[Intl-tobacco] NZ: Report damns tobacco industry tactics

[Robert Weissman]

Report damns tobacco industry tactics
by MARIANNE BETTS
Source: Independent Newspapers Ltd. / STUFF, 2002-02-23

The tobacco
industry was aware smoking caused cancer but denied the link in
statements to Parliament, a damning report on tactics used by the
industry reveals.

The Wellington School of Medicine researchers report, made public
yesterday, calls for tighter government controls over the billion
dollar tobacco industry, whose behaviour it describes as
"chronically irresponsible".

A Tobacco Institute submission to a parliamentary select committee
in 1990 stated there was no scientific proof that there were any
constituents in tobacco products that caused harm or disease to
humans, and second-hand smoke was not a health risk.

But a 1989 internal industry document stated: "The claim that
cigarette smokers are considerate is as hollow as the argument that
science has not proven a causal relationship between cigarette
smoking and cancer . . ."

The report, by George Thomson and Nick Wilson, reveals that the
industry brought an overseas "expert", Dr Carl Seltzer, to New
Zealand in 1979 to publicise his research findings in which he
claimed to show no link between smoking and heart disease.

The Tobacco Industry in New Zealand: A Case Study of the Bahaviour
of Multinational Companies accuses the industry of consistently
failing to warn people about the health risks from tobacco and
second-hand smoke.

The industry included importers and manufacturers of tobacco
products, and till the late 1990s tobacco growers. The dominant
companies in New Zealand are British American Tobacco, Imperial and
Philip Morris.

The report says the industry was assisted in its opposition to
tobacco control activity by major New Zealand law firms.

The industry delayed admitting the health risks posed by its
products. Instead it had tried to falsely reassure the public and
had been obstructive in placing health warnings on its products.

"When the industry has started to admit to the health risks from
smoking, it has done so in a vague and disingenuous way. It has
failed to communicate the health risk of its products to its
customers and the public," the report says.

The industry is also criticised for not informing its customers that
its products were addictive.

Internal documents showed that British American Tobacco and Philip
Morris had known for decades that nicotine was addictive, yet had
failed to acknowledge the severity of the dependence created.

The tobacco industry in New Zealand had consistently failed to warn
the public about the health risks of second-hand smoke, and had
attempted to reassure the public and smokers that the risks were not
real.

New Zealand's most popular brands of cigarettes contained about
twice as much tar and nicotine than those sold in Australia.

They contained many additives including honey and sugars.

"The use of sweeteners in cigarettes is of importance, as if
teenagers can tolerate their first episodes of smoking, they are
more likely to continue smoking until addiction sets in," the report
says.