Chapter 29 The tobacco Industry

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The tobacco Industry: R J Reynolds

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Steven Goldstone, the chief executive officer of RJR Nabisco, gave up cigarette

smoking 17 years ago at this physician's insistence. But commenting on the risks of

tobacco, he has said, "Not to be too red-white-and-blue about it, but taking risks is

what this country is about."

NEJM, January 23, 1997, p. 307

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RJR is test marketing an "all-natural" version of its Winston brand in Florida. The

company proclaims in ads running in Sports Illustrated, People and Rolling Stone that

it has taken out the additives and flavorings and left "100 percent tobacco"; branded

across each ad are the words "No Bull". Health officials say the campaign is an

attempt to make smokers perceive the cigarette as safer and healthier, and they fear

that as a result, fewer people will quit. Ironically, the tobacco industry says that its

additives, lists of which are protected as trade secrets, are completely safe.

American Medical News, October 28, 1996

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The November 1997 UC Berkeley Wellness Letter contained an article entitled "It's

the 94% that'll kill you." It is quoted below: R.J. Reynolds has launched a big ad

campaign boasting that its Winston cigarettes are "100% tobacco", while other

brands are "94% tobacco, 6% additives." Claims that cigarette brands are "natural"

or "additive-free" are ridiculous, since tobacco naturally contains so many toxic

chemicals, and there's no way of really knowing what's in any brand. Under attack by

leading health groups, Reynolds denies that it is implying that Winstons are safer or

that it's making any sort of health claim. We can't help wondering why, then, this

Winston ad was the only tobacco ad in the September issue of Self, a health

magazine for young women. In any case, many of the known additives have been

approved for use in food. So the 6% additives may be the safest part of the

cigarettes.

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter, November 1997

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Monday, July 24, 2000

Page 67 of 68

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