Tobacco Documents Online

9 THE UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER C~U~~`~ 601 ELMWOOD AVENUE C E R ROCHESTER; NEW YORK 14642 M E D I CAL AREA CODE 716 SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY • SCHOOL OF NURSING STRONG MEMORIAL HOSPITAL DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACOLOGY Dr. T S. Osdene Philip Morris Richmond, VA. 23261 November 9,1987 Dear Tom: T S.OSDENc Nw 13 1987 I was asked by Neal Benowitz to review a chapter he wrote for the new Surgeon General's report on Smoking and Health. The request was sent to me along with the manuscript by Dr. Ronald Davis, Director of fthe Office on Smoking and Health, Center for Health Promotion and Education. Benowitz's chapter dealt mainly with the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetirs of nicotine. I am enclosing a copy of my comments on the chapter, which, hopefully, the editors will be willing to consider. Included along with the letter of request from Davis was al.so astatemententitled "Background on the Cipollone Case" that you may not have seen. The statement"s intent is quite obviously against the tobacco industry. In my opinion the statement is attempting to distort and encourage the contributor s and reviewer's comments to be supportive of the position of HHS and Justice Department in this and similar cases. Frankly, I consider this statement from Davis to be inappropriate, if not totally outrageous! As I indicated in my comments on the chapter there is a considerable amount of contrary evidence to the argument that nicotine produces dependence in animals and humans: furthermore, the choice of the term "addictive" is arbitrary and inappropriate. What I find most distressing is the fact that the Surgeon General Report presumes to be an objective scient.ific document relating to smoking and health; yet, itseeks to present only one point of view on the issue to the virtually complete disregard of opposing scientific evidence.. I trust your extended trip abroad was successful.. Best wishes. , Leo G. Abood