibi'lt smoking at its:meetings and in three other public meeting rooms in City Hall. But the resolution,was turned down, 6-1. One councilman was quoted as saying, "I'm sorry we we're fooling with,something like thils.We've got more important things to do." AN.ARTICLE in,_ViIrQ0.nia Pharmacist, a,trade publication, ad- -vertised' availability of a new "doni"t smoke" symbol for " posting inivarious places., Said the article, "In light of recent developments, smokers and tobacco companies aliike would find that asking 'mind' if I smoke?' is a muchibetterr alternative than harshilegislationi." WITH SOME EXPRESSED DISMAY, Michigan's Air Pollution Control Commissi'onn voted to: ban smoking at the Commission's meetings. The ban came after months of threats by the commission.chai.rman to eliminate smoking in meeting rooms. When he did make his move, according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot, he came prepared with statistics and' reports arguing the ill effects of smoking on nearby nonsmokers. SMOKING WAS BANNED at meetings of:the Greater St. Louis Medical Society after Dr. Russell W. Buchert claimed that studies show there was more dental disease among smokers than nonsmokers.

-7- NOTING THAT A TOTAL BAN on cigarette smoking in his hospital would be unfair and unrealistic:, the administrator of the Fisher-Titus Memorial Hospital in Norwalk, Ohio said the hospital will now ask incoming pa- ients if they:prefer smoking or no smoking rooms and,will make every effort to accomodate them., The hospital reportedly was one of the first in northern Ohio to discontinue cigarette sales on its premises,, a move it made in 1967., RIVERSIDE HOSPITAL in Columbus, said to have been,the first central Ohio hospital to stop cigarette sales (in 1963), said it also will sort incoming patients i~nto smoking-non- smoking rooms accordiiing, to preference, and that visitors will continue,to be required to confine smok:ing to lounges,, dining rooms and rest rooms. A WASHINGTON STATE LEGISLATOR who is also an occupational therapist att a hospital will introduce &"bill of rights!" for nonsmokel?s which~would'd ban smoking at any public g;atheringiplace in the state, reported the Seattle,Post Intelligencer_ FOND~DU LAC, WISC. REPORTER noted the alleged success:of Arizonal' s recent smoker segiregatiion l~aw and said, "It' s a trend that can be expected to~spread throughout the country ...So far -- despite successes in Arizona -- the non, smokers haven't been that gusty. But they're making pro- gress. And that, in itselif,, is encouraging." SEVERAL HEALTH1ORGANIZATIONS in Charleston, S.C. sponsored a"Smokingi Withdrawal Week" that included a five-d'ay programito get people to quit cigarettes and a series of lectures,, films and distribution of anti-smoking propaganda,, according to the News & Courier., The,news- paper also noted that "recent studies have also shown~that 'second~- hand',smoks,,' inhaled merely from being in the room with a smoker, is also harmful. . ." and "'. . . It is estimated that nonsmokers can,in- I hale smoke equivalent to a pack, aiday if they spend,a day in,a smoke- i filled room." QU.INCY',, MASS. (suburban Boston) Patriot Ledger noted the rise in the smoker-nonsmoker movement and invited readers to write the local Lung Assn., for more informatioa, about how "to clean up the indoor environment." The Greyhound Bus company is distributing a leaflet which readLs in full: "For your comfort. ., smoking courtesy is observed on all Grey- hound coaches. Greyhound coaches have a special ventilation system that completely changes and refreshes the air inside the coach every three minutes., But cigarette,smoke may still d'iscomfort some passen, gers. Smokers can help make this a more enjoyable trip for nonsmokers byobserving Greyho:und,smok,ing courtesy. Cigarette smoking is ermit- ted if it does not cause discomfort to the person sitting next to you.

-8- Before you light,up, please ask your seatmate whether your smoking will bother her or him. If it will, simply take another seat or refrain from smoking;. Cigar andipipe smoking is not allowed on Greyhound coaches. Thank you! Your cooperation willl make this a more pleasant trip for everyone. And thank you for going Greyhound!" A NEWINONSMOKERS' GROUP WAS FORMED in Minnesota that's inn favor of smoker segregation„ not any ban. Duluth Herald said the Assn. for Non-Smokers:' Rights boasts a membership of over 4,500., ANSR is sponsored by the Respiratory Dis- ease A,ssociations of,Hennepin and Ramsey Counties and'the Northeast Minnesota Respiratory Health A,ssn. *** *** *** *** WORCESTER,, MASS.,, TELEGRAMlagree:d in an,editorial that a ban on some or all cigarettes as reportedly urged by Consumer Product Safety Com- mission Chairman Simpson wouldni't work., Instead,, the newspaper:com- mended another approach "based on hard economic logic,,," praising State Mutual Life Assurance Co. and its affiliate, Hanover I~nsurance Com+- pani~es, for offering life and auto insurance discounts to nonsmokers. PHOENIX MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE CO. of Hartfordimailed a letter with:a"special offer" to its recipients that in- cluded a Johnson & Johnson,First Aid Kilt and "information about important savings on valuable insurance protection that can be yours when youido not smoke,cigarettes., .. DR. BROTHERS undertook to explain,all about "why we can't stop lighting up"'iln her syndicated newspaper column., Notwithstanding the findings of practically every study ever made on the subject, she claimed that "by far, the bi~ggest influence. ..ils cigarette advertisiing,and its sexuall overtones." ST., PETERSBURG'TIMES ran a three-coliumn anti-smoking story and quoted a Dr. Harold PilLsbury,, a scientist who oversees the collection of "tar" and nicotine data for the Federal. Trade Cbmmission., According to:tbe Times he formerly smoked but has stoppedl. "T saw what was in cigarettes,"'PilTsbury told a Times reporter, and "that was enough for me." JOHN P.:WYA'TT, M.D., a Canadian pathologist with aniinternati~onal rep- utation for research in chronic lung diseases, was named:director off the U. of Ky."s Tobacco and'Health, Research Institute. After announcement of his appointment, Wyatt was interviewed by an AP reporter who said some people are injured by ciga- rette smoke while others:aren't, andlasked why. Wyatt was quoted as saying, "Some people represent a high risk area," bothlbecause of where,they live and their cellular makeup.. ADDITION~ TO TOBACCOlINSTITUTE STAFF: Roger L. Mozinqo, formerly Vice. President, Tobacco Associates,, Inc., has joined the Tobacco Institute as Field Director, State Acti~vities. i:~:*