Alleged Secret Tobacco-Industry Documents Revealed on House Floor

Research on Nicotine Allegedly Targeted Children and College Students

Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA) charged today on the House floor that tobacco industry researchers "studied third graders to determine if hyperactive children are a potential market for cigarettes."

He also said they "administered painful electric shock to college students to determine the influence of anxiety on students' smoking habits."

He also charged that they "planned illegal experiments that involved injecting human subjects with nicotine."

Waxman stated that "as early as 1969 the Board of Directors of Philip Morris was briefed by its researchers on the addictive nature of nicotine."

He said that the Board was told that people smoke to obtain the 'pharmacological effect of smoking,' and that smokers' craving for its effect is so strong that it 'preempts food in times of scarcity on the smoker's priority list.'"

Waxman said that he was basing his remarks on many tobacco industry documents not previously revealed to the public.

He summarized what he said were the three major points which emerged from the documents.

"First, Philip Morris conducted an extensive, but secret, research program into nicotine pharmacology for over a decade. Second, top Philip Morris scientists and executives have known for decades that cigarettes have powerful and addictive pharmacological effects. And Third, Philip Morris conducted secret research that focused on the pharmacological effects of cigarettes on children."

Waxman read many of these alleged documents on the floor, claiming that they made repeated references to phrases like "dose control," "nicotine syndrome," "dose-related mechanisms," etc.

The allegations set forth above are based solely upon a transcription from a tape recording of a speech made by Congressman Waxman on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives begun today at approximately 12:30 PM and broadcast by C-Span. Neither ASH nor any employee of ASH has any personal knowledge concerning the contents, authenticity, background, or source of the alleged documents referred to by Congressman Waxman.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 24, 1995

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL: John Banzhaf (202) 659-4310

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