Tobacco Documents Online

Y t ~ WAS~niN~G1oN ~ LE(;Ai, FoUNI)ATloN 1705 N STREET, N. W: WAS H I NGTON. D. C. 20036 202-8S7-0240 February 19, 1988 Mr. Thomas F.A. Ahrensfeld! Senior Vice President and General Counsel Philip Morris Companies, Inc. 120 Park Avenue New York, New York 10017 Dear Mr. Ahrensfeld: As I'm sure you're aware, the Health and, Human Service's (HHS) Interagency Committee on Smoking and Health held a meeting to d'iscuss the issue of tobacco and United States trade policy yesterday. At the request of The Tobacco Institute, the Washington Legal Foundation (WLF) presented informal comments to the committee which I've enclosed for your review. As a result of the pressure WLF and other concerned groups brought to bear on the committee, we succeeded in getting HHS to change the topic of discussion from the U.S. tobacco export policies to the international health consequences of smoking. The Washington Legal Foundation firmly believes that there is no evidence linking, American cigarette exports with an increase or decrease of tobacco smoking, in foreign markets. Furthermore, if American brands are denied entry, smokers in these countries will not stop smoking. They will simply not smoke American cigarettes, consuming instead local brands or cigarettes made in Germany, the Netherlands, England, and!Bulgaria. And~ given the fact that the tobacco industry has consistently produced an annual trade surplus, even when our 1987 national trade deficit reached an astounding $171.2 billion, it makes no sense to impose restrictions on U.S. tobacco exporters. It seems to us that Surgeon, General C. Everett Koop's desire to curb domestic tobacco smoking should not be carried over into foreign markets. Furthermore, neither the Surgeon General, who chairs this committee, nor HHS should be meddling in foreign affairs.

Thomas F.A. Ahrensfeld February 19, 1988 Page 2 Your financial support has enabled the Washington Legal Foundation to accomplish a great deal this past year. As always, we will continue to champion a domestic and!internationali tobacco policy that is sensible and one that benefits our national economy. Should future tobacco-related issues arise that you would like WLF to address, I hope you will let me know. Because we represent the public interest, we are in aI unique position to litigate, publish, and testify before variou~s administrative bodies. Thank you again for your past support and I look forward to hearing fromiyou in the near future. Sincerely yours, ~. ~ ....... .. ~ . ~ r Daniel J. Popeo ` General Counsel I ; DJP: jis enclosure