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Pro-Ij'Slth 12ally WOMEN DOCTORS JOIN HEALTH PROTEST VIRGINIA SLItI!'n The Women's Medica tion of New York York City joined Smokefree Educational Services to protest Virginia Slims' sponsorship of women's tennis at Madison Square Garden. New York Women's Medical Association President Barbara Bartlik said, "New York City's women physicians find it uncon- scionable for a cigarette company to sponsor a sporting event. Philip Morris, manufacturer of Virginia Slims, sponsors women's tennis to deceive young girls about the un- healthy consequences of smoking." Health advocates dressed in tennis attire and women doctors wearing lab coats and stethoscopes carried placards condemning cigarette sponsorship of a sporting event and distributed informational flyers to tournament goers and passers-by. Demonstrators, including New York Women's Medical Association President Barbara Bartlik, picket Virginia Slims tennis. Some memorable placard slogans included, "Thanks to Virginia Slims,. Lung Cancer Is Now The 41 Cancer Killer of Women," "Yes Virginia, There Is Lung Cancer," "Billie Jean Drug-King," "You've Coughed Up Enough Phlegm Baby," and "You've Come The Wrong Way Baby." Special thanks to young ladies from St. Vincent Ferrer High School and members of Doctors Ought to Care and New Jersey GASP for demon- strating with us and helping us come up with placard slogans. New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins, a pas- sionate tennis enthusiast, refused Philip Morris' in- vitation to participate in Virginia Slims ceremo- nies. Last month, the Mayor announced sweep- ing pro-health initiatives including an end to cigarette advertisingong city-owned property, the Metropoli- tan Transit system, and Shea and - Yankee stadiums. The Mayor's campaign, considered one of the most comprehensive in any major city, also includes plans for pro-_ health counter ads to warn young people about the unhealthy conse- quences of smoking. Philip Morris and other tobacco companies are threatening to move out of New. York City. Up until two years ago, Virginia . Slims underwrote the entire women's tennis tour- all 65 tourna- ments. Due to public pressure, women's tennis replaced Virginia Slims as tour underwriter with Kraft GeneraL Foods, 'another Philip Morris subsidiary. The only type of sponsorship left for Virginia Slims is local sponsorship, whereby each local tournament operator sells space to local sponsors. Due once again to public pressure, however, Virginia Slims has retreated from local sponsorship in all but 13 4 Smokefree Air, December 1990