R F, C, D
B.A.T. BOARD STRATEGIES
SMOKING AND HEALTH
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
SMO KING
RECEIVED
2 5 NOV 1977
(a) Smokinq as the "Cause" of Lunq Cancer and
Other Diseases
Q. Does your Company accept that cigarette smoking
causes
lung cancer and other diseases?
A. A statistical association has been shown in
some studies
but the extent to which the various factors may or
may
not be contributing causes is not understood. It
is to
be hoped that further research will lead to such
an under-
standing and to relief from these diseases and
their tragic
consequences.
Q_ But do you accept that smoking causes lung
cancer and
other -diseaz-es?
A. This has often been suggested but generally the
idea of a
single rp- e for such diseases, I understand, is
regarded
as much too simple. Certainly the great majority
of
smokers enjoy smoldng without injury to their
health2
and certainly these terrible diseases affect
non-smokers
as well as smokers.
Q. In the face of all the evidence how can BAT
(the tobacco
industry) maintain that the case against
cigarettes is
unproven?
A. The case against tobacco is not closed . . . in
a sense, N-)
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the jury still isn't able to retire to consider
the case
because it doesn't have all the relevant facts.
There are still too many important, unanswered
questions: for example - Why do non-smokers
fall victim to the associated diseases? If, as the
anti-smoking bodies allege, cigarette smoking is
the major cause of lung cancer, why is it that the
majority of "heavy" smokers never contract this
ailmen.t? Why has no scientist or researcher been
able to identify any one or combination of the
more
than 2,000 components of cigarette smoke as the
cause of any particular disease? Cigarette smoldng
may be hazardous 2 it may not be we just don' t
have the evidence either way.
(b) Passive Smokina
Q. Do you not agree that passive smoking is
harmful to the
non-s=oker?
A. In our view this appears to be an area of
exaggerated
concern. In order for the non-smoker to inhale the
equivalent of a single filter cigarette, that
non-smoker
would have to sit in a crowded cocktail lounge for
several
consecutive hours. The question is really not one
ofa
health hazard but perhaps more of an annoyance
which
could best be overcome by proper ventilation and
by
encouraging cigarette smoker's to give
consideration to
non-smokers.
4 ~1
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(c) Benefits of Smokinq
Q. Are there any benefits in smoking?
A . Those who smoke certainly believe they derive
benefits
from smoking, such as relief from stress or an
increased
ability to concentrate or even mere enjoyment. A
great
deal of disease is the result of tension. One
might
speculate were the smoker unable to relieve some
tensions through smoking, pressures would take
their
toll -in other ways. X
(d) Effects of Smokinq on Preqnant Mothers and
Unborn Babies
Various bodies have indicated the very serious
effects
of smoking on pregnant mothers and their unborn
babies.
What does BAT feel about this?
A. We recognise that this is an area of continuing
concern.
We welcome the research effort which is being
devoted
to it much of which is being financed by the
industry.
2. MATERIALS IN CIGARETTE SMOKE
(a) Effects of Nicotine
Q. Is nicotine harmful to the consumer?
A. Nicotine has not been found to be carcinogenic
(cancer rz~'
causing) in animals. The nicotine from a cigarette
is
eliminated from the blood fairly rapidly and there
is
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little cumulative effect. By the time the
cigarette is
finished, much of the nicotine absorbed when the
smoker
began is already destroyed. Nobody has contested
that nicotine in quantities absorbed from smoking
and
other methods of tobacco use is very low and that
it pro-
bably does not represent a significant health
problem.
(b) Effects of Tar
Q. Medical authorities have advocated the
reduction of "tar"
in cigarettes. Is tar in fact the harmful element?
A. Some governments, supported by medical
authorities,
advocate the reduction of tar levels in cigarettes
and,
as a consequence, some consumers have been
persuaded
that tar is the "harmful" element. Whilst we have
no
evidence, in the amounts absorbed by smokers, that
this
is so, our Group has responded to the changing
demands
of consumers by offering'them a wide range of
products
with vary ing levels of tar.
(c) Effects of Carbon Monoxide
Q. There is Carbon Monoxide in cigarette smoke.
Surely
this is harmful to the consumer?
A. Most people, whether they are smokers or
non-smokers,
have small amounts of Carbon Monoxide in their
blood.
For smokers this is augmented to a small extent by
smoking, but the increased levels which result
have yet
to be demonstrated as "harmful". In some countries
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there is a demand for cigarettes with reduced
carbon
mono)dde deliveries and the industry has
responded.
We are constantly modifying our products to ensure
they meet the changing demands of the market. To
this end we apply the latest technology to ensure
that
our brands remain competitive.
(d) Pesticides
Q. Are pesticides applied to the tobacco leaf used
in your
cigarettes? If so, is it not harmful to human
health?
A. We have no evidence that the levels of
pesticide residues
on the tobacco leaf we purchase are injurious to
health.
In some countries there is statutory control over
pesticides
and maximum levels of residues are set but, quite
apart
from this, our Group efforts are directed to low
levels
of pesticides so as to preserve the smoking
qualities
of the leaf -
(e) Radio Active Kements
Q. It has been said that cigarette smoke contains
radio-active
elements which might be harmful. Is this correct?
A. Cigarette smoke like milk and other food-stuffs
can
contain very small traces of radio-active elements
dependent upon the source of the tobaccos used in
the
blend; however I should tell you that only a very
small
minority of medical opinion is concerned about
this
particular point.
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6
M Leaaue Tables
Q. As more and more constituents are being listed
in
league tables shouldn't tobacco companies help
consumers to more clearly understand the relative
risks of brands?
A. A number of league tables list constituents
other than
tar and nicotine and we recognise these may be
confus-
ing to smokers. In some countries, attempts have
been made to go further and combine these into a
single
index2 but there is no scientific basis for doing
this as
it implies that the contribution made by the
various
components of smoke to the alleged risks to
smokers
can be assessed. This patently is not so and,
regrett-
ably, there would seem to be no valid method of
simplification. In any case., league table figures
cannot be construed as an accurate measure of a
smoker's Litalke of any constituent, which will
depei2d .
on hils smolking behaviour.
3. THE PRODUCT
(a) Ciaarettes as "Harmful" Products
Q. Why does your Company sell products which are
"harm-
ful" to health?
A. Ve believe that the arguments against smoldng
are
widely known: it is therefore up to each
individual
whether he decides to smoke or not. In view of
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widespread concern, we have progressively modified
our products to reduce those smoking consLituents
which are alleged to be "harmful"%
Q. A recent American study indicated that low tar
brands
were less harmful to smokers. Why do you continue
to sell brands with high tar?
A . It is our policy to provide as wide a choice
as possible
to the consumer in the products that we offer. In
the
light of all the knowledge available to the
consumer the
final choice regarding the brand that he buys must
be his.
(b) Filters
Q. If smoking is not harmful why are cigarette
manufacturers
using more and more sophisticated filters - surely
this
is to remove or reduce elements which you know can
harm the smoker?
A- The chemiscry of smoke is very complex. These
new
developments to which you refer mainly combine
high
efficiency filtration with smoke dilution and this
is in
response to the changing demands of consumers, who
are looldng for brands with reduced smoke
constituents
and acceptable taste.
(c) ]Reconstituted Tobacco Leaf
Is it for health reasons that manufacturers
include a
percentage of reconstituted tobacco leaf in their
blends?
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A. No, we use reconstituted tobacco leaf in a
number of
brands sold by our Group to achieve a higher
utilisation
of our leaf supplies. At present the proportion
used
is small and there are problems of the
acceptability-
to the consumer should we use larger amounts.
(d) Air-Cured Ciqarettes
Q. Does BAT accept the theory that air-cured
cigarettes
with low sugar content are less hazardous to
health
than flue-cured cigarettes?
A. This particular theory was the subject of the
editorial
article published in The Lancet on 27th January
1973.
The concluding sentence of the editorial said:
"There
is no basis for the United Kingdom Government to
recommend those who must smoke to choose
cigarettes
made from air-cured tobacco with low-sugar content
in
preference to cigarettes made from flue-cured
tobacco."
(e) "Safer" Cicarettes
Q. Do you believe that cigarettes with tobacco
substitute
smoking materials are "safer" for UE consumer?
A. As far as we know no government authorities
have
endorsed these materials as "safer" for- the
smoker;
and despite the extensive testing these materials
have
undergone in the U.K. the Hunter Committee is
insist-
ing on the long term monitoring of smokers of
cigarettes
containing these materials to ensure they suffer
no
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health consequences.
(f) Non-Tobacco Materials
Q. What is BAT I s policy on the use of
non-tobacco m ater-
ials in cigarettes?
A. Our policy is that we will only market
cigarettes con-
taining such materials if:
(i) We are satisfied that they have no dis-
advantages on health grounds. '
(ii) They have been submitted to the tests
recommended by any Committees that
may be set up by Governments to advise
on the use of non-tobacco materials.
(iii) There is a sufficient demand from our
cor-stuners to justify their inclusion on
commercial grounds.
(g) Q. Is it true that cigarettes with tobacco
substitutes have
been shcr*-n to be less "harmful" than cigarettes
with
natural tobaccos?
A. Some, but not all, tobacco substitutes have
been shown
to be less biologically active than some types of
tobaccos;
but over recent years, cigarette design has been
developed
so very materially that today it is possible to
produce an
all-tobacco cigarette with characteristics
comparable
with those of a product with a significant
proportion of 4:
tobacco substitute in its blend.
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(h) Ciqars
Q. Are cigars "safer" than cigarettes?
A. Whilst we don't accept the premise that
cigarettes
are unsafe2 some doctors have made this statement.
However, I should point out that cigarettes and
cigars
are smoked in different ways so it is very
difficult to
substantiate the views expressed on this issue.
4. RESEARCH
(a) Smokinq and Health Research Expenditure
Q. What is the expenditure of your Group on
smoking and
health research?
A. Over ES -illion per annum on research and
develop-
mentwork in this field.
(b) Exr>eriments with Animals
Q. Is BAT engaged in experiments on animals as
part of
its smoking and health research programme?
A . Yes. We use rodents for experimental purposes.
All this work is under the strict control properly
exercised by Governments.
Q. I have read somewhere that beagles were used in
smoking experiments. Does BAT use dogs in this
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inhumane way?
A. No, we don 't.
Q. Is it true that beagles subjected to cigarette
smoke
have contracted lung cancer?
A. I think you are referring to the experiments
made in
the U.S.A. by Dr. Auerbach. Certain medical
author-
ities took the view that the results of these
experiments
were open to question, because some of the animals
were infected by lungworms,- which could make the
conclusions suspect. Moreover, it is misleading to
assume any relationship between the animal and the
human condition.
Why do you have to use animals at all for research
into
diseases which people c-an avoid by giving up
smoking?
A. So long as cigarettes are legally marketable
products,
there will be smokers, and our responsibility in
the
smoking and health context is to them. Animal
experi-
ments are only used by BAT when there is no
alternative
with equal scientific validity.
Q. Do the protocols of the Hunter Committee call
for any
animal tests?
A. The protocols for assessing the acceptability
of tobacco
substitutes and additives as laid down by the
Hunter
Committee call for a number of tests on animals.
In
all these tests the animal system is used as an
instru-
X1-
ment for comparison of the effects of smoke from
(._,I
Q.'Q
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different cigarettes. The tests are not considered
as models for the human response to smoke.
(c) The Nature of Group Smokinq and Health
Research
Q. What ]kind of research is your Group doing on
smoking
and health?
A. Our smoking and health research covers a very
wide
field but broadly it falls into two categories.
Firstly
the comparative testing of the properties of
different
types of cigarette smoke, and secondly,
fundamental
-research into biological methods to show how
particular
components cf cigarette smoke may interact with
particular biological systems.
5. A D%= S L-\- G
(a) Cicarette Advertisinq
Does ciWette advertising increase total
consumption?
A. 'In our view there is no va.Ud evidence to
support this
contention. Advertising may affect the sales
distribut-
ion among individual companies or specific brands;
in attempting to obtain the best possib 1e market
share
cigarette manufacturers use competitive
advertising
to inform the consumer of product availability,
modifications and innovations.
4 :_
C-11
LN
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Q. Advertising influences people to choose a
particular
brand and thus in a sense harms them?
A. Smoking is an adult choice. We have always
taken
the attitude that it is sensible for consumers to
exercise moderation in smoking, as in other
things.
(b) Advertisinq/Smokinq and Health Expenditure
Q. Why does the Industry spend much more on
advertising
than smoldng and health research?
A. A comparison of the two figures is really
irrelevant.
Advertising expenditure is related to the
competitive
situation in the market in any free enterprise
country.
Smoldng and health research is related to the
identificat-
ion of research projects which are considered by
our
scientists to be of real value in furthering our
under-
standing of the problem and we have always been
willing
to finance such projects.
(c) TV and Radio
Q. Why are you so reluctant to nominate a company
representative to appear on TV or radio Smoking
and
JJ~alth programmes?
A. Because the experience of the Industry has been
that
such programmes are not objective in their
approach
to the subject.
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6. ADDICTION
(a) Marijuana
Q. If Marijuana were legalised would your Company
market Marijuana cigarettes?
A. We have given no thought to the marketing of
Mari-
juana cigarettes.
(b) Tobacco Addiction
Q. The recent R.C.P. Report stated that "tobacco
smoking
is a form of drug dependence different from but no
less strong than that on other drugs of
addiction".
Would you Uke to comment?
A. Tobacco is not a drug of addiction. Whilst we
can
imderst.and that the opponentsof smoking would
take
such an exzreme view there is no evidence that the
smoking of cigarettes results in the
characteristic
features of addiction, namely, the craving for
ever
increasing doses of the active principle and the
physiological withdrawal symptoms when deprived.
Z~.
25 th November, 1977.
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