Tobacco Products Liability Project
Company Statement on Smoking and Health
Abstract
States that Brown and Williamson and the industry hold that there is no scientific evidence between tobacco and health concerns. States that B&W does not accept extrapolation of animal experiments to humans. Admits existence of internal documents and research which are "troublesome" and which "evidence unalloyed health concerns." Declares necessity to formulate a broad company policy statement as will be consistent with a defense of product liability that can be used when needed and that should be agreed upon by the president, Advertising, R&D, and Law. Requests drafts of such a statement from recipents.
User-Contributed Notes
- Smoking and Health Tobacco Industry--official position Medical and Biological Research Product Liability Tar Litigation
Fields
- Type
- Memorandum
- Indexer Comment
- Requesting the preparation of company statement resulting in preparation of documents 282001857, 282001855-1856,282001854
- Letter requesting the preparation of company policy statement on cigarettes and health on the basis of which documents coded 282001854, 282001855-282001856, and 282001857 were prepared.
- 282001858-282001859
- Letter requesting the preparation of company policy statement on cigarettes and health on the basis of which documents coded 282001854, 282001855-282001856, and 282001857 were prepared.
- Named Person
- Hahn, Paul M. (ATC President (1950-63); TIRC Chairman (1954))
- Named Organization
- *British American Tobacco Company Limited BAT (See British-American Tobacco Co.)Defense
- American Tobacco Company
- Author (Organization)
- Brown & Williamson Industries (Cigarette manufacturer)Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation became Brown & Brown & Williamson Industries in 1974 (L. White, Merchants 1988). B&W brands include: Cool, Viceroy, Raleigh, Barclay, Belaire, Copre, Fact, Richland and GPC, 1976.
- Author
- Ravlin, James N.Defense
- Recipient
- Bryant
- Kelly
- Pepples
- Kelly
- Date Loaded
- 08 Jan 2003
Document Images
1967
ssns.
BRYANT
~LELLY
The tobacco industry ~eaerally and ~o~n & ~ill£~on hold tha~
I~K cancer ~d other diseases. ~e ~Id also that ~ny of the
statistical studies on which s~o c~os are based ~ro Inade-
~to and u~clentlflc, ri~lly, we ~-not accept extra~latlon
of an~al e~r~en~ to nan. .- ..
There Is nonetheless concern on the p~t of ~th the ~ndustry and
.t~ C~pany over the repeated char~os ~do asalnst clear,tree. ~ •
. It Is for that rea~n t~t we are m~e~ of the ~uncll for Tobacco
Research and ~e contributions of ~ney to It and to the ~erlcan
Medical ~soclatlon to sup~rt rese~eh oriented to ~oki~ and
Further, ve do some .health-oriented research in our ova labora-
tory, we will probably be doinK sore, and the pa~ent Company .
:.,. (British-Americnn) does considerable research which is health
; oriented. If the p~sitions noted in the first paragraph are essen-
tial in the product-liability context, 8o is reasonable research
response on the cou~t of negll£ence.
We know that there are internal record~ which could be trouble-
"""
some. There are doubtless consents in RhDae~oranda which evi-
dence unalloyed health concerns. ChanginK brand spe~ifications
on "taru delivery could be difficult to explain. We use an addi-
tive to remove phe~o1. ' We believe that processed (or• homogenized)
cigarette leaf which vo use in mnall quantities has less biologic
activity than v hole leaf. We produce various filter brands vith,.
intentionally, a considerable ~ango of "tar" delivery.
Such considerations suggest that ve Jell a statenent of
position enconpassing basic posture on product liability and
health concerns, research objectives and pu~.poso in the health
~.~o~J
area, explaining the reason none "safeguards" aroused while
others are 1oft in.the can, why we u~e varying filter specifica-
tions, etc. The statement need not be specifio to oach point,
but it should provide an unbrella of principle under which these
sales and research.actions can be accomtodated. Such a stateaent¢~
would point up for us troublesone areas~ it would usefully focus
attention on p~oduct liability and political concerns as changes
2820018,58
' Subject to Claims of Privilege and Confidentiality:
Produced Pursuant to Court Orders in State of Minnesota, et al. v. Philip Morris, et al.

Ii~SR~. BRYANT, E~LY AND PEPPLZS
May 12, 1967
28200 85
Subject to Claims of Privilege and Confidentiality:
Produced Pursuant to Court Orders in State of Minnesota, et al. v. Philip Morris, et al.
