Tobacco Documents Online

'THE VIEW FROM HERE .,..asWeSeeit TOBACCO - WEDGE FOR MORE GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF BUSINESS? From here it seems that the tobacco industry may well be offering government an opportunity to insert its wedges of business control - painlessly and so quietly that - American business may not even realize exactly how it happened. Along these lines two things have looked particularly worrysome lately. One is the bite-by-bite way several government agencies have been extending their role in cur- tailing cigarette smoking. And the other is the calm manner in which American busi- ness has taken the Federal Trade Commission nicotine and "tar" testing laboratory. Here is how former Surgeon General Luther Terry (now head of the Interagency Council on Smoking and Health) described the government's role in March of 1965: '"The limit of our responsibility is to ensure that each individual has full access to the available facts on cigarette smoking as it may affect his health and ability to provide for himself and his family. Beyond this, the decision to take 'up and to continue to smoke is - and should remain - the prerogative of the individual." This stand is quite interesting in view of current and future plans of the National Clearinghouse on Smoking and Health, an agency of the Public Health Service-which ;:, , r:k „. apparently is setting out to change mass smoking behavior in the United States on a grand scale in a program it feels could be applied to control in non-tobacco areas as well. (See page 18.) A very valid question might be: "Has the government exceeded its limits of responsibility?" ~. « ``' t American business made m Why hasnore fuss r'';Another pressing question is ,. ` ir~ ~ t. 1l 4~; ~~;~„ about the FTC nicotine and 'tar' testing laboratory?" ~~,~314~ a~4 ~ Mn~{b ! ti u~ fd R ~' s Last month advertising men objected loudly to some proposals of Antitrust Chief Donald Turner, who told the American Advertising Federation that new sources of information other than advertising should be developed for getting information on products to consumers. Along these lines Rep. Benjamin Rosenthal (D-N.Y.) is press- ing for a law to establish a National Consumer Information Foundation, which would . test products and provide them with "Info-tags" containing data on performance, con- tent, safety and care. These proposals have brought ad men and other businessmen to their feet in indignation. And yet, few seem to realize that one such testing program has already begun - the nicotine and "tar" lab is testing cigarettes, and the information most surely will be given to consumers: From here it looks as if Government and certain individuals may well be using tobacco as an entree to more ambitious projects that may have far-reaching effects on American business. +w .fa.~,.r.~f' a ~= r . ~' . '• . . . . -- -.s... ..... ~y.. .. . _,.... ~ e,.;~