Tobacco Documents Online

.. MESSAGE FOR DR'. PAUL EICHORN FROM: WILLIA.K KLOEPFER, JR/TI The ARC resolution is an unfortunate resulit of misunderstanding about the effects of environmental tobacco smoke. Its implementation by chapters without careful consideration can only compound that resul't. Any objective reading of the relevant research~li~terature can only lead to a conclusion that it has not been shown that environmental tobacco smoke is harmful. Even the Surgeon General has not concliuded' that nonsmokers are imperiled, based on reviiew of th~atliterature. Smoking can, of course,be a source of annoyance to some persons in some situati,ons. The solution to that social problem, however, is application of courtesies, not controli of behavior by rules and regulatilons. From the viewpoint of any organization dependent on public support, impetuous consideration,of discriminatory rules could result in the inability to maximiize that support. In a community where industrial presence and employment related!to tobacco is so widesprea&, this could be acutely problematic. The board of directors of the Richmond chapter, if ilt chooses not to table the matter of implementation indefiniltely, shoulid at least avail itself of an impartial examiniation of present knowledge of the effects of environmental tobacco smoke before considering local impl'ementation of the national resolution. Insofar as the latter pertains to the effects of tobacco smoke on smokers themselves, the resolution also lacks merit. Informed, adult smokers shouldinot be subj'iect to punitive actilon toicontroS their preferences by any organization, but should continue to exercise their own judgments. The document on the following pages should be helpful. All of the above an&following summarilzes the positions of PhiliplMorris and the entire cigarette industry.