News and Views Vol. 6 No. 2 The Journal of Medical Activism Summer 1991 DOC EffortsSpark Major Universitiesto DivestTobacco Holdings The tobacco divestment movement a new national campaign championing vices and materials to further the cause represents a dramatic new initiative to the proposition that it is unethical to profit of divestment. promote a smoke-free society. This ef­ from tobacco addiction. The TOP re­ Last year while a student at the fort originated in 1981 when DOC Founder ceives guidance from an advisory board Harvard School of Public Health, DOC Alan Blum, MD, was instrumental in per­ of individuals who have distinguished member Phil Huang, MD, MPH, created suading the American Medical a radio advertisement in a course Association (AMA) to eliminate taught by media expert Tony several million dollars worth of Harvard's reason for divestment of its Schwartz. The advertisement tobacco stocks from its retire­ tobacco holdings was "a desire not to be pointed out the hypocrisy of ment fund . By 1986, the AMA associated as a shareholder with com­ Harvard President Derek Bok's was officially encouraging uni­ panies engaged in significant sales of call for university leadership in versities with medical schools to demonstrating strong moral and divest their tobacco holdings . In products that create a substantial and civic values, while Harvard con­ 1984, DOC created Project unjustified risk of harm to other human tinued to invest in the tobacco SNUFF (Stop Noxious University beings." industry. The advertisement was ~ Funding Forever) which targeted -----------------­ aired on the Harvard radio station Illinois universities with medical and generated local media atten­ schools and succeeded in convincing the themselves in the struggle to bring to­ tion. At the same time , Dr. Huang began University of Illinois to drop its tobacco bacco use under control. Much of the working with a student representative to stocks. work of the TOP is performed by pro­ the University's Advisory Committee on In 1990, the Tobacco Divestment health advocates throughout the coun­ Shareholder Responsibility (ACSR). The Project (TOP) was formally launched as try, for whom TOP provides support ser- continued on page 3 Philip Morris Promotes Bill of Rights, f?iscourages Free Speech Philip Morris' Benson and Hedges Blues Festival began its five-city tour around the nation in Houston, and DOC created a print counter-advertising cam­ paign to draw attention to the cigarette­ sponsored blues festival. DOC Founder and Chairman Alan Blum, MD, and Eric Solberg, DOC ex­ ecutive director , submitted the counter advertisements to the Houston Chronicle, the Houston Post and Public News, a Houston weekly newspaper. Public News printed DOC's advertise­ ment, which featured the slogan "Don't them cancer pushers give ya The Blues?" on June 5. The same advertisement also appeared in the Houston Post on June 9. A different advertisement featuring the slogan "Benson and Stenches gives HoustonThe Blues"appeared in the Hous- This bench waspart of DOC's counter-advertisingcampaign against the Bensonand continued on page 12 Hedges Blues Festival in Houston. DOC News and Views The Journal of Medical Activism Summer 1991 Editorial Journal of Family Practice Children at Risk Plans Special Issue on by President Jimmy Carter World Tobacco Pandemic Children represent the future. In­ nations. Even in the United States On December 5, 1983, The ternational leaders at the first World minimal efforts are made to restrict ad­ Medical Journal of Australia made Summit for Children held this past Sep­ vertising or to ban sales of tobacco to history. It was the first major medi­ tember focused universal attention on minors. cal journal in the world to publish an the needs of children for the coming Most people who start smoking do entire issue devoted to the world decades. Heads of state have pledged so before the age of 19 and are easily tobacco pandemic. Until that spe­ their support and committed their coun­ addicted, many for life. This has re­ cial issue of MJA, there had not tries' resources to specific goals for sulted in approximately 390,000 deaths been a single journal which focused improving the quality of life and health a year related to tobacco use in the on the economic, political, social, of children by the year 2000. United States alone. personal and professional aspects One of those goals has to be a The large multinational tobacco of tobacco. The special issue be­ decrease in tobacco use, which poses companies are now shifting their focus came a world-wide reference. It the most serious health threat for chil­ to developing countries . In these coun­ was followed in December of 1983 dren and adolescents in the next cen­ tries children and adolescents, along by an issue of the New York State tury. Steps must be taken to outlaw the Journal of Medicine titled ''The advertising of cigarettes and tobacco "It is very sobering for me to World Cigarette Pandemic" (later products and to discourage the use of know that more Colombians published in book form) and then tobacco. Some outstanding leaders by "The World Cigarette Pandemic die smoking American have taken a stand and implemented Part II," the July 1985 issue of the programs against tobacco advertising. cigarettes than ~mericans New York State Medical Journal. Their courageous actions must be emu­ die using Colombiandrugs." All three issues were edited by lated by enlightened leaders of other -- Jimmy Carter Alan Blum, MD, DOC founder and Dallas Observer chairman. Dr. Blum has been writ­ OOC Ne.ws and Views is a publication of ing and encouraging others to write (April 19, 1990) DoctorsOught to Care. ·oocis-a coalition ot about the world tobacco pandemic he~lthprof ~~;;ionalsand othercon_'camedif')di­ for over 13 years. vidualshelping to edu98\ethe Pf'bli~, especially young people, about tfje ~aior pr!ventable with women of child-bearing age, are Dr. Blum is teaming up with <,:aus1l'sof poor he~l~~al')d h1gti med 1~I costs. prime targets for sophisticated adver­ Rick Richards, MD, associate edi­ bur focus· is the "Killerhallit s" with partjcular tising and marketing campaigns. These tor of the Journal of Family Prac­ emphasis.on counteractfn(rthe p.romotionof children's lives are at risk. The tobacco tice, to produce another special pub­ tobaccoand alcohol. DOC's profe.ssionalaim is to tap the filghest possibl~ie v_elof commtt­ companies are counting on these groups lication dealing with the world to­ ment and involvement in U:i~ir' commuofti~s to increase their sales. The tobacco bacco pandemic. Like the first fromptiy sicians,medical stu~ls i <>lt)8fhealth companies' efforts to entice and se­ three, it will deal with all aspects of professioi:ials,bu stness leadersM i,!all oltier duce children and adolescents into a the pandemic and will include a citizens. boc is uniqueamong fiealil:iorgag r­ zations in being solely <;oocemedwfihliealth lifelong addiction to nicotine is focus on practical things that physi­ promotion,and has pio'neeredthe c9ncept:of unpardonable. Heads of state must cians can do in their offices, with paid advertising l:!ime~ a( reducing lethal take a stand now to support advertising their patients and as individuals or lifestyles. Fo( m·ore fnto·rmation, Y!'riteto : ·/, bans and marketing restrictions for to­ with the leaders of their communi­ Doctors Ou~ht to-Car.~ bacco. The health of the world's chil­ ties. 5510 Greenbriar~Suite ·235 dren, who are each nation's future, must Through DOC News and Views, Houston, TX'tTOpS become a global priority. the Journal of Family Practice is (713) 798 • T/.29 Roprlmod wllh perm/ulon from 1/ltt J,nusry 1991 World issuing a call for manuscripts to be He,,llh Org•nlzatlon Tobacco Alen Alan Blum, MD considered for inclusion in the spe­ Founder·and Chairman cial issue. Due date for the manu­ Enc,Solberg Thank you for your scripts is Oct. 1, 1991. They should ExectJtiveDirector continued support of DOC! be submitted according to JFP Rick Richards, MD Your contributions make this manuscript guidelines and sent to Editor, dbC ,News and Views' newsletter and other DOC Paul Fischer, MD, Editor, JFP , l;lhonda C. Craig pro-health activities possible. HH-101, Medical College of ManagingEditor, bdc News!Jnd Vlews Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912. 2 DOC News and Views The Journal of Medical Activism Summer 1991 DOC EffortsSpark Major Universities to Divest Tobacco Holdings searchers about tobacco during the past movement was led by a graduate student 50 years," Dr. Blum wrote. "The only in the school of Public Health, Dr. Carl (continued from page 1) defensible purpose in holding tobacco Latkin. His efforts began by gaining the ACSR subsequently made a unanimous stock is to use it to vote to end the support of the deans of the schools of recommendation to the Harvard Corpo­ companies' cynical-promot ion of tobacco medicine and public health and were ration that it establish a policy prohibiting to new markets ." followed by his delivery of an address to future purchase of tobacco stocks. A In January 1991, Dr. Kenneth Kizer, the Board of Trustees. In spite of a petition calling for Harvard's divestment director of the California Health Depart­ personal appearance by the chairman of was signed by over 300 students and ment, received national acclaim after Philip Morris and the fact that a Johns faculty in the School of Public Health. sending letters to universities throughout Hopkins faculty member is on the Philip These efforts led to the announcement in his state as well as to the State Teachers Morris Board of Directors, the trustees May 1990 that Harvard had divested Retirement System and the Public Em- voted unanimously in favor of divest­ almost $60 million worth of ment.