Tobacco Documents Online

Resources Needed Use p.r. to assist with education of business group members (i.d.); Grassroots mailings (tax); Polling (uniformity); Media spokesperson training on i.d. issue (i.d.).

Region 1 1997 Plans - Draft Maine: Situation Analysis -- ME will start the 1 st of it's 2-year session in January '97. Control changes could occur in either house after the Nov. '96 elections. The most likely change is that the Senate will go Democrat by a 1-2 vote margin. If either House goes Democrat, business interests will be more susceptible to tax increase pressures, which are becoming greater with every year that passes with no increase. The MA 250 Cigarette Excise tax hike, and real movement to raise the cigarette tax in NH, will add to the shift "for" an increase. The Medicaid reimbursement issue will return as liberal Republican Senator Peter Mills has made it a personal crusade. Business interests are well positioned, with arguments, coalition members and advocate-opinion leaders to prevent passage of this-type legislation. With the raising of awareness of tobacco product marketing issues by President Clinton and health advocates, business interests may face more forceful legislative efforts to move on advertising, point-of-sale and promotion issues. Objectives: Defeat or minimize Excise tax hike; Defeat Medicaid reimbursement bill; Put forth AAA-consistent marketing legislation (line of sight, license revocation, proof of age); Expand personal network of legislators and staff. Strategies/Tactics -- Broaden economic impact argument for use w/retailers, wholesalers & hospitality sectors (tax); Mobilize retailer network early on tax threat (tax); Strengthen business coalition on shared comme.ce issues (Medicaid reimbursement); Promote marketing changes via training programs and retailer seminars (AAA). Resources Needed tax/economic impact study (tax); retailer mailings and calls (tax); third party p.r. program support for seminars & training sessions (AAA); local legal counsel for testimony (Medicaid reimbursement).

Public relations as noted above (public smoking); Polling on public smoking issue (public smoking); Responsible Retailer Coalition training (AAA); Direct mail capabilities for restaurant association mailing (public smoking). Rhode Island: Situation Analysis -- A state experiencing long-term economic malaise, the prospects for another serious effort to raise the RI state cigarette tax (5-10c) looms. The state will continue tc be run by liberal Democrats, although power may change in the Senate. The Republican Governor will continue to follow, rather than lead. With the differential in state taxes between MA and RI widening by more than 200, and many of RI's retail business located on that state border, opinion leaders will feel little pain in proposing/supporting an incremental increase. With it's close proximity to MA, Rhode Island activists are likely to take MA's lead on the ingredients disclosure issue. Coalition building, communications with key opinion leaders and actions taken in MA by the industry will play heavily in the ultimate outcome on this issue in RI. With AAA-friendly legislation passing in 1996, it is unlikely that marketing issues will be revisited in the state in 1997. Objectives: Delay AG lawsuit filing; Defeat or minimize tax increase; Defeat ingredients disclosure proposal; Press for uniformity on marketing regulations; Defeat fire-safe legislation; Expand personal network of legislators and staff Strategies/Tactics Continue informal AG contacts/information dissemination (lawsuit); Pursue educational plan with business groups on i.d. issue (ingredients disclosure); Develop spokesperson(s) to take the lead for industry and business groups (i.d.); Share Cp-eds and Ltes with third party groups (i.d); Do polling to support uniformity concept (uniformity); Prepare heavy mass mob. of smokers (tax); Further develop law enforcement & fire fighter group relations (fire safe).

Vermont : Situation Analysis -- The make-up of the legislature is not expected to change dramatically after the November elections. The pro-restaurant-accommodation coalition however will have become more cohesive. There will be a more forceful push by the restaurant and tourism coalition to allow for greater accommodation of smokers in Vermont restaurants, particularly smaller venues. With tourism business persons complaining, state liquor sales down and more and more believers that NH is benefiting from VT high-tax policies, it will be difficult for VT legislators to successfully argue for another cigarette tax hike. Medicaid reimbursement proposals should be taken seriously. The VT AG is unlikely to file and free-thinking Vermonters could pass a bill if not challenged. Already rumblings of a ingredients disclosure proposal have been heard in Montpelier. Framing the issue early in the media and with opinion leaders will be critical. Objectives: Defeat Excise tax; Pass improvement to public smoking law; Defeat ingredients disclosure law; Expand personal network of legislators and staff; Defeat Medicaid reimbursement. StrategieslTactics Assist with retailer energetic response (tax); Pursue educational plan with business groups on i.d. issue (i.d); Develop spokesperson(s) to take the lead for industry and business groups (i.d); Share Op-eds and Ltes with third party groups (Medicaid reimbursement); Do polling (i.d.). Resources Needed Grassroots for retailer involvement (tax); I.D. presentation preparation for 3rd party educational efforts (i.d.); Writers for 5-7 op-eds and Ites on medicaid reimbursement issue (Medicaid re.) ; I.D. polling vehicle (i.d); Special events assistance for hospitality news opportunities (p. smoking)

New Hampshire: Situation Analysis -- NH continues to have difficulty, year-to-year, in making ends meet, and therefore, with a new, less-conservative, Governor, and the Republican House Finance Committee Chair stuck on raising the state cigarette tax, we will face the most significant threat of an increase in recent memory. The imposition of a 25¢ increase in MA, the possibility of a Democratic Governor, and the good chance that the new House Speaker will be considerably less friendly to business, all make the possibility of an increase even more likely. Heightened efforts to further restrict where smokers can be accommodated in NH restaurants are expected, however the hospitality association believes it is well positioned to retain the current accommodating approach or something with a very close resemblance. With the raising of awareness of tobacco product marketing issues by President Clinton and health advocates, various industries may face more forceful legislative efforts to move on advertising, point-of-sale and promotion issues. Objectives: Defeat or minimize Excise tax hike; Propose AAA-friendly marketing changes (line of sight, reporting requirements, lic. revocation, proof of age); Retain current public smoking law; Expand personal network of legislators and staff; Defeat FDA-like marketing proposal. Strategies/Tactics Arm hospitality industry with helpful informational tools (p. smoking); Provide p.r. support to NH hospitality industry on public smoking (public smoking); Continue to press the economic impact story (tax); Activate border area retailers on tax and youth smoking issues (tax/AAA); Activate smokers to communicate with leadership early in session (tax); Provide testimonial & position paper support to affected advertising and auto racing organizations (AAA); Assist with member prospecting mailings of NH restaurant association (p. smoking). Resources Needed Grassroots programs with retailers and smokers (tax);

Massachusetts (local) : Situation Analysis -- The industries MA local team has continued to successfully stem the tide on smoking and marketing bans and other tobacco product local regulations in the state's most populous cities. Efforts to restrict marketing of tobacco products has expanded. 1997 will bring with it, all-out movements by the anti's to have major metro areas (Boston, Cape Cod, Springfield) adopt severe restrictions on public smoking and marketing (in line with FDA proposal). Anti-tobacco efforts will also continue in smaller localities where there is less resistance by retailers, hospitality, businesspersons, and smokers. Suits by localities against the industry could be problematic. Objectives: Prevent wild-fire growth of local lawsuits: Avoid smoking and marketing bans in large metro areas; Limit marketing and smoking bans in smaller localities; Expand personal network of local elected officials and their staff. Strategies/Tactics -- Hold regular local issues group meetings (general); Strengthen alliances with wholesale, retail & hosptality groups (general); Improve communications tools available to retailers (marketing); Produce study showing economic harm brought on by severe restrictions (p. smoking); Conduct polling to discern what Cape area and other tourists think about public smoking issues (public smoking); More intensive effort to identify citizens who would make good candidates for local elected office (general); Mass mobilization of smokers in large cities proposing smoking bans (p. smoking) Resources Needed Support for third party trade shows & other forums (general); "Perot Boards" showing compliance trends, minors source of tobacco products (marketing); Smoker grassroots (p. smoking); Polling of tourists in Boston (public smoking).