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JANET S. HUGHES WEEKLY REPORT June 26, 1991 SOUTH CAROLINA GROUPS 47TH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE BRIGHT BELT WAREHOUSE ASSOCIATION: On 6/20 - 6/22, I attended this convention with approximately 250 Warehouse Folks, buyers, software vendors, banks, insurance folks and manufacturers from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. At this conference, I was certainly able to develop some strong contacts. 1. Al Bouw Chrm Ontario Flue Cured Growers & Chrm of International Tobacco Growers Asso in Canada- Mr. Bouw was one of the speakers and is very interested in the "pure" grassroots support RJR provides to smokers. Mr. Bouw stated their way of dealing with the high cost of cigarettes and taxes is to provide in each pack of cigarettes a postcard with the Prime Minister's name and address already printed on the card that a person sends in to protest the high costs of tobacco. Mr. Bouw asked that I send him as much information about our program as possible. 2. Congressman Charles Hatcher, Chrm House Subcommittee on Peanuts and Tobacco - Met Congressman Hatcher, a smoker and avid supporter of tobacco and peanuts. Told him about the smokers' rights groups in Albany and Valdosta, GA. In October these two groups are staffing a booth at the Sun Belt Festival in Moultrie which draws approximately 175,000 folks in 3 days. Since Cong. Hatcher is a true supporter of tobacco, thought may be now that I have met him he might also somehow participate in this expo with the group members. Need to think about this one in more detail. 3. NC State Rep. Leo Daughtery - Met Rep. Daughtery and found out he was a good shagger. John Rainey should have been there dancing with him. 4. Max Lloyd, Agricultural Economist, Clemson University, SC - The Anderson smokers' rights group has been considering holding a Smokers' Rights Day at the fairgrounds next year. Group would like to see arts and crafts and tobacco related booths set-up at this event. Proceeds collected from the event would be donated to the Shriners' Crippled Children's Hospital in Greenville, SC. Anyway, Clemson University is located in Anderson and thought this might be the perfect opportunity to talk to Max about setting up a booth and possibly having Clemson help to advertise this event. Max'es response was "our President doesn't want to support tobacco publicly." I also learned that RJR just awarded over $93,000 in grant monies to Clemson. May be I'm just a little off, but why in the "hang" is RJR giving monies to a university when they don't want to be associated with tobacco publicly? Anyway, Max and I talked_a little more about Clemson's assistance in the Smokers' Rights day and I still plan to pursue their help and his assistance

when an if this event does happen. 5. Joe Helewica, VP Brown & Williamson, Macon, GA - Joe was also a speaker at this convention. The title of his presentation was "My Voice Counts," which is basically like our program; however, this support to their employees instead of smokers. This program which is approximately one year old asks that their employees attend a quarterly meeting (on the company's time) to discuss whatever tobacco issues are necessary. It is by word of mouth from the employees at B&W that public is starting to get involved an is calling their 800#. Joe also stated they mail a quarterly newsletter to their employees and other folks that call the 800#. Joe also showed 2 minutes of the 17 minute video produced by B&W which is narrated by Senator Wendell Ford of KY. This tape shows two folks talking about how regressive cigarette taxes are unfair and how they can make their voices count by calling and writing letters to their elected officials. B&W sales reps are also included in this quarterly meeting and they also carry the video tapes and packets to share the information with their consumers. The little bit I saw was good. The audience was told that they could get a copy of the video by calling Joe. I already have a copy of their packet which I will forward to Mike Phillips if interested. I would also like to have Max Montgomery, our group leader in Macon, give Mr. Helewicz a call to see if they can also attend the quarterly meeting that the B&W employees attend. The audience was very impressed with Mr. Helewicz's presentation and I found myself getting somewhat angry that B&W was getting this attention when their program is not nearly as sophisticated as our program. Next year our program needs to be on the agenda, especially since 250 folks attend this conference every year. It would also be good to have John Rainey attend this conference. I did provide a variety of RJR handouts and materials at the conference, however, it certainly would have been more effective if there had been a presentation. 6. Fred Bonds, CEO, Stabilization Corp & TGIC, Raleigh, NC - Mr. Bond's organization sends out a newsletter to approximately 50,000 tobacco growers and warehouse folks every other month. I approached Mr. Bond's about writing an article about smokers' rights to put in their newsletter. Also asked if he would be willing to send their newsletter to my active group members in GA, FL and SC. Although I had previously talked with one of Mr. Bond's employee's, Lisa Eddington, about these possibilities, and she told me she didn't think they could provide information about smokers' rights in their newsletter since this would show favoritism to one tobacco company, Mr. Bonds felt differently. In fact, he thought the article in the newsletter about smokers' rights was a good idea. So I plan to pursue this project further. 7. Tom Slane, Ph.d., VP Tobacco Merchants Association, Lawrenceville, NJ - Tom's organization basically provides data to all the cigarette manufacturers and TI. He is sending me

information about where the tobacco taxes go in each of my three states, whether the taxes are placed in a general fund, education etc. Tom stated he can provide me with any tobacco data I need, just give him a call. This was a very interesting conference and I certainly learned a lot and met many folks. Next year ( I believe this conference is held on Hilton Head Island each year), I think it would be good to have a RJR spokesperson for smokers' rights present, John Rainey and myself present. These are very hard working, proud folks and were quite complimentary of all that RJR provides. I would also like to see a"tobacco friendly" member of the SC state legislature to attend the convention to welcome the participants to SC. I have already talked to George Abbott about this one and he also thinks inviting a member of the state legislature is a good idea. Columbia: Group to set up another meeting. Greenville: Group will not meet again until fall. Spartanburcg: Group does not meet in summer. Florence: Next meeting will be scheduled in July. Anderson: Group met on 6/12. Group will meet in July for a picnic. Laurens/Clinton: Group met on 6/11. Next meeting date is scheduled for 7/15. Charleston: Group met on 4/22. Group decided not to meet in May since their meeting date falls on Memorial Day. ZIPS: Invited 13 3ZIP and 46 5ZIPS to meeting on 6/24. Have been unable to contact leader regarding 6/24 mtg. Beaufort: Group met on 6/13. Next meeting scheduled for 7/11. Sumter: Group's next meeting scheduled for 7/8. GEORGIA GROUPS Met with Rusty Kidd, RJR Lobbyist in Atlanta, GA 6/24 regarding coalitions. Rusty plans to send me a list of the group of folks that got together and went before the Lt. Governor during last legislative session to support the smokers anti-discrimination clause. I will specifically use this list to begin networking with these folks in GA. Rusty also did not foresee any increase in GA's state excise taxes. Macon/Milledqeville: Group's next meeting July 9. Jonesboro: Group will not meet again until the fall. Savannah: I wrote letters and invited former active members and 18 ZIPS to this meeting. Only one former active member showed for the

meeting. This group became inactive about 4 months ago, when the leader moved out-of-town. Gainesville: No activity. Columbus: Presently, group inactive. Valdosta: Group met on 6/24, and 11 persons attended. None of the 13 ZIPS that were invited to this meeting attended. Results of calling ZIP enclosed with this report VALZIP1. Group plans to write one letter to the editor per month for the next several months. I reported to the group my contact with Cong. Hatcher. Group plans to give him a call to see if he would be interested in visiting their booth at the Sun-Belt Expo in October. Group also plans to have a letter writing session next meeting to write their state senators and house members to support the anti-discrimination bill and designated smoking areas in government buildings. Informed group of LTS in GA August 24. Next meeting 7/22. Will invite 13 ZIPS again to this meeting. Albany: Group's next meeting is scheduled for 6/19. Invited 18 5ZIP and 11 3ZIP to 6/19 meeting. Have been unable to contact leader regarding meeting. FLORIDA Orlando: Group met 6/13, fourteen persons attended. Group discussed further contact will be made with the American Legion and VFW after 7/1, since they will have elected their new officers by this date. Group began talking about the "privacy act" and the need to contact their state legislators. Group learned that AARP has increased its insurance rates for smokers. Persons who are members of AARP plan to write and oppose this new rate. Group plans to check out rumor that US Air wants to ban smoking on all flights including overseas flights. Results of inviting 217 ZIPS to this meeting are enclosed ORLZIP1. Four ZIPS attended out of the 217 invited. ZIPS will again be invited to the next meeting scheduled for 7/11. Ocala: Group met on 6/18, twelve persons attended. 1 ZIP out of 85 invited attended this meeting. Results of ZIPS are enclosed OCAZIP1. ZIPS will be re-invited to next meeting scheduled for 7/17. Jim Shook, a semi-retired defense attorney and a smoker, attended Ocala's meeting. Mr. Shook discussed with the group plans to stop Judge Swigert's administrative order to ban smoking in the judicial building. Within the next 10 days, group members plan to write and call their commission members (5). Two of the members are smokers and are against the ban, two are non-smokers and are for the ban and one commissioner is a non-smoker and is undecided. It is reported that Judge Swigert is a member of a very prominent family in Ocala and feels like he makes the rules and regulations for the entire county--not to mention that he has several "business" dealings with some of the county commissioners. Mr. Shook and three members of the Ocala group plan to attend the commissioner's meeting on 7/2 and to speak out against the ban and

to support designated smoking areas. Group has already collected over 500 signatures at local flea markets opposing this ban and these signatures will be presented to the commissioners at their meeting on 7/2. Mr. Shook plans to file a petition with the county commissioners stating that the commissioners have the decision making authority to designate a smoking area and not the judge. Esther Foresman, mailed a newsletter to her active and associate members last week encouraging them to write letters and make calls immediately. Newsletter faxed Mike Phillips 6/26. Group plans to set-up booths at flea markets one time each month to build community awareness regarding their group. More later. Jacksonville: Group met on 6/12. Group's next meeting scheduled for 7/17. Lake City: Does not meet in summer. Next meeting 9/19/91. Gainesville: Group presently inactive at this time. SCHEDULE FOR THE NEXT TWO WEEKS June 26 1/2 travel; 1/2 day office June 27 - 29 Out-of-town July 1- 5 In Office