Tobacco Control 1999;8:433–439 433 Tob Control: first published as 10.1136/tc.8.4.433 on 1 December 1999. Downloaded from

INDUSTRY WATCH

The low tar lie

For perhaps the first time in history, the tars and . . .will take the industry is having its own virulent market.”—1958, Philip Morris.5 smoke blown back in its face. Confronted with “I share MCA’s overall conclusion that the a continual onslaught of litigation, the nation’s switching study confirms the rightness of our tobacco manufacturers are no longer able to five year plan; focusing company eVort against cower behind the shelter of public relations and smokers’ health concerns . . .Low T&N brands well nourished political connections. The seem to be satisfying smokers’ intellectual industry’s real history is now being told, but T&N concerns.”—1976, Lorillard.6 not in the sidestepping half truths that have characterised the industry’s signature response to critical inquiry. This time, the story is told . . .by assuring smokers that among millions of pages of once confidential are safe, and that the industry has the industry documents made public through legal discovery. Rumours have become facts. Telltale public’s best interest in mind is now truth. The is being “There is only one problem—confidence, and forced to eat its own words. how to establish it; public assurance, and how One of the most compelling parts of this new to create it. . . .And, most important, how to history is the evolution of low tar and low nico- free millions of Americans from the guilty fear tine cigarettes. While the tobacco industry that is going to arise deep in their biological publicly vowed to place the public’s health depths—regardless of any pooh poohing above every other facet of its business, it logic—every time they light a .”— privately acknowledged its inability to create a 1953, Hill & Knowlton.2 safe product. Supported by quotes pulled “We accept an interest in people’s health as a directly from the industry’s own internal docu- basic responsibility paramount to every other ments, the real history is now manifest. consideration in our business.” “We believe the products we make are not The late 1950s brought growing internal injurious to health.”—1954 industry http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/ industry concern and acknowledgement advertisement.7 that smoking causes health problems “ . . .if we can eliminate or reduce the carcino- genic agent in smoke we will have made real Secretly, the industry began to explore progress.”— .1 1954, Liggett ways to make a “safer” cigarette, “Boy, wouldn’t it be wonderful if our recognising that there were some company was first to produce a cancer free problems with this approach . . . cigarette? What we could do to the competition.”—Mid 1950s Hill & Knowlton Lowering nicotine levels could allow smokers to (industry legal counsel) quoting an unnamed wean themselves oV the smoking habit: tobacco company research director.2 “To reduce the nicotine per cigarette as “ . . .the evidence is irrefutable that the com- much as possible and thus satisfy the trend of

panies were aware by 1954 of the early consumer demand . . .might end in destroying on September 27, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. epidemiologic studies and the 1953 Wynder- the nicotine habit in a large number of Graham mouse skin painting study (linking consumers and prevent it ever being acquired cigarettes and lung cancer).”—late 1980s attor- by new smokers.”—1959, BAT Co.8 ney work product by industry legal counsel Jones, Promoting “safer” cigarettes implied that all Day Reavis & Pogue for an industry client (possi- other cigarettes were hazardous: bly B&W).3 “When the health question was first raised we