Daily Doc: PM, Jul, 1994: PM's youth programs: for Wall Street, investors
Daily Doc: PM's youth programs: for Wall Street, investors
Title: Coalition for Responsible Tobacco Use Communications Framework
PM, Jul, 1994
Bates #: 2046829058/9060
August 3, 2000
On July 14 the American Lung Association of Colorado posted a press release revealing the real reasons why the Philip Morris Tobacco Company (PM) promotes "youth programs" of its own creation. Among other reasons, the industry's"youth programs" were to bolster goodwill and the reputation of the tobacco industry, stave off further product regulation while obtaining tax deductions (ostensibly for advertising), to "bait" anti-tobacco forces and make them look unreasonable (so the media wouldn't cover the health community's point of view), and to give PM an opportunity to approach retailers nationwide and organize them into a network of "eyes and ears" to monitor anti-tobacco activity in cities and towns across the country. This network gave the tobacco industry with a much-needed "early warning system" which allowed them to mobilize local opposition to smoking bans and bans on self-service displays at the "city council" level. [See the July 14 Doc-Alert posting].
Today's document belongs with that set, confirming once again that PM's youth programs are to stave off further restrictions, etc., except that this document reveals one more reason Philip Morris so strongly promotes its own "youth programs": to convince Wall Street, its stockholders and investors that "PM is a good investment," and that "PM is a responsible and open corporation that can deal with 'the issues' without outside intervention." [Note how PM sarcastically offsets "the issues" in quotation marks. Could this indicate PM doesn't consider youth smoking to be a "real" issue?]
CITATION
Title: Coalition for Responsible Tobacco Use Communications Framework
Type of Document: Report
Author: N/A (found in the area of Barbara Trach's* office at PM) Recipient: N/A
Date: 19940700
Site: Philip Morris Tobacco Document site http://www.pmdocs.com/
Page Count 3
Bates No. 2046829058/9060
URL: On the Philip Morris site: http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=2046829058/9060 (needs rotating)
On TDO: (for simultaneous enlargement and rotation): http://my.tobaccodocuments.org/tdo/view.cfm?CitID=1285915&GetListArrayIdx=1&ShowImages=yes
Litigation Usage: None yet
Found Using Search Criteria: On TDO, searching on "list contents" for all occurrences of the word "responsible"
QUOTES
Objectives
To help forestall further restrictions and legislation against PM's right to market (sell, distribute, advertise) tobacco products to adults and the rights of adults who choose to smoke. Show all concerned constituencies that PM is a strong, responsible and open corporation that can deal with "the issues" without outside intervention.
Target:
LEGISLATORS
Those who are with us
Those who are neutral or on the fence
Key Messages/Tasks
PM is embarking on a major effort to dissuade minors from smoking and needs your help to pass new tougher legislation re: sale and possession by minors, etc. Inform all appropriate groups about PM's tougher position on selling to minors. Help pressure legislators to pass new, tougher restrictions Provide education, seminars, signage, etc. Convince teens and pre-teens under 18 to be your own person, have the strength of character to make the decision not to smoke
...Keep smoking in a realistic perspective
Net Impression:
Industry responsive
No need for further legislation
Provides alternative action to supporting further [legislation]
Net Impression: MEDIA, Opinion leaders, general public
PM is addressing the issues in a responsible way No need for further restrictions
Industry can regulate itself
Wall Street: financial community, stockholders:
PM is a strong, responsible and open corporation and will address any issues PM is a good nvestment
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Anne Landman, Regional Program Coordinator
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
Grand Junction, CO
(970) 245-2120
afoxland@gj.net
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