Tobacco Documents Online

3/7/94'- DAY ONE -&9PMi- Contents of Cigarettes An earlier ABC report on the manipulation, of nicotine by t'he tobacco industry has prompted calls for hearings,.e.g., a House Sub-committee will examine the indust'rJrs use of nicotine, and Sen, Ted Kennedy has called on the GAO'to investigate the manipulation of nicotine in cigarettes. The tobacco industry is very powerful; so powerful' that it has managed to keep the contpnts of its products, a secret ("under lock and.key") to allbut a few gpvernmentofficials. Rep. Ron Wyd'en (D-Ore.): "We now know that there are chemicals in tobacco products that,are so toxic they wouldn't be allowed in a landfilll under the federal environmental rules." Brennan Dawson of the TI says the contents are a"ttade secret" that the industry has a stake in keeping secret. Apparently, there are 700 ad'dirti'ves to cigarettes;1'3 ingredient5 cannot be added to food, Two of these ingredients have tipped off.the government to the manipulation of nicotine levels in cigarettes by tobacco companies. Reporter Johnlvlartin,,"The government just didn't do its job." Sen. Kennedy likens the tobacco itadustry's power and influence to thatofthe NRA. This powerful lbbby has cut off all attempts to regulate it and investigate it. 3/9/94 - NDGHTLINE - 11:30-12 PM - March on Washington The tobacco companies, according to Ted Koppel, are beginning to resemble Japanese soldiers who kept emerging on lone Pacific Islands, long after V-J! Day, not realizing that' the war was really over. Of course, t'hat war is far from over, but a significant corner has been turned. Since 1964 the tobacco indkistry has lost lbts of ground, e.g., higher FETs; more people qwitting;, decades of lawsuits, etc: Bill Campbell of PM is interviewed.. He says today's fight is not about tobacco companies. "It's about workers and.their families and how they have to raise and support those families," he said. Protesters in the recent march on Washington are showrL They say it is unfair to single out a single industry to pay for national health care.reform. Steve Parrish of PM is quoted. He saysthhat,2.3 millionjobs are generatedbythe.tobacco iindustryin the US. Increasing the FET would have far-reaching effects. With the economy in the state it's in now, he wonders if the nation can afford to throw 275,000 people out of work. "Our economy is based on choice and the free market.system ought'to be allowed to work," he said. The Journal of the AMA.reports that a decline in smoking would not cost jobs, but would move them around. Reporter Chris Bury: "The tobacco workers who came to convince the Capital today know they are in a last gasp fight." Report then switches to the fight to ;eliminate public smoking. A brief history of an embattled.tobacco industry is recountedsince 1960s, including,the fact that in1972,.the MARLBORO MAN was "booted off" TV and radio.. Now, many businesses and restaurants are restricting when and where people can smoke. Pivl's Parrish: "... I don't think the federal government ought to be in the business of social engineering and telling ... 50 mollaon people what they can do in.terms of making their choices." He adds that' the FET is a regressive andi unfair tax. Cong. Henry Waxman says he hopes "the American people move to a smoke-free society." Parrish says that in the past few weeks the tobacco industry has been the victim of "unfounded" attacks.

Next, the program shifts to the addiction of tobacco. Nicotine is the reason people smoke. The FDA regulates nicotine patches and gum;.whydoesn't it regulate cigarettes? Even the indnustrty acknowledges that cigarettes are nicotine delivery systems (e.g., cites PM ianternal, memo on the subject). A former RJR manager is cited. saying that tobacco companies knowingly put nicotine in cigarettes in t'he fornn of extract to.keep consumers happy. Parrish of Plvf responds t'hatABC's contention regarding nicotine manipulation~is not true. Nicotine is a.naturallyoccurring,substance intobacco. Nothing is done in the manufacture of cigarettes to increase the levell of nicotine beyond what is naturally in tobacco. In fact, the nicotine level in.PMfs cigarettes is lower than that which.is in, unprocessed tobacco leaf. ABC's daims are "ludicrous, outrageous." Report cLoses with Chris Bury saying that no one, expects a ban on tobacco sales to be politically possible. However, the FDA's action shows just how far the tables have turned against "the natfion's deadliest habit." 3/9/94 - WORLD NEWS TQNIGH'F - 6:30-7PM - March on Washington The march on Washington ("fairly large") was staged by an industry "fighting a very difficult' uphill battle," said anchor Peter Jennings. The rich tobacco industry is reeling from a series of recent shocks, e.g., more bans on public smoking, FDA warning, charges of nicotine manipulation, etc. Matthew Myers (Smoking and Coalition on Health); "They've transformed what.was basically an agricultural crop into one of the effective [sic] add6ctiiondevicesever created inniankind." Protesters at the rally said it was unfair to target them to. pay for health care reform and that increasing the FET would endanger 275;000 jobs. An AMA study says a reduction insmoking won't.cost jobs, but~would.shift them around and'imicrease other agricultural'pursuits.