Tobacco Industry

Research

Industry practices impact youth smoking behavior
Research featured in the June 2006 issue of Cancer Causes & Control shows that tobacco industry practices are related to youth smoking behavior. The study, conducted in Canada, found that occasional and regular smoking behavior was significantly related to student beliefs about tobacco companies doing good things in the community, manipulating young people to think smoking is cool, advertising to youth, and using athletes and sports sponsorships to get young people to smoke. View the abstract for additional information.

Tobacco industry influence on science in Germany
A study published in the American Journal of Public Health demonstrated that the extent of tobacco industry influence over the scientific establishment in Germany is profound and has likely undermined efforts to control tobacco use. View the abstract to learn more.

Philip Morris internal documents reveal project to address industry delegitimization
An article in the June 2006 issue of Tobacco Control examined internal Philip Morris documents to determine the implications of Philip Morris USA’s overtures toward tobacco control and other public health organizations. The researchers found that the company’s Project Sunrise, initiated in 1995 and proposed to continue through 2006, was a long-term plan to address tobacco industry delegitimization and to ensure the social acceptability of smoking and of the company itself. Project Sunrise laid out an explicit divide-and-conquer strategy against the tobacco control movement and a plan to reposition the company as "responsible". View the abstract for more information.

Tobacco companies fund infertility research to counter evidence regarding impact of smoking
Tobacco companies are funding research into infertility in an effort to counteract evidence that smoking drastically undermines the chances of conceiving. Philip Morris has been accused by advocates of attempting to deceive male smokers into believing they can improve their fertility with vitamin supplements. Click here for more information.

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National

Tobacco companies testing smoke-free products
Both Philip Morris and RJ Reynolds will be moving into the smokeless tobacco market. The trend is occurring likely as a result of the many state and local smoking ordinances passed in recent years. However, advocates are concerned that such products are not regulated and may cause youth to start using tobacco products. Philip Morris will begin testing “Taboka” in Indianapolis in July, with a potentially wider roll-out depending on consumer response. RJ Reynolds will be testing “Camel Snus” in Portland, OR and Austin, TX. Click here for more information on the test marketing and here to view a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. Some health experts state that smokeless tobacco products may help smokers quit. For more information on this harm reduction stance, click here.

Attorneys General seek to limit marketing of cigarettes as “little cigars”
Attorneys General from 39 states and Guam have petitioned the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to change regulations that allow tobacco companies to classify cigarettes wrapped in brown paper as “little cigars.” Such classification allows the companies to avoid public health restrictions and taxes on these products, as cigars are taxed at a lower rate than cigarettes and do not require the reporting of ingredients nor a health warning label. By labeling such cigarettes as cigars, tobacco companies are also able to evade laws designed to protect children from obtaining smaller, cheaper packs of cigarettes. View the press release from the National Association of Attorneys General for more information. In addition, a joint statement has been released by the American Heart Association, Americans for Nonsmokers Rights, American Lung Association and Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

Tobacco industry uses deceptive tactics to defeat anti-tobacco measures in several states
The tobacco industry is working in a number of states, including California, Arizona, and Ohio, to defeat anti-tobacco elected officials and ballot initiatives. In California, an organization funded by tobacco interests has mailed a flyer to voters falsely claiming a local candidate has accepted tobacco campaign contributions. In Arizona and Ohio, tobacco companies are trying to defeat ballot initiatives requiring that all workplaces be smoke-free. Under the guise of names such as the Arizona Non-Smokers Protection Act and Smoke Less Ohio, tobacco companies are sponsoring alternative initiatives that claim to restrict smoking, when in fact they would roll back existing local smoke-free workplace laws. View a press release from the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids to learn more.

Judges’ trips paid for with tobacco industry funds
Document released by the Community Rights Counsel have revealed that two organizations, The Montana-based Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment (FREE) and George Mason University's Law & Economics Center, that provide free trips to hundreds of federal judges have received large contributions from tobacco, oil, and other corporate interests. Both Philip Morris and R.J. Reynolds have contributed funds towards these programs. Click here for more information.

R.J. Reynolds heir unlikely tobacco control advocate
Patrick Reynolds, grandson of R.J. Reynolds, has been traveling the country speaking to schools and community groups about the industry’s deceptive marketing tactics. He has accused tobacco companies of courting youth by calling them “new recruits” and cautions that they are targeting youth with “candy-flavored” cigarettes, youth oriented graphics on cigarette boxes, and prizes. Click here for more information on Patrick and his message.

WHO focuses on industry’s use of misleading labels on World No Tobacco Day
On the eve of World No Tobacco Day, WHO declared that it would focus on the tobacco industry’s continued use of misleading labels to lure new smokers. Click here for more information, and here for more information on World No Tobacco Day.

KOOL and Camel 2006 tours predicted to reach over 2,000 venues
What started out as 13 KOOL New Jazz Philosophy Tour events in February has escalated to over 160. Camel has also began a tour, bringing the number of RJR events between February and April to 425, with more to come throughout the rest of 2006. Events include: concerts; DJ parties at nightclubs& restaurants; comedy and fashion shows; sporting events; talent shows & open mics. The events are posted sporadically on www.kool.com and www.camelsmokes.com. For more information, contact the National African American Tobacco Prevention Network, 888-4NAATPN, thenetwork@naatpn.org.

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Resources

Lung Association releases report on alcohol-flavored cigarettes
The American Lung Association has released a report titled Alcohol-Flavored Cigarettes – Continuing the Flavored Cigarette Trend, which describes how R.J. Reynolds sold alcohol-flavored cigarettes as part of a recent promotional campaign linking smoking with alcohol use and gambling. The report also summarizes the status of state and federal legislation prohibiting flavored cigarettes/tobacco products, and a few recent studies on flavored cigarettes. To see the press release for this report, click here. A PDF copy of the report is available here.

Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids releases updated factsheets on smokeless tobacco
In light of recent developments in the smokeless tobacco marketplace, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids has updated several of its smokeless tobacco factsheets and has created a separate factsheet section devoted to smokeless tobacco on its website. The key document is, "Smokeless Tobacco in the United States - An Overview of the Health Risks and Industry Marketing Aimed at Children and the Compelling Need for Effective Regulation of All Tobacco Products by the FDA". This factsheet updates key data points from prior versions but also includes additional information related to the "harm reduction" debate why FDA regulation of tobacco products is necessary.

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States

Arizona:

R.J. Reynolds attempting to water down ordinance in Arizona
R.J. Reynolds and the Arizona Licensed Beverage Association have provided funding to place the Arizona Non-Smoker Protection Act on the November ballot in an attempt to confuse voters and defeat the legislation put forth by Smoke Free Arizona. The weaker initiative would allow smoking to continue in bars and would preempt local ordinances without a public vote. The Smoke Free Arizona ballot initiative prohibits smoking in almost all public places and workplaces, including all restaurants and bars. Click here for more information and here for a statement from Smoke Free Arizona.

Ohio:

Ohio religious coalition urges FDA regulation of tobacco
A coalition of central Ohio religious leaders have launched a campaign for FDA regulation of tobacco products, stating that the federal government has a moral responsibility to keep cigarettes out of the hands of children. Tobacco products have been relatively free of federal regulations since a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2000 that stripped the FDA of oversight. Since that time, former House majority leader Tom DeLay had blocked legislation to restore the agency’s role. Central Ohio leaders representing Christian, Jewish, Islamic, and other religions have initiated a petition drive and letter-writing campaign to persuade the new House majority leader, John Boehner, and other legislators to support a law making tobacco products an FDA responsibility. Boehner, however, is a smoker with ties to the tobacco industry, having previously distributed checks from a tobacco political action committee on the House floor. Click here to learn more.


New York:

“No Thanks Big Tobacco” campaign going statewide in NY
One of New York's local tobacco control coalitions has created an anti-tobacco sponsorship campaign, "No Thanks Big Tobacco," which is going statewide. To obtain additional information, click here.

Oswego, NY Tobacco Free Network kicks off “Not For Sale” campaign
The Tobacco Free Network of Oswego County is asking the community to take a stand and set a policy to not accept sponsorship or advertising money from the tobacco industry. Click here for more information on the Not For Sale campaign.

Tennessee:

Telemarketing technique by tobacco industry targets bill in Tennessee
According to a state senator in Tennessee who is sponsoring a bill to raise the state cigarette tax, the tobacco industry is calling constituents and directing them to legislators’ offices if they oppose the increase. The state senator is proposing an increase of approximately 71 cents from the current 21-cent tax per pack. Click here for more details.

Wyoming:

US Tobacco corporate giving to emergency service projects
US Tobacco has given 20 6x6 Polaris Rangers to Search and Rescue and other emergency service projects. Commissioners from Hot Springs County in Wyoming have voted to return the vehicle the county received. Click here for more information on the giveaway in Wyoming and here for more information about US Tobacco’s Operation Ranger.

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