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Acsh News & Views Volume 7 Number 2
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- British Medical Journal
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- Heublein
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- Kera
- Maxwell
- Nabisco
- Newsweek
- PM, Philip Morris
- Procter Gamble
- RJR, R.J.Reynolds
- Time
- Wall Street Journal
- Amer, American Tobacco
- Named Person
- Wilson, J.T.
- Hatch, O.
- Maxwell, J.
- Nelder, W.
- Thompson, J.
- Waxman, H.
- White, L.
- Recipient
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- Date Loaded
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- 81210064-0110 Searching for A Way Out Smoking Cessation Techniques
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- 81210111-0142 Smoking or Health: Its Your Choice
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- 81210259-0286 American Council on Science and Health Sixth Annual Report Covering Period 830701 - 840630
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- 81210311-0326 Acsh News and Views
- 81210328-0357 American Council on Science and Health Seventh Annual Report
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Related Documents:
Document Images
Diversification a Trend
.. 3 ;~.- y :~c.;-,_~ F-._..- J;rvP , ..
bacolndst's Bi Bys :
ocurygu,.
;
By Lawrence White
THE MEDICALCASE AGAINST SMOKING is OppositiontoSmoking is one of the few
now proven beyond a reasonable doubt. At genuinely nonpartisan public health issues.
least 350,000 Americans die each year of Conservatives such as Senator Orrin Hatch
smoking related diseases. Lung cancer, of Utah and liberals like California Con-
which is almostentirelywused by smoking,
will soon replace breast cancer as the num-
ber one cancer killer of women. Even more
people die of heart attacks as a result of
smoking than cancer. Emphysema, a horri:
ble lung disease that suffocates its victims,
afflicts primarily smokers. Over 40,000
studies of its health effects show that smok-
ing is harmful. The overwhelming majority
of doctors agree thatsmoking is the number
one preventable cause of death and disease
in our society.
gressman Henry Waxman agree readily on
the menace of smoking, even if they don't
always agree on how to deal with the issue.
Indeed, the R.J. Reynolds'adsth'at purport
to discuss the "controversy" about smoking
are intended to project the image that there
isstill a controversy. In fact, the only people
who defend cigarettes any longer are those
who make money from selling them.
These should be deservedly dark days for
the people who make cigarettes, but they are
, - , CONTINUEDONPAGE6
PUBUCATION OFTHE AMERICAN COUNCILON SCIENCE AND HEALTH 1995 BROADWAY NEW YORK, NY 10023 (212)
362-7044
Inside
Bottled water -
better than tap?
PAGE2
ICecream - Islt Jt.
good for you?
PAGE 12
Dangers of
vitamin B,
PAGE 14
Recommendations
to keep you
healthy ' '
PAGE 15
JHE NEW THREAT OF TOXIC TORTS
which poison or contaminate persons or places. In this article, the consequences of over-use of
In currentusage, `toxic torts' refers to those cases of injury caused by any of the array of agents
litigation are shown to establish quite another definition.
= . By Elvoy Raines
A DISTINCrIVE FEATURE OF MODERN
AMERICAN CULTURE is the choice of litiga-
tion as the preferred method of dispute reso-
httion. The election to sue - as opposed to
. arbitration, mediation or bargain-to-com-
promise - has implications for the legal
process and even greater meaning for the
individuals and industries targeted by the
injured of body or sensibiGty who become
plaintiffs. Claims of tort, or personal injury,
prompted by perceived failures of product
or performance have reached record num-
bers, with an astounding impact upon the
availability and affordability of insurance,
The consequences of this evolving crisis of
.'toxic torts" may be inestimable, but the
immediate imporr is clear - we are suing
ourselves ognof business, and in the process,
diminishing incentives for innovation and
product development while increasing costs
to individual and institutional consumers.
Litigation in the United States is epi-
demic, and the frequency and severity of
lawsuits forpersonal injury and productlia-
bility are reaching new heights each year. No
industry, profession or social institution is
safe from our predilection to sue: aceount-
ants, architects, attorneys, clergy, banks,
physicians, engineers, savings and loans, cit-
ies and towns, chemical companies, drug
Across the nation, 20 percent of obstetriciins
have raised their tees more than 30 percent in the
psst two years to keep up with increases in liability
Insurance ntes.
houses, oll and gas corporattons, and cont-
puter firms - all are facing a new reality,
that of being sued or so threatened that
insurance against loss is expensive or not
even available. -
The purpose of this article is not to dimin-
ish the existence of injuries which are deserv-
ing of a legal Yemedy; ratherit is to point out
that the overutilization of litigation weakens
the system than serves those who do have a
r-,~x
legitimate claim. Too often, marginal ques-
tions of insult or affront reach the courts
simply because there is no proper dispute_
~'_
resolution mechanism. At the same time,
then, certain legitimate claims are shoved
aside or delayed because of crowded court
dockets. For instance, litigation currently in
progress in many states regarding the liabil-
ity of cigarette manufacturers for injury or
death ofsmokers presents a legitimate ques-
tion of responsibility for injuries which
quite obviously resulted from smoking. The
important question to be answered by the
eournis who is responsible - the smoker or
the manufacturer. Thatcase has had to fight
for access to the court, competing with other
CONTINUED ON -AGE 10
W

a
19
2
By9ohanna M.Omark
Botded Water Healthier than Tap?
UTIL 197Y 607TLED w'.4TER BARELY MADE
A RIPPLE in the U:S. beverage industry. Then Gustav Leven introduced Perrier, a spar-
kling mineral water from Vergeie in south-
ern France. The company spent $4 million
annually.to promote its beverage as a"natu-rat" alternative to soft drinks and cocktails.
The advertising was directed to the health
conscious who comprised, a fast-growing,.,
avant-garde segment of the population.
Sales rose from 3 million bottles in 1976 to
almost 200 million bottles in 1979:.
Perrier's success accelerated the bottling
of domestic bottled'waters. Water bottled in ~
the U.S. easily beat the price of imports,,
because of high shipping costs. Growing
public concernn over contaminatloninmunieipal supplies further encouraged'the
switch from tap to bottled'water.
6 L Today, Americans drink7hree
times as much bottled water as
they did in 1976, and consump-
tion is expected Yo'double by
1990.55
Today, Americans drink three times as
much bottled water as they did in 1976 and
consumption.is.expected to double by 1990.
Imports and carbonated mineral water
accounn fon less than 10 percent of sales,,
while bulkp,urchases of non-carbonated
drinking water account for the remaining 90
percent. Per capita bottled water consump-
tion is almost 4lgallonss a yearwith Califor-nia alone credited with half the total con-
sumed in the U.S. Ant' while health may be
the primary motive behind most bottled:
water purchases, there is no scientific evi-
dence to support the view that bottled water
is healthier than aap.
Wells, rivers and streams form the source
of most municipal water supplies. Bottled
water sources include privately owned wellss
and''springs and municipal supplies. AII
source waters contain varying amounts and
mixtures of carbon ~ dioxide, mincrals and
organic compounds. All waters must be fil-
tered to remove impurities and treated to
prevent bacterial contamination. Other
treatment processes may be used when a
change in flavor.orcomposition is desired,..
Municipal supplies areusuallye trcated
with chlorine gas orincreasingly with chlor-
amines for disinfection. According to the
International Bottled Water Association
( tB\\'A), an industryy trade group, most bot-
a
7J
©
LM
"
l
. :' V1 lll hn.
Spr'ing Water
tel-Ac
a
M
tldd water companies use ozone (0,), a form
of oxygen, jordisinfection. Ozone is consid-
erably more expensive than chlorinebut it
lacks the aftertaste or smell some people
find offensive inchlorinated water.. Wfienused properly, ozone and chlorine are
equally potent as disinfectants. However,
ozonee is lessstablethamch'lorineand less
potent as a long-term disinfectann.
The filters used to purify chlorinated
water supplies are manufactured from car-
bon to remove any free chlorine generated
during the disinfection process. Free chlo-
rine hass beem found to~react with organic
compounds to form trihalomethanes. These
compounds are suspected of causingcancerg or causing genetic mutationswhieh promote
cancer. Thee levell ofl trihalomethanes in
municipal drinking water isstrictly monid tored and regulated by the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)) in cooperation
wiih state and local governments. Trihalo-
meth'anes in excess of 0.10 milligrams per
literi(1IXl~partsper billion) arestrictly, pro-hibited. Levels below this are, in the best
judgment of scientists, free of any risk to
health andcompletely, safe for human con-sumption. The use of chloramines, a group
of ammonia-chlorine compounds whi¢h are
less reactive than chlorine gas, has increased~
in the effort to minimize trihalomethane
formation.
III
Frac
Growing concern overconlaminativn in municipal supplies encouraged the switch from tap to bottled
water. Perrier sales rose from 3 million botlles in 1976 to almost 200 millionn battles in 1979.
The Food and Drug. Administration.
(FDA), which establishes quality standards
for bottled water, also sets a limit of' 0:10
milligrams per liter for trihalomethanes- All'bottled waters including imports are subject
to this regulation. Bottled' waters from a
non-chlorinated source are unlikely to need
treatment to maintain safe levels of trihalo-
methanes.
LL To remain free of bacterial
contaminants, water musrbe
handled properly in the home
and workplace. Bottled water in
bulk containers (S gallons) is at
highest risk of contarnination
from improper handling. 9 9
Beyond disinfection: and filtration, fur-
ther processing is generallynot requiredford municipal supplies.. A softening treatment
may be used to reduce total dissolved solids
(EB4 limit = 500 milligrams per liter = 500
ppm), This procedure usuallyy involves
replacement of calcium or magnesium ions
with sodium or potassium ions. In many,
communities fluoride is added'to achieve

W
TABLE 1
MAXIMUM CONTAMINANT LEVELS
Concentration in milligrams per liter (ppm)
SUBSTANCE
Arsenic
Barium
Cadmium
Chloride
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Lead
Manganese
Mercury
Nitrate
Phenols
Selenium
Silver
Sulfate
Total Dissolved'Solids
Zinc
Turbidity
Color
Odor
Corrosivity
Foaming Agents
pH
Endrin
Lindane
Methoxychlor
Toxaphene
2, 4-D
2, 4, 5-TP Silvex
Trihalomethanes
Radioactivity
Gross Alpha
Gross Beta
* No matumum level for FDA Bottled Water Standards
levels effective in inhibiting tooth decay,
usuall,L at a level of 1.0 milligrams per liter (I
ppm):
Ih contrash the processing of bottled
watersvaries.considerablyfrom product to
product. Some bottling companies manipu-
late the mineral composition of a source
water to achieve a desiredlflavoc.Mineral5can be added, removed or left unmodified.
r
(3
(5
Carbon dioxide.may,be added!for efferves-
cence(carbonation):The prod'uctlabelisth'e
consumer's best guide to the processes and
the source waterused in bottling a partieular
producc.
Natural water is water that is unmodified
by,mineral addition or deletion. It may come
from a spring, a well or an Artesian well.
Spring.waterrises to the earth'ss surface
FDA/EPA
STANDARDS
0.05
1.00
0.01
250.0
0.05
1.0
0.3
0.05
0.05
0.002
10.0
0.001
0.01
0.05
250.0
500.0
5.0
5.00
15.0
3.0
Non-Corrosive'
0.5'
6.5 - 8.5'
0.0002
0.004
0.1
0.005
0.1
0.01'
100 ppb
Concentration in
picocuries per liter
under its own pressure. Water bottled from
springs may be taken from the natural open-
ing in the ground or from a hole bored
nearby.,It ma,vbe collected and transported
using pumps, pipes;, tunnels or similar
devices. Well! water remains underground
and must be removed from a hole bored linto
the ground- %lellsthat flow, without pump-
ing are called Artesian wells. Both springs
, and wells are fed byground-svater reservoirss
known as aquifers. An aquifer is a water-
bearing stratum of permeable rock, sand or
gravel. AqpifNrs are ultimatelyy fed byy rain
and snow in a complex process known as the
!, h'ydrologiccycle...
Natural Spring water is water, that comes
il from a spring and is unmodified by mineral
addition or deletion.. Artesian well watenr
comes from ~an Artesian well and is unmodi-
fied by mineral!addition oridelttion. Min-
era1water is an indefinite term. All water
except distilled water is tech'nically mineral
water. The FDA has no standard of identity
to legally define what is and what is not miherallwater. However, the state of California,.
!, which claimsalfnost '/i of all domestic bot-
I tled!waterproduction,andtheIBWA,which,
I claims representation for more.than~80 per-cent ofthe 324 domestic bottling companies,,
j both require that a mineral water containn
more than 500 milligrams per liter of total
dissolved solids. 1%linerals may be added,
removed or left unmodified to achieve a
I, desired flavor or compositiom. Natural min-
eral water is.usually from a spring.and'.is
, unaltered in minerallcomposition.
Drinkingg water is another vague term
used to describe bottled water. It is usually
non-carbonated or "still" water. It may
' come from a spring, well, municipal Isupply,
or some combination of these sources,,Fre-
'i quently, it..ist demineralized,.also known as
Purified, and then~remineralized to achieve
a specific composition and flavor. Purified
waterwhich is then vaporized andd con-
densed is called distilled water.
Geolbgically; the mincrall content of
water is derived' from the soil and rocks
through which the water moves under-
ground. The different kinds andlamounts of
minerals give each source water its unique
taste. The taste of!tap water varies from city
to city and state to.state because of varia-
tions in the soil and rocks in the different .
source waters. Because taste is a significant
factor in consumer choice of bottled water,
many companies choose to~maniputate the
mineral composition of their source water. ry~
Bottled water may, also be carbonated. w
The carbon dioxide may occur naturally in
the source water(Natarally Sparkling).orit ~
may be removed+,transported and injected '
from another source water (Sparklingt.orit =
mayy be manufactured and injected,., e.g., iseltzer.and club soda. Bottlers.using natural ~
carbon dioxide claim its bubblesiast longer .a
than those produced by manufactured car- ?bon dioxide. This is unlikoly . since the car- zbon
dioxideprodu.ced is chemically identical 7
and virtually unreactive with water.
C
W
Ib

f".,.". , t.' . . ..
TABLE 2
4
I
r?
.p. .f.* ~4?. _ ._ .. -
COMPOSITION OF SELECTED BOTTLED VS TAP WATERS
(milligrams perliter)
ARROWHEAD SPARKLETTS PERRIER s<` EYIAN -' -YOUR
MOUNTAIN CRYSTAL- 7MPORTED IMPORTED TAP
SUBSTANCE SPRlNG FRESH MINERAL MINERAL WATER'
".t 3
Calcium 15.2 0.7 133
Magnesium ~ ' 2.7 0.8 3.8
Sodium 9.4 3.8'' 12.5
Potassium ' 1.5 ' 0.83
Chloride 7.5 . 3.5 29.2
Fluoride -' 0.12 0.0' 1.0
Iron 0.015 0.0
Bicarbonates 67.1 ~ ; 5.8 179
Sulfates 3.4 7S
Nitrates 0.8 ?''V 0.0
Spring
89e/gallon
Very Good
1 Call your city or state water department and ask to speak with a laboratory chemist.
2 5.0 in Sparklelts Crystal-Fresh Fluoridated Water.
3 No data available.
4 1.0 in Sparklelts Crystal=Fresh Fluoridated Water.
5 Consumer Reports, Septemtier 1990.
All treatment processes used in bottling
water must' be conducted under sanitary
conditions. Any shipping or storage must
occur under conditions that maintain water
purity and quality. The FDA monitors and
regulates bottling facilities and procedures
in the same way it does food manufacturing
plants. Under provisions of the Safe Drink-
ing Water Act of 1974, the FDA established
standards for bottled'watercomparable to
the EPA's national drinking water stand-
ards. Both standards ser limits for toxic sub-
stanees including residues of certain pesti-
cides, radioactive substances, micro-
organisms and chemical elements (see Tablt
" 1). Both EPA and FDA standards are virtu-
ally identical and are enforced in coopera-
tioo with state and local governments.
Members afthe IBWA also participate in a
plant inspection program administered by
the American Sanitation Institute. -
Certain bottled waters are not regulated
by the -FDA as "bottled~ water." These
include seltzer, club soda, naturally spar-
kling water and mineral water. The first
three are regulated as soda water which is
defined as "a class of beverages made by
',absorbing carbon dioxide in potable water."
This class also includes flavored'soft drinks
such as cola. Seltzer water is usually tap
water filtered and carbonated with manu-
factured earbon dioxide. Club soda is tap
41
water filtered and carbonated and'to which
minerals are added for flavoring. Naturally
sparkling water was identified earlier. The
FDA permits soda water manufacturers to
add small amounts of eaffeine, not to exceed
0.02 percent by weight. Because the amount
is regulated, manufacturers are not required
to declare caffeine content on the product
label. Other ingredients including flavorings
and sweeteners must be declared.
Mineral water is not defined by the FDA.
As mentioned previously, the state of Cali-
fornia andd the. IBWA define mineral water
on the basis of total'dissolved'solidr. The
FDA does have regulations to insure the
purity and safety of both domestic and
imported mineral waters.
The regulations for bottled' and public
drinking water ensure its purity and safety to
the point of delivery. To remain free of bac-
terial contaminants, water must be handled
properly in the home and workplace. Boc
tlcd water in bulk containers(5 gallons) is at
highest risk of contamination from
improper handling. Bottledlwater sold in
smaller quantities is generally consumed
before any contamination can drvelop: Tap
water is more resistant to bacterial contami-
nation than bottled'water, because ozone is
chemically less stable than chlorine or chlor-
amine. The risk for bulk bottled water
decreases with frequent cleansing of the dis-
penser and turnover of the supply. Water
chemists typically recommend cleansing the
dispenser thoroughly with warm soapy
water each time a new shipment is received.
Water is required by the body for virtually
all of its functions. ICcomprises about one-
half to three-quarters of body weight
depending on age and body fat. Loss of 5 to
10 percent of body water can result in severe
dehydration and greater losses in sudden
death. The safety and' purity of drinking
water prevent the spread of waterborne dis-
eases and control exposure to potentially
harmful substances. At the present time
there is no evidence supporting the notion
that bottled water is safer or nutritionally
superior to tap water. Taste, mineral icompo-
sition, particularly fluoridation in levels
that prevent tooth decay,cost and personal
convenience are important factors to.con-
sider when evaluating tap versus bottled
water. Table 2 is presented to assist you in
your evaluation. It includes a column for
you to list the chemical analysis of your tap
water and compare it to popular bottled;
waters. Call your city or state water depart-
ment and ask to speak with a laboratory
chemist for analysis of yourtap water. ,,.~
~f
JohannaM. Omark, M.P.H., R.D., isaJree
lance writer. -
4

Roger P. Maickel, Ph.D.
Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Indiana
- LL We, as scientists, have become more concerned for individual
'efforts (our research is almost a hobby) than forYhe betterment o
mankind_ Too much emDhasis is nlaced on `basic' versus `analie '
research. »
Education: B.S.,1954, Manhattan College;
M.S., 1957, Georgetown University;
Ph.D., 1960, Georgetown University.
Research and Professional Interests: "My
principal interests include:
"Analytical chemistry methodology
- the development and application of
new and simple technology for the quan-
titative determination of organic chemi-
cals cals (drugs,, endogenous body com-
pounds, foreign chemicals) in body
fluids and tissues.
"Chemical pharmacology - how
'°chemicalsinteract with rthee various body
"
systems as well as how body systems
change endogenous or ingested chemi-
cals.
"Forensic pharmacology this may
also be called 'drugs and public safety.' It
includes drug abuse, drug effects on
research at the National Institutes of
Health, This research led to M.S. and
Ph.D. degrees with a unique combina-
tion of biochemistry, chemistry, and
pharmacology. This program started (for
me) in 1955; it was clearly the turning
point in myeareer, as, 30 years lnter, I am
a pharmacologist/toxicologist and not'a
chemist."
Personal Health Code: "My personal
health code can beaummed up in a single
word -'moderation.' "
Major Public Health Concerns that Ameri-
cans Face Today: "f believe that a num-
ber of public health concerns,face both
Americans and the world today. Each is
different, based'on the characteristics of
the site, situationa and population
involved. For example, intestinal para-
sites are not a major problem in the
United States, but are of significant
human behavior and performance (i.e.,
drugs and driving), and the interactions
of drug usage with society. --
"Stress - the effects of exposure to
stressful stimuli' on the organism, how
these are manifested, and their possible
modulation by drugs or other chemical
substances such as dietary components.
. . - "Pedagogicpharmacology-teachingc
principles of pharmacology (and toxicol-
, ogy) to medical, pharmacy, and nursingg
students, and to the general public."'
Turning Point: "I started out as a high
school studenrwith an interestin science,
mainly chemistry. When I was an under-
graduate, this was enhanced by a curricu-
lum that had 47 hours (out of a total of
1431) in chemistry. After I had spent a
year of graduate study in chemistry, my
mind desired something more 'alive'
than beakers, flasks, and chemical reac-
tions. An opportunity arose to continue
my graduate education in a situation
where my academic coursework (im
chemistry, at night) could be comple-
mented by a daytime effort in biomedical i
Roger C Maicket, Ph.D.
"We need to remove the problems
associated with various aspects of the use
of animals in biomedical research. There
is no question that there are no alterna-
tives to such use unless we wishYo greatly
expand (with the consequent risks)',
research with human subjects.
"We, as scientists, have become more
concerned for our individual efforts (our
research is almost a hobby) than for the
betterment of mankind. Too much
emphasis is placed on 'basic' versus
-'applied' research. Scientistss should be
more concerned'with curing (or prevent-
ing) diseases and with improving human
health or the quality of human life than
with being able to better understand how
A influences B
-.. . _ c . - -- . .
Major Public Health Accomplishments
Expected in the Coming Years: "I hope
to see significant improvements in a
impact in many, tropical areas. Nutri- number of areas of public health i includ-
tional imbalances (not starvation per se) ' ing (but not limited to) the following:
are different problems for different _ °Better understanding of a variety of
areas, populations, and lifestyles. _' human diseases, how they are caused,
"In the United:States, I'can identify ' how they are transmitted, and howtheyw four general areas
that should be of con- `might be treated with chemical agents.
cern to biomedical scientists like myself: "Reductions in the direct financial
"We need to enhance and improve the eost of medical care as well as in the cosn
dissemination of information regarding to the individual in terms of worktime
health concerns, health problems, envi- lost and'personal discomfort. .;
ronmental health, etc. The current cha-"Improvement in nutritionalldietaryy
otic state regarding AIDS is an excellent status otn a worldwide basis, so than
example of poor communication. When . severe problems will ~ occur only as a
health information is disseminated, ideo- result of extreme climatic disorders.^
logical andd political biasess should be
clearly removed. Science is the search for Why Did You join ACSH? "I joined the a
truth; the scientific material presented ACSH Board of Advisors because I felt o
should be the truth. that it would afford an opportunity to ~
"We need to remove the present exces-
sive interposition of the legal system into
health and public health affairs. We have
become a nation of lawyers, legal proc-
esses, and judicial proceedings. The truth
of scientific findings often runs second
to jurisprudence; the facts of scientific
data often fall behind trial decisions.
use my tal@nts as a scientist and as a com- ~
municator to aid in the dissemination of ~
scientific knowledge to the general pub- ~
1ie. I firmly believe that I have an ethical/ e
~.
moral responsibility to be active in this
way. ACSH gives me an opportunity to
do this in an organized and professional ~.
manner." <

Tobacco Industry's Buys
~ CONTINUED FROM PAGE I
' not.Thetobaccoindustryisnotonlysurviv-
ing; it is actually becoming more powerful
than ever. Using the deep rivers of money
generated by cigarette sales, the tobacco
-companies have embarked on a course of
diversification and corporate acquisition
that is unprecedented in scope.
The American Tobacco Company
Starts the Trend
The American Tobacco Company began
the trend toward diversification in the 1970s
and is now a division of American Brands.
Almost half of the company's revenues
come from businesses as varied as life insur-
ance, golf balls, and Chip-A-Roo cookies.
Ironically, American Brands' Franklin
Insurance Company offers discounts to
nonsmokers. But of all the conglomerate's
businesses, it is still tobacco that generates
more than half the operating profit, at least
$500 million per year. But American Brands
is one of the smallesrof the cigarette com-
panies, taking less than 6 percent of the mar-
ket.
LL Among the reasons that ciga-
rettes are prof table is that con-
sumers of 7his product are like
no other-most are addicted to
smoking. 95
Spurred by the need'to do something with
. the vast amounts of cash generated'by ciga-
rette sales, the industry leaders began to buy
op huge companies in the past few years.
R.J, Reynolds (RJR) bought Heublein in
1982 forSl.3 billion, and Nabisco in 1985
for about $4.6 billion. In between these two
giant acquisitions,,RJR began the building
of a gigantic new factory thao will cost $2
billion, The list of brands owned by the
tobacco company appears in fatile I and
boasts a wide variety of famous names-
from Kentueky,Fried'Chicken to Oreo cook-
I ies to Del Monte canned fruits and
Wall atreel Journal reported in August 1985
. that they were guaranteed double their
annual'salaries and bonuses for three years
ifthey were fired by RJR. Most importantly,
the tobacco companies have bought gold
plated brand names that are almost guaran-
teed to provide an unspectacular but steady
income far into the future.
Differing Views
There are several differing views of
tobacco industry diversification. Optimists
hope that in view of the health hazards of
smoking and the declining consumption of
cigarettes in this country, the industry is try-
ing to jettison cigarettes and move into safer
products. But this overlooks a fundamental
truth-cigarettes are far more profitable
than any other product. Ji Tylee Wilson,
chairman of RJR, declared, and we can take
his words at face value, that the purchase of
Nabisco was not for the purpose of reducing
the firm's dependence on tobacco. Jim.
Thompson, PM's vice president for media,
said in 1984 "the energy behind the diversifi-
cation and growth of this corporation has
been generated by our cigarette products:°W hether the metaphor is cash cow or golden
goose, the bottom line is that tobacco pays
far better than cookies.
Cigarettes are profitable for a number of
reasons. Consumers of this product are like
no other-most are addicted to smoking.
Also, cigarettes occupy a uniquely privid leged niche in the consumer market. Except
for the warning labels, they are subject to
virtually no governmental health and safety
regul8tion.Other products that are meant to
be ingested or applied to the body must'be
tested to determine if they are harmful, but
not cigarettes. They have been immune from
governmental, regulation by federal law
since the early part of this century. Ciga-
"zel-;a.,-f__~ , :- ~ I
rettes are also profitable because cigarette
manufacture is not capi4al-intensive and
sales have undergone a steady expansion
throughout7 the world for the past eighty
years. John Maxwell, whose "Maxwell
Report" is the accepted authority on ciga-
rette sales, commented recently, "i, can't
think of anything more lucrative than those
little white tubes."
I
"Synergy" for the Tobacco
Companies
The buzz word among merger-conscious
business people these days is "synergy". The
mere addition of companies to a conglomer-
ate is no longer considered wise planning,
The acquired eompanies should interact
with their new parents as a unified orga-
iL America's largest cigarette
company, Philip>Vforris, now
owns America's largest food
company, General Foods. yy
nism. By concentrating on consumer prod-
uct companies, the tobacco giants are prob-
ably attempting to build business empires
thatcan protect theii main source of profit,
cigarettes. We will most likely see this syner-
gistic effecuinfour areas: advertising, mar-
keting, the legal arena, and politics.
Even before the latesti mega,mergers, the
tobacco companies loomed 18rge on Madi-
son Avenue. Despite being banned from
television and radio, cigarettes are the most
advertised product in our society. The sheer
volume of dollars spent to promote ciga-
rettes is staggering, $1.5 billion each year. To
introduce a new, brand! named Player (no
relation to the British brand), PM spent
-,-, vegetaoles. - . .
Philip Morris' Big Buy
Philip Morris (PM)which now has the
largest share of the cigarette market (37 per-
cent to RJR's 34.5 percent) has onlyrecently
begun to diversify. Burnow they've done it
in a big way, by buying General Foodsthe
nation's largest food company, for $5.8 bil-
lion. America's largest cigarette company
now owns America's largest food company.
These were expensive acquisitions.
Nabisco went for 3.2 times book value, and
General Foods for 3.5. PM is paying more
than twice what General' Foods' shares
traded for last year. RJR also sweetened the
pot for Nabisco's top Il executives. The
The purpose of the diversification Is nol tornable R. J. Reynolds, Philip Morris and the rest ta gel
oul of the cigarette business, but toinsulate cigarettes from social and legal challenges with thick
layenof
corporate muscle. - .

-. ~-5100 million on advertisements. Poor little
" Lorillard, which is much smaller than PM or
RJR, could only afford to spend S40 million
to introduce its new brand. Satin: - ..
The new mergers have overnight cata-
pulted the tobacco companies from mere
preeminence to virtual sovereignty over the
ad world. RJR/Nabisco now controls an
advertising budget of more than one billion
dollars per year, nearly $150 million higher
than the next largest, Procter & Gamble.
The PM/General Foods budget will be even
bigger. Out of a total U.S. advertising
budget of about $88 billion, about 53.0
billion will be controlled by the six major
cigarette companies. ~
LL Whether the metaphor is
cash cow or golden goose, the
bottom line is that tobacco pays
far better7han cookies. 9 9
Wielding Awesome Power
How will the tobacco companies wield
their awesome power in the advertising
world? If experience is a guide, they will not
hesitate to use it to protect cigarettes.
Already there is plenty of evidence that mag-
azines and newspapers do not report news-
worthy stories ofthe health hazards of ciga-
rettes because they fear the loss of
advertising revenue from 4he tobacco com-
panies. Standard practice among those few
who ever report adversely on smoking (and
there is no other way to cover the story, since
there is no good news about it) is to notify
the tobacco advertisers of an impending
storyso that they can keep their ads out of
the offending issue. For magazines like
Newsweek on Time, this means the loss of a
million dollars in advertising revenue for a
single week. -
The tobacco industry's new acquisitions
increase their reach considerably. Television
stations and networks which have not been
amenable to tobacco industry blackmail
since the government banished cigarette
advertisements from the airwaves in 1971
could now see heavily advertised products
such as Birds Eye frozen food or Fleiseh-
mann's margarine used as threats in case
they dare to report on the health hazards of
cigarettes.
Another area of new influence is in the ad
agenciesthemselves_ We camexpect that
even those agencies or executives that do noP
for ethical!reasons work on cigarette ads will
have to be sensitive to the desires of the
tobacco barons. If, we see an increase in
casual smoking in commercials for products
like canned fruit or cookies, it will be
because the advertising professionals will
have become aware that their ultimate
clients are cigarette makers.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
FAMOUS BRANDS FROM RJR
Domestic Tobacco Brands
C.Ggarettes _, :, t..a.~:.;,.
Bright
Camel
Century.
Doral
More
NOW
Salem
Sterling
Vantage
Winston
Chewing Tobaccos
Apple Sun Cured
Brown's Mule
Cup
Days Work
R.J. Gold
Reynolds' Natural Leaf
Reynolds' Sun,Cured
Top
Work Horse
Smoking Tobaccos
Apple
Carter Hall
George Washington
Madeira Gold
Our Advertiser
Prince Albert
Royal Comfort'
Top
International
Tobacco Brands
Five brands listed above plus 14
regional brands on three
continents
Foods
Del Monte Canned Vegetables
Del Monte Tomato Products
. Del Monte No Salt Added Vegetables
Del Monte Canned Fruits
Del Monte Lite Fruits
Del Monte Dried Fruits
Del Monte Fresh Fruits
Del Monte Frozen Foods
Del Monte Pickles and Pickle
Products
Del Monte Single Serving Fruit and
Pudding Cups
Del Monte Seafood
A.1. Steak Sauce
Chun King Oriental Foods
Escoffier Sauces
Grey, Poupon Dijon Mustards
Morton Frozen Foods
Ortega Mexican Foods
Patio Mexican Frozen Foods
Regina Cooking Wines and Wine
Vinegars
Snap-E-Tom Tomato and Chile
Cocktail
Milk Mate Chocolate Syrup
My'T'Fine Puddings and Pie Fillings
Vermont Maid Syrups
Award Frozen Foodservice Entrees
Brer Rabbit Molasses and Syrups
College Inn Broths and Heat & Serve
Entrees .
Davis Baking Powder
Wright's Oiquid Smoke
Beverages
Canada Dry Soft Drinks and Mixers
Sunkist Soft Drinks
Hawaiian Punch
Del Monte juices, luice Drinks and
Nectbrs
Barrelhead Root Beer
'C' Plus -
Tahitian Treat
Wink
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The above products are owned by R.1. Reynolds and their new subsidiary, Nabisco. This is
one example of wharone of the major tobacco companies owns. Not on this list are products
of American Brands (including Carlton, Lucky Strikes, Chip-A-Roos Cookies, Jergens
Lotion, AcushnerGolf Products, RegalChina, Swingline Staplers, Rexal OfficeProducts-
and the list goes on). Or, consider Philip Morris (Seven-Up, Miller Beerand, now as a result
of acquiring General' Foods, Jello, Maxwell i House Coffee, Minute Rice, Stove Tbp
Stuffing, Birds Eye frozen foods, Post Cereals, Kool-Aid, Tang, Oscar Mayer meats,
Entemanns baked'goods, Ronzoni Products ... ).
7

Nabisco Brands USA
Uneeda Biscuits
WaverlyCrackers
Wheatsworth Stone Ground
e''i' ' ' Wheat Crackers
Wheat Thins Snack Crackers
Biscuit Products
Almost Home Cookies
Barnum'sAnima! Crackers
Better Cheddars Snack Thins
Biscos Sugar Wafers
Cameo Creme Sandwiches
Cheese Nips Crackers
Chicken tn A Biskit Flavored'Crackers
Chips Ahoy! Chocolate Chip Cookies
Easy Cheese Pasteurized Process
Cheese Spread
Escort Crackers
Fig Newton Cookies
HeydayCaramel Peanut Logs
Honey Maid Graham Crackers
I Screams Sandwich Cookies
Lorna Doone Shortbread
Mallomars Chocolate Cakes
Mister Salty Pretzels
Confectionery & Snack Products
Baby Ruth Candy Bar
Bonkers! Fruit Candy.
Breath Savers Sugarless Candy
Bubble Yum Bubble Gum
Butterfinger Candy Bar
CareFree Sugarless Gum
Charleston ChewfCandy Bar
Chuckles Candy
Junior Mints Candy
Life Savers Hard-Roll Candy
Merckens Chocolate
Pearson Specialty Candy
Planters Peanuts, Mixed Nuts, Deluxe
Nilla Wafers ,.. Mixed Nuts, Cashews and Sesame
Nutter Butter Peanut Butter Sandwich Nut Mix
Cookies , Planters Cheez Balls, Cheez Curls,
Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Corn Chips and Pretzels
Oysterettes Soup & Oyster Crackers Sugar Daddy Pop
Party Grahams Cookies
Pinwheels Chocolate Cakes Grocery'Products
PremiumCrackers _.
Ritz Crackers
Social Tea Biscuits
Triscuit Wafers
- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7
Marketing, an Important
Factor in Mergers
Marketing was also an important factor
in the new mergers. RJR's chairman J. Tylee
Wilson admits that one of the attractions of
Nabisco was its established global market.
RJR, whose foreign sales accounted for less
than 16 percent.of its operating income, is
anxious to expand its overseas operations.
Cigarette sales in some paras of the world,
especially the Third World, are growing,
.`whileAmerican sales are either stagnant or
declining. PM, which has an extensive
foreign marketing operation, acquired Gen-
eral Foods, whose markets are primarily,
domestic.
Some mergers don't work because two
companies appear compatible but have
deeply different marketing,approaches. If
the PM/General Foods merger doesn't
work, iCwon't be because of this. PM has
surged ahead of RJR in the last few years
because of its ability to sharply define the
markets for its different brands and target
advertising directly to that market. Kent
Mitchell, General Foods' vice president for
f ; Blue Bonnet Margarines
Butcher Bones Dog Snacks
Cream Of Wheat and Cream of Rice
Cereals
~ : (New Mem
~~ :
Dromedary Dates, Pimientos and
Cake Mixes
Fleischmann's Egg Beaters
Cholesterol-Free 99% Real Egg
Product -
Fleischmann'sMargarines, Vinegar
and Yeast
Fosters Lager Australian Beer
Home Hearth Yeast Bread Mixes
Milk-Bone Brand Dog Biscuits
Moosehead Canadian Beer -
Nabisco 100% Bran Cereal
Nabisco Shredded Wheat Cereal
Royal Gelatins, Puddings and No-
Bake Pies
Spoon Size Shredded Wheat Cereal
Team Flakes Cereal
Toasted Wheat & Raisins Cereal
Nabisco Brands Ltd (Canada).
26 Brands in Canada
International
Nabisco Brands
65 Brands on Three Continents
Quick-Service Restaurants
; Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurants
Zantigo Mexican Restaurants
LL Out of a total U. S. advertis-
ing budget of about $88 billion,
about $3, 0 billion will be con-
trolled by the six major cigr:rrette
companies. ~~
marketing, believes in the same approach.
He said recently that segmenting the market
is criiical. The days when a food company
could market its products to a broad cross
section of the population are now gone..
Sharply defined identification is the key to
success. Will:PM try to take advantage of'
the favorable image of GF's brands and
identify cigarette brands with them? This is
a dffinite possibility.
Owning the giant food companies will
also help the cigarette companies fend off
the mosnseriouslegalchallengethey've ever
had to face. Dozens of product liability{aw-
suits have been filed against the industry
and ifleven one of them is successful, as now
seems very likely; hundreds perhaps thou.
sands more will soon follow. Eachnne could

Il
Spirits
American Creme --
V. 71_ 1_Z_.y,"I a, a.~1-:;
r
: Smirnoff Silver (90.41proof)
Smirnoff Vodkas (80 and 100 proof)
Steel Peppermint Schnapps
Arrow Cordials and Flavored
Brandies =
Arrow Flavored Vodkas
Bahia Coffee Liqueur
Black Velvet Canadian Whisky
Boggs Cranberry Liqueur .
ChSteau de Laubade Armagnac
Caldwell Vodka, Gin, Rum and
Bourbon
Cuervo 1800
Cuervo Especial Tequila (gold)
Don Q Rum
Heublein Cocktails
Irish Mist Liqueur
Jeremiah Weed Bourbon Liqueur
Jos@ Cuervo Tequila (white)
Malcolm Hereford's Cows
Matador Tequila
McMaster's Scotch and Canadian
Whiskies
Milshire Gin
Ostrova Vodka
Patrician Amaretto
Patrician Sambuca
Popov Vodka
Relska Vodka -
Smirnoff de Czar Special Reserve
Vodka (82.6) proof)
LLEzceptfor7hewarning ",_
labels, cigarettes are subject to
virtleally no governmental health
orsajetyregulations. 9 9
The Club Cocktails
Viejo Vergel Brandy.
Yukon Jack Canadian Liqueur
Imported Wines
Babycham Perry "
Black Forest Girl
Bouchard Pere & Fils Burgundies
. Brugo Gattinara, Ghemme and
Spanna
Capezzana Carmignano
Casal Thaulero Montepulciano and
Trebbiano
Ceretto Barolo and Barbaresco
ChSteau La Garde
ChSteau Olivier Bordeaux
Conde de Caralt Sparkling Wines
Contratto Asti Spumante and Gavi
Duval French Vermouth
EgriBikaver Hungarian Wine
Fassati Montepulciano
Fazi-Battaglia Verdicchio
Fontana di Papa Italian Wines
Giannozzi Chianti'
Harveys Bristol Cream Sherry
Harveys Other Sherries and Ports
Kiku Masamune Sake
Ladoucette Pouilly Fume
Lancers Ros@,,White, Red and Vinho
Verde
represenrliability for millions of dollars in
damages. The recent demise of the asbestos
industry must give tobacco executives night-
mares. Johns Manville Corporationtipow a
shadow of its former self, seemed impregna-
ble only a fewshort years ago. Butthe asbes-
tos companies stood alone;, the cigarette
companies are building an economic ark so
huge that even a tidal wave of lawsuits may
not be able to swamp it.
Political Clout
- With economic might comes political
clout. Imthe past, the tobacco companies
have not hesitated to use their food subsidi=
aries to promote the interests of cigarettes
againsnhealth motivated assaults on smok-
ing. When SanFraneisco Supervisor Wendy.
Nelder introduced an ordinance regulating
' ~ T-~.~--
:+ Livio Felluga Picolit
Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi'and
Taurasi - _
Monsanto Chianti Classico '
Oliver de France French Bordeaux AC
Wines
Regaleali Vino da Tavola
Tenuta Caparzo Brunello di
Montalcino - -
Tiberio Frascati and Orvieto
Tokaji Azsu Hungarian Dessert Wine
Torresella Pinot Grigio and other
Varietals
Valbon French Table Wines
Vinya Rose
California Wines
Beaulieu Vineyard Wines
Citronet
HMS Frosl
Inglenook Navalle Wines
Inglenook Vineyards Napa Valley
Wines,
Jacar@ Wines
T.J. Swann Refreshment Wines
Specialty Retailing
Harry and David'
Fruit-of-the-Month Club, Fine
Fruits and Foods
Jackson & Perkins Roses and Garden
Plants
smoking in the workplace, she was
approached by Del'Monte executives, who
told her that their parent, R..L Reynolds,
was very unhappy about the law and wanted
her to drop it. In another, incident, Del
Monte was ordered by RJR to retract its
offer of funding for a nutrition program
produced by Dallas public television station
KERA because the station had produced
several shows about rthe hazards of Ismoking-
Del Monte is, of course, small tomatoes
compared with Nabisco and General Foods.
Local, state, and even, . federal'lawmakers
who are not amenable to tobacco industry
pressure may be vulnerable to pleas or
political threats from the industry's food
subsidiaries.
- .
ft will certainly take some time for the
dust to settle before we can know the full
effects of the tobacco industry's recent
moves. But one thing seems certain. The
purpose of the diversification is non to
enablf RJR, PM and the rest to get out of'
the cigarette business, but to insulate ciga-
rettes from socialland legal challenges with
thick layers of corporate muscle.
t--~-
Lawrence While iran attorney who is a jre-
qtrent contributor to NEWS & VIEWS.

Li The purpose of this article is not to diminish the existence of injuries which are deserving of a
legal
remedy; rather it is to point outYhat the overutilization of litigation weakens the system that
serves
those who do have a legitimate claim. 99
eases where the issues are not nearly so elear;
where even the question of injury is in
doubt, where causation is at issue, and
where the source, if any; of the affront is
anyone's guess. It is this larger body of liti-
gation of questionable merit which has
brought us to the present dilemma of afford-
ing to stay in business while dealing with
lawsuits from every sector of society, from
individuals, interest groups and govern
ment. The realm of toxic torts is the fertile
field for such litigation. -
Fertile Field for Litigation .
In 1984, there were 10,745 product liabil-
ity lawsuits filed in the federal courts, an
LL Litigation in the United States is epidemic, and the fre-
quency and severity of lawsuits
for personal injury and product'
liability are reaching new heights
each year. ~~
increase of 16.5 percent over 1983; U.S. Dis-
trict Courts reported a 50 percent increase in
medical Imalpractice personal injury cases in
Fiscal Year 1983, with 1,496 new filings
insurers. Excessrooverage - for that realm
of risk above normal limits - has been pur-
chased from the "reinsurance" market,,
exemplified by the famous Lloyd's of Lon-
don, generally the last resource of reinsur-
ance and historically willing to insure any,
risk. Now even Lloyd's is having second
thoughts. Particularly hard hit by health,
product liability, and environmental claims
and judgments in U.S. courts, Lloyd's has
recently assessed its principal investors sub-
stantial amounts to meet expected losses.
For example, victims of asbestosis have been
paid over $2 billion;, and payments could
reach SIO-30 billiomby the year 2000, so
rates for umbrella coverage - for the excess
loss over limits of other, general liability pol-
icies - will grow 100 to 200 percent this
year. Lloyd's is reacting, making its insur-
aneemore selective, more limited, and pri-
mary insurers are responding by trying to
limit losses and more accurately predict
annual losses. For that reason, claims-made
coverage (limited to claims filed during the
year the insurance contract is in effect) is
, becoming more popular, displacing tradi-
lional occurrence coverage (insurance for
claims filed in any year bun arising out of
incidents which occurred during the year the
insurance contract was in effect). But turn-
ing to claims-made coverage, lowering lim-
its, and raising premiums will not solve the
reinsurance problem, and!the nation faces a
situatiom that appears to be growing worse
(compared to 997 for FY 1982). The increase
'. in litigation reflects a change in consumer
attitudes, according to behavioral scientists,
indicating a diminished'respect for certain
institutions, and greater expectations of
safety, security, and services. Theoretically,
insurance against loss is actuarily gauged to
anticipate demand, but following a period
of years in which investment income of
insurers kept ahead of lossess newly
increased awards and settlements, coupled
with lower interest rates, have stunned the
insurance industry. It is reeling under the
onslaught of claims and losses.
A resulting pattern of change is apparent
in the casualty insurance industry - cover-
age is more restricted, either less compre-
hensive in its breadth ordess availablrto cer-
tain enterpiises of risk, and it is more
expensive where available, with higher
retentions (deductibles) and lower limits for
excess liability. Firms and individuals are
faced wit h few choi¢es: pay the ever-increas
ing rates, live without insurance coverage,
or go out of business. Fon most of those
affectedthe only realistic alternative is to
pay the rate and attempt a pass-through of
costs to buyers.
For years, companies have purchased
basiccoverage from a competitivemarket of
10
in every area of business life.
" Physicians Experience Increase
in Litigation
Physiciansfor instance, and particularly
surgical specialists like obstetricians, have
experienced'd startling increases in the fre-
quency and severity of litigation against
them, with the expeaed increases in rates.
Between 1935 and 1975, medical malprac-
tice claims grew in frequency exponentially:
80 percent of the claims were filed in the
final five years of that forty-year period.
Almost two-thirds of all theabstetricians in
the United States have been sued, and 20
percent have been sued three or more times.
In New York State48.8 percent of the ob-
stetricians have been sued three or more
times and'their insurance now costs up to
$72,000 per year. Across the nation, 20 per-
cent of obstetricians have raised their fees
more than 30 percent in the past two years to
keep up with increases in liability insurance
rates. So the patients will eventually,pay the
bill.
For directors and' officers of corpora-
tions, the epidemic of toxic torts is reaching
a variety o6industries, notably bankingoil
and'gas, computers, and drug and'chemical i
companies:,D&O insurance, as it is known,
covers risk for lawsuits f iled'by shareholders
and others. The new frequency of lawsuits iss
causing outside directors to flee boards, ass
rates are three to ten times what they were
last year, due to heavy losses. In years past,,
coverage was inexpensive and plentiful (less
than S200,p00 for $100 million coverage)
)
but now it is expensive (over S l million) and
scarce (usually an upper limit of S50 mil-
lion).
Perhaps no group has been so affected as
have the pharmaceuticallcompanies. Wide
publicity has focused upon the A. H. Robins
LL Particularly hard hiCby
health, product liability and
environmental elaims and judg-
ments in U. S. courts, Lloyd's of
London has recently assessed itss
principal tn vestors substantial
amounts to meet expected
losses. ~~
Company of Riehmond; Virginia, and~ its
intrauterine device, the Dalkon Shield. It
sold 4.6 million of the devices (1.7, million
abroad) before it took the IUD off the mar-
ket in 1974. Alleging pelvic infections, spon-
taneous abortions, infertility and even
death, there have been over 12,000 lawsuits
filed against the company for this one prod-
uct, leading Robins to announce in April,
1985, that it was setting aside $615 million to
cover losses, the largest fund ever set up to
handle medically related' claims. The set-
aside wiped'out its net worth, causing the
company, to suspend dividends through
1987. Robins made $58 million in 1983 but
reported a 5461.6 million loss for 1984. Both
ABC news and CBS' 60 Minutes reported!
this summer that Robins was seeking Chap-
ter 11 protection for reorganization. Billions
in punitive damages are sought, and'another
8,300 lawsuits could pile up in the next 17
years.
Merrill Labs' morning sickness pill Ben-
dectin also saw its share of litigation. The lit-
tle round pill was the onlygenerally effective
and widely prescribed! medication to deal
with pregnant women's nausea before it was
alleged that the drug caused birth defects.
Although animal studies suggested that even
massive dosages were not conclusively caus-
ative, FDA hearings did not prevent contiin
uous claims and settlements until, when
`t
