Tobacco Documents Online

PHILIP MORRIS Change in the Articles of Incorporation • WHEREAS In the U.S.A. cigarette smoking kills more people than heroin, cocaine, alcohol, AIDS, fires, homicide, sui- cide, and automobile accidents combined; - Cigarette-smoking is an air-pollutant more cancer-causing than many widely-banned toxic chemicals; - Children of smokers more readily suffer bronchitis, pneu- monia, and other respiratory problems than non-smokers' children; - In the U.S.A. alone, health care costs attributed to smoking-caused disease'has been estimated at $22 billion, with loss of work-years and productivity estimated at $43 billion; - While the tobacco industry has proclaimed concern for the economic fate of small tobacco farmers, their economic interests have been consistently subverted when cheaper imported tobacco could be purchased; - An estimated 2,500,000 tobacco-related deaths occur world- wide annually, with 250,000 of these attributable to our Company, due to its global market share; - An increasing amount of Third World income pays for cigarettes. In the Philippines, where Marlboro is the second most popular brand, 12% of family income goes for cigarettes; - The expropriation of tobacco profits by our Company and others in the global tobacco industry contributes to the deficit balance of payments of most developing nations; - 63% of the world's tobacco is grown in developing coun- tries. WHO estimates 5% of all trees felled are used in tobacco curing. This contributes to global warming; -The suffering and death-toll rising from tobacco use is expected to reach 4,000,000 people by 2000. - The Director General of WHO called for a 21st century "free of tobacco-related diseases," while the U.S. Surgeon General proposed the U.S.A. become smoke-free by 2000; - Our Company is diversifying from concentration on tobacco ~' products into financial services and real estate, beverages ~ ~~ and food (including its recent purchases of General Foods E--~ [$5.7 billion] and Kraft [$12.7 billion] }; G,.!) • ~ Z1Z --~

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that shareholders request the Board to initiate the process of amending Article II of the Company's Articles of Incorporation by adding the italicized words set forth below: The purpose for which the Corporation is organized is to transact any lawful business nor required to be specifi- cally stated in the Articles of Incorporation, ~exce pt that, after December 31, 1999, the Corporation sh-alrnot conduct any business in tobacco or tobacco products. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board take the necessary steps between now and then to implement this change. Supporting Statement 0 Consistent data that cigarette-smoking causes serious health hazards hasn't been refuted by our Company and the tobacco industry despite their repeated efforts. There is nothing unprecedented about regulating production of hazardous products. Cigarettes, if used as intended, cause addiction, illness, misery, and death. Cigarettes are unique because there is no way to prevent addiction and eliminate smoking risks except to stop cigarette production. It would be criminal for society to fail to protect non- smokers and prevent recruiting a new oeueration of smokers (American Cancer Society). If you agree and want to make our world healthier for the next generation, please vote in favor of this resolution and make Philip Morris smoke-free by 2000. ~ CND ~ ~ ~ w c~o