"We should remember that U.S. cigarette exports to Asia account for close to 70% of our volume and 97% of our profits..."PM further responded to increased tobacco control efforts in Asia by expanding their "Whitecoat Project" into Asia. They successfully pulled in additional funding from the R.J. Reynolds and Brown and Williamson tobacco companies to help expand the project into Asia:
"...PM, RJR and B&W agreed to fund a network of ETS scientists in Asia. Candidates have been identified in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Thailand.... At the end of a training session in late June we will have a core of 10 scientists who are fully trained on the issues, ready and prepared to make a contribution by way of writing articles, briefing government officials and so forth...."In this piece (which is a narrative of a slide show) the speaker also brags about PM's highly successful interference in Filipino government affairs, from the national all the way down to the local level:
"...In the Philippines we have successfully delayed the passage of national legislation and more recently local legislation."PM was also intent on defeating proposals brought by the Asian-Pacific Council on Smoking and Health to prevent them from becoming precedent for the region:
"It is essential that we defeat or substantially water down the Council on Smoking and Health proposals in Hong Kong to ensure that it is not used as a precedent for the region."This document reveals the deep, pervasive, damaging (and very effective) interference that these powerful American tobacco companies exert on the government, culture and health affairs of foreign countries in which they are permitted to do business.
Last weekend the Asia-Pacific Anti-Tobacco League was founded at a meeting in Taiwan. The main purpose of the league is to organise anti-smoking groups in the Asia-Pacific Region to work with anti-smoking activists in the U.S. to force the U.S. government to give up its policy of promoting cigarette sales to Asian countries. They will also be coordinating anti-smoking campaigns in the region.
The meeting was attended by a number of U.S. anti-smokers including Richard Daynard and Gregory Conolly. Also in attendance were most of Asia's anti-tobacco proponents, including Dr. Judith McKay [strikeout in original]
This event is significant to Asia for two reasons. Firstly, it places much greater pressure on U.S. cigarette exports and secondly, it marks the start of a much more coordinated, internationally-driven anti-smoking campaign in Asia.
Asia is now the priority target for the anti-tobacco movement.
We should remember that U.S. cigarette exports to Asia account for close to 70% of our volume and 97% of our profits...
...Aware that Asia would receive increased attention by the anti-smokers we agreed at the Boca Raton Corporate Affairs Conference last year to implement a number of key strategies to both defend the industry and just as important, to take the offensive....
....PM, RJR and B&W agreed to fund a network of ETS scientists in Asia. Candidates have been identified in Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines and Thailand. JTI's support is being sought to expand the program to Japan. At the end of a training session in late June we will have a core of 10 scientists who are fully trained on the issues, ready and prepared to make a contribution by way of writing articles, briefing government officials and so forth. Their first task will be a press conference in Hong Kong in late June.
...To improve our sports allies we sponsored the Asia Pacific and Oceana Sport Assembly last year, have since established a relationship with its president to review opportunities for sponsorship and to identify key sporting contacts by country. Recently this association provided access to Korea's peak sporting associations. ..
...In Hong Kong we are fighting the Council on Smoking and Health proposals covering everything from an advertising and sponsorship ban, public smoking restrictions, health warnings and constituent labeling to a tax to buy out sponsorship. A self-regulatory approach is being encouraged.
...In the Philippines we have successfully delayed the passage of national legislation and more recently local legislation. PM is also lobbying for tax reform to stop discrimination of foreign owned trademarks and move to a specific tax structure. A program on ETS is also planned.
...In Singapore we encouraged the government to take a more commercial approach to health warnings regulation and now have an ongoing dialogue with government.
To date the region has been successful at fighting off anti-tobacco proposals.
It is essential that we defeat or substantially water down the Council on Smoking and Health proposals in Hong Kong to ensure that it is not used as a precedent for the region.
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