[Intl-tobacco] Sign on to Altria breakup demands! Deadline: Fri, 4/21

[robert weissman]

Dear Friends,

More than 70 organizations based in 40 countries around the world have
signed on to the Altria breakup demands below, in advance of the Altria
shareholder meeting next week. We would like to increase the number of
U.S.-based groups signed on. If your organization would like to be added
to the list, please let us know by this FRIDAY, APRIL 21.

Thanks!
Anna White

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 (or awhite@essentialinformation.org)

*********************************************
GLOBAL DEMANDS OF PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL
(in preparation for Altria's breakup)
*********************************************

The prospect of a breakup of Altria that would split Philip Morris USA
and Philip Morris International into separate companies raises
significant concerns about how an independent Philip Morris
International will operate. Decisions that Philip Morris International
makes will have major public health ramifications:

* Tobacco is a uniquely harmful product, which kills consumers when
used as intended;
* The World Health Organization estimates that 10 million people
will die annually from tobacco-related disease by 2030, 70 percent
in developing countries;
* The combined Philip Morris is the world's largest tobacco
multinational;
* Measured by units, 80 percent of Philip Morris' sales are outside
of the United States.

Philip Morris International must make commitments -- in advance of a
breakup -- to ensure that the separation of Philip Morris International
and Philip Morris USA does not worsen the tobacco epidemic.

We call on Philip Morris International and its subsidiaries to commit to:

=B7 Adhere to the provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco
Control, including by ending all advertising and marketing of tobacco
products, and ending the use of misleading and deceptive terms such as
"mild," "light" and "low."

=B7 Not lobby or work -- directly or indirectly through sponsored
organizations or otherwise -- on any national or subnational legislative
or regulatory proposals to ratify the FCTC and/or implement the terms of
the FCTC.

=B7 Not lobby or work -- directly or indirectly through sponsored
organizations or otherwise -- against legislation or regulation
requiring 100 percent smokefree places.

=B7 Not invoke provisions of any trade or investment agreement, or urge
any government to invoke such provisions, to challenge any tobacco
control-related law or regulation.

=B7 Extend the European tobacco smuggling agreement to include every
country in which they operate. **

=B7 Fully disclose all political contributions, lobbying costs, and
charitable/educational donations in every country in which they operate.

=B7 Fully disclose all advertising and marketing expenditures -- as the
company now is required to do in the United States -- in every country
in which they operate.

=B7 End all sponsorship of =93youth smoking prevention programs.=94

=B7 Refrain from directly or indirectly placing tobacco products or
promoting depictions of smoking in movies or other media produced
anywhere in the world. ***

** This should be achieved by enacting tracking, tracing, labeling and
record-keeping requirements to help law enforcement determine the source
and track the path of contraband cigarettes; implementing better
monitoring of its sales and distribution practices, including by tightly
controlling and regulating the contractors it supplies with cigarettes,
and to stop supplying them if they are found to be complicit in
smuggling and vendors to ensure they are in compliance with legal
requirements; and pledging not to oppose legislation establishing
monetary penalties against tobacco companies if their cigarettes
continue to be smuggled in large quantities.

*** Philip Morris USA is prohibited from paying for product placements
in movies and other media by the U.S. Master Settlement Agreement, but
this does not apply to Philip Morris International. Philip Morris
International states in its marketing code that it will not pay for
product placement, but it does not address: indirect efforts to
facilitate product placement; direct or indirect placement of unbranded
tobacco products; or direct or indirect efforts to promote smoking in
movies or other media.