[Intl-tobacco] Altria/Philip Morris annual mtg: report, photos, press, intl statements

[Robert Weissman]

******************************************

REPORT ON 2005 ALTRIA SHAREHOLDERS MEETING
THEME: HAPPY 50th DEATHDAY MARLBORO!
******************************************

Dear Friends,

On Thursday (April 28), Altria/Philip Morris held its annual
shareholders meeting in East Hanover, New Jersey. Over 100 youth and
adults from India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Thailand, California, Hawaii, New
Jersey, New York, and Wisconsin were there to denounce Philip Morris's
global expansion.

This year, Altria Group, parent company of Philip Morris USA and Philip
Morris International, is celebrating Marlboro's 50th anniversary. 2005
is also the 50th anniversary of the company's overseas expansion.
Demonstrators marked these macabre anniversaries outside the Altria
shareholders meeting with a "Happy 50th Deathday" cake, black balloons,
a 15-foot-high Marlboro pack labeled "50 Years of Death" and photos of
the company's tobacco promotions around the world.

Inside the meeting, tobacco control advocates from Indonesia, India, and
Nigeria -- part of a group of nearly 30 youth and adults who attended
together -- drew attention to the company's promotion of death around
the world. Dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama of the Indonesian Smoking Control
Foundation addressed the public health impact of Philip Morris's take
over of Sampoerna, one of the biggest kretek companies in Indonesia.
Isha Gupta, a 16-year-old high school student involved with HRIDAY-SHAN
(India), questioned CEO Louis Camilleri about blatant Marlboro product
placement in recent Bollywood movies. And Tosin Orogun of Journalists
Action on Tobacco & Health (Nigeria) challenged the CEO over the
company's recent entry into the Nigerian market. Essential Action then
presented the CEO with a "Happy 50th Deathday" card, left blank inside
to represent all the company's addicted customers who are not alive
anymore to "celebrate" the occasion.

At the end of the meeting, as Louis Camilleri started to list all the
wonderful "socially responsible" things that the company does around the
world, e.g. tsunami relief, support of domestic violence victims, food
for the hungry, etc, about two dozen youth and adults covered themselves
in black death shrouds bearing skull images and large "Happy 50th
Deathday" stickers, and stood up. The CEO interrupted his monologue to
order everyone to sit down and stop blocking others' view. Two of the
people then moved to the aisle and stood facing the audience through the
remainder of the meeting, a silent testimony to what the company is
really about. At the meeting's conclusion, youth distributed "Happy 50th
Deathday" cards to the company's Board of Directors. Some accepted them.
Others did not.

The above actions were organized by Essential Action and several youth
empowerment programs -- including the Youth Leadership Institute (CA),
REAL (HI), Reality Check (NY), and FACT (WI). The day before the
meeting, these groups held a youth advocacy training which included a
variety of educational and skill-building workshops, including:
information on what Altria/Philip Morris is up to around the world, how
to conduct media interviews, developing catchy chats, managing rallies,
creating effective visuals, performing street theater, and producing
zines and press releases. At noontime, the youth broke into three groups
and carried out actions to educate people in the East Hanover community
about the company's practices around the world. One group turned
themselves into "Human Billboards" along the highway. Another conducted
a community opinion poll about the company's targeting of young people
worldwide. And a third organized an "Operation Silence" vigil to
memorialize those killed by tobacco and represent the tobacco industry's
desire to silence youth.

Below, please find: 1) Links to photos of the event. 2) Links to press
coverage. 3) Statements read inside the meeting by Dr. Tjandra Aditama
(Indonesia), Isha Gupta (India), Tosin Orogun (Nigeria, and Anna White
(U.S.)


1) PHOTOS OF DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE 2005 ALTRIA MEETING

Youth demonstrating in front of big "50 Yrs of Death" Marlboro pack - AP
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=3Dstory&u=3D/050428/480/nr10104281709=
#

Sign: More Countries -> More Customers -> More Deaths
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/2/dcsh012.jpg

Human billboard: Making a Killer of a Profit
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/2/caab002.jpg

Sign: Stop the spread of death (includes photos from Nigeria, Ukraine,
Argentina)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/2/dcha003.JPG

Death shrouds w/ "Happy 50th Deathday Marlboro" message (that were worn
inside the Altria meeting)
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/3/caac006.jpg

"Deathday" cake in front of big Marlboro pack
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/3/caac001.jpg

More photos are online at (and will be added, as they are received):
Training: http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/1/
Rally: http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/2/
Press conference: http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/3/


2) PRESS COVERAGE OF ALTRIA PROTEST

Daily Record: Teenagers, Altria chief butt heads in Morris; Executive
defends company while 100 students fume
http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/articles/news5-Altria.htm
http://www.dailyrecord.com/business/business1-altriabiz.htm

The Record: Dogged by the past
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=3DeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZn=
YmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2Njg2NDg5

Reuters: Altria intl expansion sparks shareholder criticism
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=3DtopNews&storyID=3D8335330

AP: Altria meeting again the target of anti-tobacco protesters
http://www.wavy.com/Global/story.asp?S=3D3272418


3) SELECTED STATEMENTS READ INSIDE 2005 ALTRIA MEETING

STATEMENT OF TJANDRA YOGA ADITAMA, INDONESIAN SMOKING CONTROL FOUNDATION
(INDONESIA)

Indonesia is facing a dual health problem: Infectious diseases are still
prevalent; and degenerative diseases are increasing =96 largely due to
smoking.

Smoking is already a major public health problem in Indonesia, where
approximately 60 percent of Indonesian men smoke. Most smokers use
kretek cigarettes, which have very high tar and nicotine content, and
also include as ingredients other sauces which may damage health.

In taking over Sampoerna (one of the biggest kretek companies in
Indonesia), and entering my country, Philip Morris will only worsen this
already serious situation.

Philip Morris is an international company with long experience in
tobacco marketing around the world. Philip Morris=92 purpose in taking
over Sampoerna is to increase its profits. That means you will do
whatever you can to operate the Sampoerna kretek business more
intensively and increase sales. The company is sure to use all of its
marketing experience to sell kreteks to the 70 percent of Indonesians
who are not already smokers -- mostly women, young adults and children.

Indonesia has quite weak tobacco control policy, and we fear that Philip
Morris is planning on exploiting this environment. We worry that the
company will lobby to further weaken tobacco controls in Indonesia.

Mr. Camilleri, I believe you are aware of the Framework Convention on
Tobacco Control, and how it is being implemented around the world. Even
though Indonesia has not signed the FCTC, I am asking you: Will Philip
Morris enter into a binding agreement with our government, committing
the company to abide by the provisions of the FCTC =96 as you must in
other countries -- including its call for:

=B7 large, rotating pictorial warning labels;
=B7 a ban on the use of the misleading terms =93light=94 and =93mild;=94 an=
d
=B7 a prohibition on all tobacco product marketing and advertising?

The health of Indonesians must not be sacrificed for Philip Morris=92
profits.

CEO RESPONSE: "Thanks you for coming all the way from Indonesia. Glad
you raised [this issue]...allows me to clarify a number of things...Your
claim that our presence will worsen [the situation is plainly wrong].
Philip Morris has been in Indonesia for 30 years. There are 700
manufacturers of kreteks in Indonesia. We just bought one of them (a
major one)....I think rather than be upset that we are entering
Indonesia, you should be delighted." Referred to company's so-called
"youth smoking prevention" program and said that Dr. Tjandra should "be
pleased" about the takeover, for this and other reasons.

####

STATEMENT OF ISHA GUPTA, HRIDAY-SHAN (INDIA)

India is a signatory to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
(FCTC) under the auspices of the World Health Organization. The Indian
Parliament passed the Indian Tobacco Control Act which came into force
in May 2004. The main provisions of the Act are:

1. Prohibition of smoking in public places.
2. Prohibition of advertisements, sponsorship and promotion of tobacco
products.
3. Prohibition of sale of tobacco products to minors.

Despite this, tobacco and gutka (chewing tobacco) manufacturing
companies skirt the ban by either resorting to surrogate advertising or
by strategic product placement in Bollywood movies. India=92s film
industry is the largest in the world with a target audience of 15
million people per day. 76% of these movies portray tobacco consumption
reflecting a perfect marriage for the two industries. Producers need
money and tobacco companies need avenues to market their products. And
what better models than the film stars themselves?!

I would like to draw the attention of all specifically to an aggressive
Marlboro product placement in two latest Hindi movies, =93Swades=94 and
=93Lucky.=94 Marlboro has been prominently placed at least 2-4 times in eac=
h
movie with cameras focusing on the cigarette box. =93Swades=94, meaning =93=
We,
the People=94 revolves around the life of an Indian working at NASA in the
United States who comes back to his country and mobilizes the people of
his village to improve their lives. All through the movies I couldn=92t
figure out why Marlboro, which destroys lives, was featured prominently
in it.

I would like to know, Mr. Camilleri, what role did Philip Morris,
through any of its domestic or international divisions, play in getting
Marlboro featured in these popular Bollywood movies?

CEO RESPONSE: "None, zero. Let's be very clear about this to cast away
skepticism and mistrust. Challenge is to move forward. You would be
surprised at the common ground share with critics...We don't pay for any
product placement in tv and movies anywhere [in world]. It's as simple
as that. We have lobbied the entertainment industry [against this]... "

[Meanwhile, Philip Morris recently held a promotion in Argentina:
exchange 10 cigarette packs for two cinema tickets. See advertisement:
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/photos/altria05/4/Argentina3_s.jpg]

####

STATEMENT OF TOSIN OROGUN, JOURNALISTS ACTION ON TOBACCO & HEALTH (NIGERIA)

My country, Nigeria, is considered a developing country, which means we
are faced with the challenges of poor facilities and in some cases, none
at all, with 60% of over 140 million people, living below the poverty
line. Over 40% of the population is under age 15, and these young people
are vulnerable because they believe everything they see and hear, and
accept all that comes from America, without questions.

For us, the entry of Philip Morris into the Nigerian Market is
particularly alarming because we have watched their activities in other
countries and we know that because Nigeria is such a big market, they
will stop at nothing to get all the youths into smoking.

We were right about Philip Morris! One of the most outrageous
promotional tactics they have is to recruit teenage girls to promote the
Marlboro brand. These girls are dressed in red Marlboro tops with black
pants, and they visit retail shops along the street to promote the
brand. We think this is criminal, because it goes beyond the targeting
the young people, it is about using the teens as agents of the killer
product!

The implication of this to us is that more Nigerian teenagers are going
to light up the cigarette for the first time and become addicted simply
because of the sentiment that it is American.

I would like to ask: How do you think Philip Morris coming to Nigeria
will benefit my people who are already poor and lack basic facilities?
Do you think that all the perceived economic benefits you like to talk
about can ever substitute for the lives of the Nigerian youths and
coming generations?

CEO RESPONSE: Denied everything and demanded proof that it was
happening. "You mustn't let your animosity against industry and us in
particular blind your judgment or depiction of the facts," he said. "A
lot said was distorted. The fact is that we re-entered the market. We
were there 20 years ago. We are barely there [now]. We just started
importing product...we're a 'pygmy' compared to other manufacturers
there. We will continue to abide by marketing [regulations] and our self
code. We do not employ teenagers and don't sell to children. If any
shred of evidence [share it with us]."

####

STATEMENT OF ANNA WHITE, GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS FOR TOBACCO
CONTROL/ESSENTIAL ACTION (U.S.)

As you announced earlier, Marlboro is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
2005 is also the 50th anniversary of Philip Morris=92s international
expansion. So where has the company and Marlboro come in the 50 years?
Philip Morris is the largest multinational tobacco company in the world
and Marlboro is the #1 cigarette sold, by a wide margin. It is also the
brand most popular with youth.

What are the consequences of 50 years of global expansion and aggressive
marketing techniques? This year tobacco will kill 5 million people
around the world. That=92s a big number. To put it in perspective, it is
23 times the number of people killed in the recent tragic tsunami in
South Asia. By 2025, that number will double to 10 million, 70% in
developing countries. Marlboro will be responsible for a significant
number of these deaths.

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Marlboro is sending packs of playing
cards to smokers (and former smokers) on their birthdays. [Showed and
read example of promotion: =93Here=92s to a full year of action. Happy
Birthday from your friends at Marlboro.=94 See:
www.essentialaction.org/tobacco/event/altria05/worldtour/] .

Outside, we are celebrating the 50th anniversary more appropriately,
with black balloons, a Happy 50th Deathday cake, and a 15 foot high
Marlboro pack labeled =9350 Years of Death.=94 As part of the macabre
celebration, we have brought you a 50th Deathday card. It is blank
inside to represent all your addicted customers who are not alive today
to celebrate.

My question to you, Mr. Camilleri is: your company talks a lot about
individual responsibility, but what about the responsibility of your
company not to market a product that kills people if used as intended?
When are you going to stop promoting death around the world?

CEO RESPONSE: "The task is to move forward. In the last 50 years,
there's been lots of [change]. We are committed to harm reduction...the
most responsible thing to do. Despite criticism and attacks...we
continue unrelentlessly for harm reduction."

####

If you would like more information about actions around this year's
Altria shareholders meeting or how to get involved in planning for next
year's, send me an email <awhite@essential.org> or give me a ring at +1
202-387-8030.

Best wishes,

Anna White
Coordinator, Global Partnerships for Tobacco Control
Essential Action
P.O. Box 19405
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: +1 202-387-8030
Fax: +1 202-234-5176
Email: awhite@essential.org
http://www.essentialaction.org/tobacco