Tobacco Documents Online

Tobacco Debate: Imports and Health By IRVIN MOLOTSKY Spacial to The New York TIIOm . WASHINGTON, Aug. 10-Tobacco has played an important part in this city's history, from Colonial times, when it was the leading local crop, to current times, when talk about to- bacco is one of the leading cottage in- dustries on Capitol Hill. The most recent discussion has moved from a debate over tobacco's effect on health to how much of it should be imported. What is more, the argument has spilled over into a close race for the United States Sen- ate in North Carolina, a major pro- ducer of tobacco. Leaders in Congress reached agreement with the tobacco industry recently on a bill that would put harsher health warnings on cigarette packages. But Senator Jesse Helms, a North Carolina Republican who op- poses any legislation he deems harm- ful to the big tobacco industry in his state, said he would block Senate ac- tion unless the cigarette companies reassured him it was acceptable. Senator Helms, facing a strong challenge from his Democratic oppo- nent, Gov. James B. Hunt, was given that assurance. However, Mr. Helms, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has now added another condition, one with appeal to another large constituency, tobacco growers. He wants the cigarette companies to agree to limit their purchases of im- ported tobacco. Stronger Than Old Warnings Representative Henry A. Waxman, a California Democrat who strongly supports cigarette warnings, con- tends that Senator Helms has intro- duced an unrelated element into the labeling debate. "I wish they would consider these bills on the merits," Mr. Waxman said. The new warnings would replace the current one, which says, "The Surgeon General has determined that cigarette smoking is, dangerous to your health." The four new warnings, used on an an alternating basis, would advise that smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease and emphysema and may complicate pregnancy; that quitting smoking reduces health risks; that "smoking by pregnant women may result in fetal injury, premature birth and low birth rate," and that cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide. Actions of Senator Helms The new language represented a compromise, with Mr. Waxman pressing earlier for even stronger warnings that spoke of tobacco's ad- dictive qualities and that stated there was a relationship between smoking and miscarriages. The tobacco indus- try has accepted the revised prntxnal reluctantly, judging that the cornpro- mise would be less harmful than the original legislation. Commenting on Mr. Helms's be- half, Ronald B. Phillips, a spokesman for the Senate Agriculture Commit- tee, said of the Senator's maneuveur- ing on the bill, "He wants to know if the tobacco family is in favor of it," He said the Senator was pressing the cigarette companies to buy Amer- ican tobacco, much of it grown in North Carolina, because their pur- chases of tobacco from Brazil and Af- rica have been rising. "If that continues," Mr. Phillips said, "they are not going to have the family tobacco grower. Senator Helms Is using the leverage that he feels he has." Senator Waxman, Senator Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, and Rep- resentative John D. Dingell, Demo- crat of Michigan, have told the to- bacco industry that they will push through the e iginal harsh labeling languagener.. year if the compromise is scuttled by the cigarette companies or Senator Helms. Stance of Trade Group The Tobacco Institute, which lob- bies for the industry in Washington, has declined to state its position on the warning labels publicly. Mem- bers of Congress have said, however, that the institute and the nation's seven major tobacco companies have stated privately that they can accept the new warnings. ' Representative Charlie Rose, a North Carolina Democrat who has t>Pen working with Ihn Toharr•o Insti- Ihywing by R.d/cy- tute, says that as a result, the com- promise bill 'has a "very good" chance of being passed. Asked why the institute did not pub- licly state its approval of the meas- ure, Mr. Rose said, "Reluctantly, they will support the legislation, but they will not go out and stump for it. They don't want to be in a position of openly admitting a health hazard." Mr. Rose said Senator Helms had further contused matters by refusing to give a clerar timetable of what ac- tion he planned to the bill's advo- cates, including Mr. Dingell, chair- man of the House Energy. and Com- merce Committee. "I got Dingell to go with me to see Senator Helms," Mr. Rose said. "He told both of us that he wanted an op- portunity to jawbone the companies into buying more American tobacco before he would let the bill move through the Senate." Action Is Delayed Hearing that, Mr. Rose concluded that Congress would not have a chance to act until it returned from the break for next week's Republican National Convention. He asked Mr. Dingell to put off further considera- tion until then, and Mr. Dingell did so. Reflecting on Senator Helms's at- tempt to use what leverage he has to maintain a high level of domestic pur- chases by the tobacco companies, Representative Rose said, "Senator Helms says you can call it blackmail it you want to. He can•try the tough- guy approach. I want to try the'What will vnu do withtiut mPl' rtpprnach " I t t t c :30ti08 i v 0 R