42 



Mr. Bliley. Dr. Kessler, these charts present 40 years of longitu- 

 dinal data on tar and nicotine levels, as well as the latest Federal 

 Trade Commission data. In both cases, correlation between tar and 

 nicotine levels demonstrates almost perfect correlation. In other 

 words, this is conclusive statistical evidence that is there is no nico- 

 tine manipulation in the manufacturing process. 



Would you explain to us why this data, which shows an essen- 

 tially perfect correlation between tar and nicotine levels for the 

 past 40 years, does not categorically contradict your contention 

 that nicotine is added to cigarettes to produce and sustain addic- 

 tion? 



Mr. Kessler. I would be happy to. Congressman. I would be 

 happy to explain why, in fact, the data that we see do not support 

 what you have just stated. 



If you could put back your previous graph, I would appreciate it. 



Mr. Bliley. This isn't my data. This is the Federal Trade Com- 

 mission data. 



Mr. Kessler. I know a little about the data; and if you look at 

 a graph — first of all, when you see two vertical axes on a single 

 graph, you see one axis for tar, and one axis for nicotine, always 

 be suspicious. You can change axes just like changing scales, and 

 if we could go back to the graphs — Congressman, you asked 



Mr. Bliley. I point — I will let you answer the question — this 

 graph was taken from the Surgeon General's report. 



Mr. Kessler. This graph, if you look — if you look between 1980 

 and 1992 — and I will show you that the graphs for that period, I 

 can't read that graph. There are no data points on that graph. 



We can go back to the average of all brands with the data points, 

 and if you look from 1982 to 1991 and you plot — and we plotted the 

 FTC computer database — I think when you see that in fact the per- 

 cent change from that time period is not parallel. 



Mr. Bliley. Are you contradicting the FTC and the Surgeon (Gen- 

 eral's data? 



Mr. Kessler. I used the FTC's data. 



Mr. Bliley. How did you get a different conclusion than they 

 did? 



Mr. Kessler. You can ask the FTC what conclusion is drawn. I 

 have talked to the FTC. I have shown them our data. They have 

 great questions in my conversations when you look about why — in 

 fact, what is going on here. 



I am not saying. Congressman, that I fully understand what it 

 means when nicotine is going up and tar is staying relatively flat, 

 but it raises questions. And I think it really does go to the heart 

 of whether there is, in your words, "manipulation of nicotine." 



Let me just respond to your previous question. You used words 

 like "spiking" and other words. The issue to us at the Food and 

 Drug Administration is whether the nicotine is being controlled to 

 sustain and support an addiction. You can do that two ways. You 

 can do that exogenously with nicotine or endogenously with nico- 

 tine. 



