Tobacco Documents Online

! 0 I . . ,I .d •J 1•I s•1 k'hl lNILkNAI NY't Io (d0L "ENOUGH IS ENUUGH" USA : TOBACCO LOBBY RF.ACTS The tobacco Lcjbby has taken a long time to reply to the upen-war staged hy many Atnerican ent_}ties, and notably the all-potent Federal Drug Administration, the Heaith Department, and Surgeon General Dr. Everett Koop. To a certain extent, people are wondering here if this reaction is not cominq too late. The Tc>bacco Institute just released the result off a survey made 2 months ago with a population segment composed by 1/3 smokers and the rest non-smokers. This pole quite clearly shows that a majority of the Aulerican public does nnt wn1 rnme ntt i ttlriPq anri hahnni nr nf tho ant i.emokinrJ olomonte, which a ro qualified as "discriminatory and excessive". Seizing upon this, the tobacco lobby felt inclined to stage a vast counter-offensive : "Enough is enough" is the motto from the TI who bought entire pages in the country's most important newspapers in order to cry out against the anti-smokers' hypocrisy, the harassment they inflict upon smokers, the excessive legislation fueled by the antis, discrimination, censorship and the fiscal unfairness of regressive taxation inflicted upon all smokers. This ad campaign iff relatively smart by the way, for its message does not tackle the medical aspects of smoking, and is only concerned about criticizing anti-smoking zealots. In America, home country of fundamental liberties, this message strikes a sensitive cord. The only surprise emanates from the TI's willingness to answer foreign correspondents' questions : up until now these pcopl.e were never granted interviews by the TI. Thanks to manufacturers' pressure - notably that of PM - the TI has now changed its position regarding US-based foreign correspondents. Ali thi:• because Mr. Koop's ideas were crossing the Atlantic d little to easil y. Claude Fr.•oidevpat.Lx n3 [T} C7 O c-~ - ~- C1 _ .i~ Washington correspondent 0 Same piec;e was broadcast on Swiss National Radio, January 12. L .jwf s.l 1~ ~'/9111 c; t!ti --