What if An industry markets a product as

What if… An industry markets a product as "safe", but it’s the leading cause of preventable death in the United States?

What they knew… "Research on smoking and health the last few years has certainly convinced the majority of scientific opinion in the U. S. A. that cigarette smoke is capable of causing lung cancer in man. . " Correspondence from Tobacco Document, 1958

What they actually did… Created doubt regarding the health effects by issuing a very publicized "Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers" "We accept an interest in peoples’ health as a basic responsibility paramount to every other consideration in our business. " The Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers, 1954

The Result More than 400, 000 Americans die each year from cigarette related diseases This is equal to three fully loaded 747 aircraft crashing daily for 365 days a year with no survivors

What if… An industry encouraged the addiction of its customers as a way to secure its profits?

What they knew… "Nicotine is the addicting agent in cigarettes. " A memo from an industry law firm, 1983 "It’s fortunate for us, cigarettes are a habit they (smokers) can not break. " Tobacco Industry Research Directors, 1954 "No one has ever become a cigarette smoker by smoking cigarettes without nicotine. " W. L. Dunn (The Nicotine Kid), 1972

What they actually did… "A higher p. H makes nicotine more available in the bloodstream (free-base nicotine) and the faster the nicotine reaches the brain, the more addicting it is. So. . " Industry scientists developed a technique to manipulate the p. H of the cigarette

The Result Free-basing nicotine (as a result of the manipulated cigarette) makes the cigarette the perfect delivery system to produce addiction After development of the technique to free-base nicotine, sales dramatically increased See Anatomy of an Addiction for more information

What If… A company changed its product (filtered cigarettes, low tar, and low nicotine cigarettes) to try to "reassure customers of its safety, " but the product was still just as deadly?

What they knew… "The tobacco industry was aware that the filters did not reduce the harm from smoking. " "The filter cigarette smoker is, in most cases, getting as much or more nicotine and tar from the filter than he would get from the regular cigarette the advertisers have persuaded him to abandon – for his health's sake. " U. S. House Government Operations Committee, 1958 California Department of Public Health, Tobacco Control Section

What they actually did… Created doubt regarding the health effects by issuing a very publicized "Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers" "We accept an interest in peoples’ health as a basic responsibility paramount to every other consideration in our business. " The Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers, 1954

What they knew … "All work in this area should be directed towards providing consumer reassurance about cigarettes and the smoking habit. This can be provided in different ways, e. g. by claimed low deliveries, by the perception of low deliveries and by the perception of 'mildness'. " Tobacco Industry Market conference summary report, 1977 "One way of reducing the conflict within a smoker is to deny, devalue or otherwise rationalize the health argument. " Tobacco Industry document, 1979

What they actually did… Designed and marketed a cigarette filter that was deceptive. They placed tiny holes in the filter tip to bring more air into the smokestream. However… Most users cover up the ventilation holes with their fingers when smoking "Light" cigarettes offer no health benefits to smokers

What they actually did… Designed and marketed a low-tar, low-nicotine cigarette that was still unsafe when used: People use these cigarettes differently (inhale deeper to draw in the same amount of nicotine as a "regular" cigarette) Low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes offer no health benefits to the smoker

The Result People consumed more cigarettes Tobacco profits increased when they introduced the filtered cigarette and the low-tar, low-nicotine cigarette Lung cancer rates continued to increase

What if… An industry publicly displays concern for minors, but recruits children to be "replacement smokers? "

What they knew… "The fragile, developing self-image of the young person needs all of the support and enhancement it can get…this self-image enhancement has traditionally been a strong promotional theme for cigarette brands and should continue to be emphasized…a careful study of current youth jargon, together with a review of currently used high school American history books…might be a good start at finding a good…image theme. " A top research executive at R. J. Reynolds, 1973

Imagine a five-year old child, who will be a future customer of your cigarettes in the next few years. How can your company begin to attract/tap into this next generation? The camel symbol can be transformed into a moving, talking, animated cartoon for children.

What they actually did… The industry aggressively marketed cigarettes to children, otherwise known as "replacement smokers": Utilized cartoon characters (Joe the Camel™) Sponsored children related products and events (race cars, rodeos, etc)

The Results – In the United States 88% of all people who have ever smoked start by the age of 18 Every day 4, 800 children aged 11– 17 try their first cigarette Each day 2, 000 children become regular smokers

What if… An industry spends billions of dollars to limit public health efforts that could decrease smoking and save lives?

What they knew… Excise taxes would prevent some people from starting smoking and encourage others to stop Smoke free environments would decrease number of smokers A (smoke-free environment) is "…probably the single most important challenge we currently face" Tobacco Industry Document, 1987

What they did… The tobacco industry is one of the top lobbying groups in the United States The industry spends more than $5 billion a year (more than $15 million every day) to promote its products

What If… We could stop this

You Can Be Part of the Solution What will it take? Vote for tax increases on cigarettes Support more smoke-free environments Stop supporting the industry; don’t buy its products