Summary

In a masterstroke of public relations, Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company has unveiled a new corporate web site which promotes Brown & Williamson as "A Responsible Company In A Controversial Industry." In many ways, some subtle, some not so subtle, Brown & Williamson is promoting the image of a company that cares about its customers, cares about youth smoking, cares about truth and honesty, and of course, cares about preserving the freedom to smoke. While there are parts of the web site which are more truthful and honest than a major tobacco company has ever been before, most of the content is carefully crafted to appear honest and forthright, when in fact, the information Brown & Williamson imparts is anything but responsible. This web site is another example of what is expected to be a long line of tobacco industry initiatives designed to polish its image in the eyes of the public, the media, and policy makers. This is a great cause of concern for the tobacco control movement which has successfully used the poor public image of the tobacco industry to achieve cultural and public policy changes.

The web site (www.brownandwilliamson.com) is being promoted by Brown & Williamson in full page newspaper advertisements and trade journal advertisements. One ad, which appeared in USA Today on April 9, 1999 was titled: "Looking for answers about tobacco? You’re in the right neighborhood." The advertisement’s reference to a neighborhood makes sense when you see the main page of the web site. The main page is a picture of "Main Street." On Main Street, which happens to intersect with "Liberty Street," there is a "Courthouse," a "Library," a "Career Office," a "Government Center," a manufacturing "Plant," and a movie theater with a marquee that reads, "Hot Topics." These "buildings" are links to a tremendous amount of information, some of it good, lots of it incomplete, misleading, or self promoting.

The biggest concessions to truth and responsibility are Brown & Williamson’s statements:

• "We accept that smoking is an important risk factor for lung cancer and other diseases."
• "The evidence is sufficient to determine that smoking causes disease."
• "The data suggest that starting to smoke later in life is better than starting to smoke earlier, and quitting early is better than quitting later."
• "Brown & Williamson recognizes that, by some definitions, including that of the Surgeon General in 1988, cigarette smoking would be classified as addictive."

Brown & Williamson quickly follows that last statement on addiction with a clarification. "However, these definitions tend to be broader and more subjective than traditional scientific definitions that were able to clearly and objectively distinguish between substances such as heroin and cocaine, and everyday activities such as smoking and drinking coffee." This is a recurring theme on the web site: Brown & Williamson tells readers to follow the advice of public health authorities, and then turns around and gives it own opinion – an opinion usually in opposition to what the scientific and public health communities believe. For example, in a section on how to quit, Brown & Williamson calls smoking a "pretty strong habit. Not something easily broken," but tells smokers not be "persuaded by the media" into thinking "you’re now an ‘addict.’"

When it comes to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS), Brown & Williamson once again tells readers to "rely on the advice of appropriate health authorities such as the Surgeon General…" but then makes the statement: "Brown & Williamson recognizes that smoking can be annoying and irritating to nonsmokers, and is committed to the development of practical ventilation-based solutions that will reduce this annoyance. However, we do not believe that the scientific evidence, taken as a whole, is sufficient to establish that environmental tobacco smoke is a cause of disease." The company does make one half-hearted concession to the harms of ETS exposure: "In spite of the uncertainty about whether the effects reported in young children represent a real effect of exposure to ETS, we believe that parents should be cautious [emphasis added] about smoking around young children."

There are several other topics which Brown & Williamson touches on to make them appear to be a "responsible company," including the youth responsibility programs it sponsors, the advice it gives on how to quit smoking, and its efforts to produce a safer cigarette. Notice that it is youth responsibility programs that Brown & Williamson sponsors, not youth prevention programs. The text of this section repeatedly states that it’s Brown & Williamson’s goal to "prevent illegal cigarette sales," but it does not say that the company has the goal of preventing youth smoking. This section also promotes the partnerships Brown & Williamson has with youth organizations, including the Key Club, the US Junior Chamber of Commerce, and Safety Songs for Kids.

A large section of the web site is devoted to "helping" smokers who make the "personal decision" to quit. The web site is not very encouraging. "So you’ve decided to quit smoking. Now what? Maybe you’ve heard the horror stories of friends who quit, or quit and started again. Weight gain, Irritability. Or just plain missing the enjoyment of a cigarette with a cup of coffee or after a meal. Perhaps you’ve been persuaded by the media that you’re now an ‘addict’ and that quitting is impossible. The good news for those of you who want to quit is that millions of people have stopped smoking successfully." Brown & Williamson does provide links to other organizations that can help smokers quit, including the American Cancer Society and the American Lung Association, but in a section about various methods to help smokers quit, Brown & Williamson focuses on methods such as acupuncture, hypnosis, and stop smoking classes, as opposed to the newest tools to help smokers quit such as nicotine replacement devices like the patch, gum, or nasal spray, and anti-depressant drugs like Zyban.

Brown & Williamson’s avoidance of discussing nicotine replacement devices is not surprising in light of a April 24, 1992 memo from Mick McGraw, counsel to Brown & Williamson:

The marketing of any nicotine delivery system undercuts our position on addiction, particularly the way the patch products are being marketed. To be involved even peripherally in a product whose purpose is to chemically help smokers quit runs square into our argument that 50 million people have quit smoking without the assistance of smoking cessation programs or aids.

On the issues of tar/nicotine yields and smoker’s compensation, Brown & Williamson makes its case as an honest provider of information, but it is obvious that the public relations agenda, not smokers’ health, is the company’s top priority. On compensation, Brown & Williamson states: "It is not B&W’s intention to suggest to consumers that the Carlton 1 mg. product delivers this precise amount of tar under all smoking conditions or that it is safer than any other brand." If Brown & Williamson really meant this, would they have rolled out a new advertising campaign in February for Carlton 1 mg. with the slogan: "Isn't it time you started thinking about number one?"

Brown & Williamson also talks about its efforts to develop cigarettes that don’t start fires or cause disease. On the topic of fire safety, Brown & Williamson says it has "invested considerable research and development effort into the development of a cigarette that will not cause fires on upholstered furniture." Public health advocates have learned to ignore these types of self-serving statements; unfortunately, the average citizen may be tricked into thinking Brown & Williamson is a responsible corporation, and there’s no need to regulate the tobacco industry, or punish them in a court of law.

Page after page, www.brownandwilliamson.com demonstrates that Brown & Williamson is not a "responsible" company, but a self-interested company. One of the buildings on Brown & Williamson’s "Main Street" is a "Government Center." Inside this building are links to national tobacco organizations like the National Smokers Alliance and Friends of Tobacco. There’s a "Legislative Action Center" and a section called "My Voice Counts" which encourages readers to get active politically in order to fight the "creative and aggressive…anti-smoking lobby" that has "little regard for the rights of adult smokers."

The web site stresses the fact that tobacco products "are among the most heavily regulated in the nation in terms of how they are manufactured, marketed, advertised and used." It should not come as a surprise that the company neglects to mention that the product itself is not regulated. The web site encourages you to lobby for Brown & Williamson and provides talking points to use when meeting with policy makers, in addition to contact information for state and national officials.

There is a tremendous amount of information at www.brownandwilliamson.com. Advocates may want to spend a some time exploring links and getting familiar with the language and arguments that the tobacco industry can be expected to use in the future; not surprisingly, they are the same arguments the industry has been using for years! And if you really like what you read, you can visit Brown & Williamson’s "Career Office" and apply to become part of a "Responsible Company in a Controversial Industry."

"The issues discussed in various sections in this web site are intended to make it clear where we stand and demonstrate our company's commitment to conduct our business with openness, integrity and responsibility."

"We encourage honest discussion on the important public health issues surrounding smoking. We also understand the importance that the public attaches to these issues and will continue to act with the utmost responsibility in addressing them."

"Brown & Williamson believes it is appropriate for the public health community to conclude and warn the public that cigarette smoking causes diseases. On the other hand, as a manufacturer of cigarettes, the role of Brown & Williamson is very different from that of public health authorities. Our objective in analyzing the evidence on smoking and disease is to produce a less hazardous product for those who wish to smoke."

"Brown & Williamson believes that smokers should rely on the advice of appropriate health authorities such as the Surgeon General for information on smoking and health, including the conclusions that smoking causes disease and is addictive."

"We accept that smoking is an important risk factor for lung cancer and other diseases."

"Brown & Williamson believes that people who choose to smoke are taking significant health risks. Epidemiological (statistical) studies of cigarette smoking and various diseases show that groups of smokers have a significantly increased incidence of those diseases compared to nonsmokers. While the strength of the reported risks varies from one disease to another, from one population to another, and while the percentage of smokers developing diseases such as lung cancer varies between different populations, for a number of diseases the risks are strong and consistent."

"However, for those who are concerned about or wish to reduce the risk of smoking, public health authorities have consistently informed smokers that the best way to do so is to quit. The scientific evidence supports this advice, suggesting that the amount of time for which people smoke is the most significant factor associated with the risk of smoking. In other words, the data suggest that starting to smoke later in life is better than starting to smoke earlier, and quitting early is better than quitting later."

"It is not B&W's intention to suggest to consumers that the Carlton 1 mg product delivers this precise amount of tar under all smoking conditions or that it is safer than any other brand."

"Smokers should recognize that tar and nicotine deliveries for a cigarette will vary depending on how it is smoked. As a result, this test method is the focal point of some controversy, and has been criticized for not accounting for differences in the ways that individuals smoke cigarettes."

"Brown and Williamson recognizes that, by some definitions, including that of the Surgeon General in 1988, cigarette smoking would be classified as addictive. However, these definitions tend to be broader and more subjective than traditional scientific definitions that were able to clearly and objectively distinguish between substances such as heroin and cocaine, and everyday activities such as smoking and drinking coffee."

"So you've decided to quit smoking. Now what? Maybe you've heard the horror stories of friends who quit, or quit and started again. Weight gain. Irritability. Or just plain missing the enjoyment of a cigarette with a cup of coffee or after a meal. Perhaps you've been persuaded by the media that you're now an "addict" and that quitting is impossible. The good news for those of you who want to quit is that millions of people have stopped smoking successfully."

"Most people who quit, or try to quit, will tell you the first week is the most difficult. No question about it. Cigarette smoking is something you have done consistently thousands of times. That is a pretty strong habit. Not something easily broken."

"Brown & Williamson recognizes that smoking can be annoying and irritating to nonsmokers, and is committed to the development of practical ventilation-based solutions that will reduce this annoyance. However, we do not believe that the scientific evidence, taken as a whole, is sufficient to establish that environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a cause of disease."

"In spite of the uncertainty about whether the effects reported in young children represent a real effect of exposure to ETS, we believe that parents should be cautious about smoking around young children."

"A new tactic, often used by anti-tobacco activists, bypasses the traditional law-making process and makes laws through a ballot initiative."

"The anti-smoking lobby is creative and aggressive, demonstrating little regard for the rights of adult smokers. Integral to their strategy is increasing the costs for smokers while making it more difficult for consumers to buy and enjoy tobacco products."

"Every American has a stake in the controversy surrounding the tobacco industry today. There are a number of issues, but the question really boils down to a matter of personal choice, the ability of adult consumers to enjoy a lawful product. The growing intrusion of government in the lives of adult smokers is a threat to the freedoms of all citizens. That's why the MY VOICE COUNTS program encourages citizens who support the right of adults to smoke to get involved in the political process. We urge you to speak out against unfair discrimination of adult smokers, efforts to impose higher taxes and unreasonable smoking restrictions."

"Forty-five million adult Americans enjoy cigarettes and other tobacco products, enabling the tobacco industry to employ hundreds of thousands of people. The people who work in the tobacco industry are caring and responsible citizens who improve the quality of life in their communities for a number of reasons, including their economic contributions. The overall result is a positive impact on national, state and local communities and economies."

"The industry is among the most regulated and highest taxed businesses in American history."

"The Clinton Administration has proposed an increase in the federal excise tax on cigarettes of 55 cents per pack. Senator John McCain (R-AZ), a potential Presidential candidate, indicated that he might seek national tobacco legislation again this year."

"BE A SAVVY CONSUMER: Be aware of the smoking rules of the places where you do business. Consider giving your business to companies that accommodate smokers. Also speak up about the need for common sense and courtesy in the development of smoking rules."

"For parents who wish to restrict access by their children to these [internal documents], this web site has been submitted for registration with the following web-site monitoring services…"

"Tell your children that laws exist to enforce smoking as a choice made by informed adults."

"In the 1920s the big new development was the acceptance of smoking among women. What started out as a defiant display of independence soon became commonplace - -in the first edition of her famous etiquette book in 1922, Emily Post said that women should feel no qualms about smoking."

"Brown & Williamson has invested considerable research and development effort into the development of a cigarette that will not cause fires on upholstered furniture."