Daily Doc: TI, Mar 16, 1977: Walgreens: Ally of the Tobacco Institute
Daily Doc: Walgreens: Ally of the Tobacco Institute
Title: [REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON TI AND INDUSTRY POSITION FOR INFORMATION CAMPAIGN. (C)]
TI, Mar 16, 1977
Bates #: TIMN0083432
July 29, 2000
The Tobacco Institute engaged retailers--including health-related establishments like drug stores - to defend the tobacco industry in the "smoking and health controversy." A confidential 1977 memo to William Kloepfer (of the Tobacco Institute) from Horace Kornegay (also of the TI) discusses the possibility that the Walgreens Drugstore chain may help them promote disinformation about the link cigarettes and health:
"We may have an opportunity to engage another project similar to the one with Mr. Munford of the Majik Markets....Curtis Judge...told me about [a] meeting with David C. Carlson, manager of News and Information Services for Walgreen Drugs. ...Carlson expressed in interest in being of assistance to the tobacco industry in getting the true word put about....Curt suggested that I call Mr. Carlson which I have done. He indicated a real interest in being of every possible assistance to us...I further told him that I would call him in about two weeks and that we would agree upon a mutually convenient time and place to meet and discuss what and how he and his company could be of help."
( http://www.tobaccoinstitute.com/cgi-bin/tisearch.exe?if=avtidx&bool=TIMN0083434)
Indeed, the Tobacco Institute pursued their plan, sending a letter to Walgreens describing how Majik Markets had helped them, and proposing Walgreens do the same (at TI expense): (http://www.tobaccoinstitute.com/cgi-bin/tisearch.exe?if=avtidx&bool=TIMN0083433)
Walgreens was extremely eager to help, even volunteering to the Tobacco Institute that their position as a "health center" could be of great benefit to industry in such a campaign:
CITATION
Title: [REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON TI AND INDUSTRY POSITION FOR INFORMATION CAMPAIGN. (C)]
Type of Document: Letter
Author: Carlson, DC of Walgreens
Recipient: Kornegay, H of the Tobacco Institute
Date: 19770316
Site: Tobacco Institute Document site http://www.tobaccoinstitute.com
Page Count 1
Bates No. TIMN0083435
URL: http://www.tobaccoinstitute.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=TIMN0083432
Litigation Usage: N/A
Thanks to: M. Tac Tacelosky, for bringing this sequence of correspondence to light.
QUOTES
Thank you, Mr. Kornegay, for taking time from you busy schedule to chat with me about the tobacco industry. Altho I've been smoking for more than thirty years, I am constantly amazed at how little I know of your industry!
We are exploring the possibilities of an information program which will help both the tobacco industry and ourselves... [a]s an established "health center", there are many, many things we can do to "gain and maintain the understanding and support of the public."
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American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
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