502 



In another statement read into the court case, a UST scientist Dr. Bennett recommended], 



" Develop new products. For example, artificial snuff, a consumable coufcctioucry 

 which would satisfy the snuff user." 



v. Oral SxmS Manufacturers Show Intept to Cause Nicotine Dependence Among 

 Consumers thi'ough a Strategy that First Involves Promoting Use of Lower Nicotine Brands 

 with the Intent of Moviiut Users Up to Higher, More Addictive Brands Over Time 



Other court exhibits submiued in the Marscc vs. UST Cose, describe the use of low 

 nicotine starter producK and a giaduation strategy. These strategies are described on the "Lotus 

 Prqicct"and the documents arc appended (sec appendix C). 



The Lotus l^oject called for a development of a new product that later was marketed as 

 the SKOAL Bandit. The SKOAL Bandit was introduced in 1983 and is still sold today. The 

 target git>up for the new brand was de.?cribed a.s "new users, mainly cigarettes smokers, age, 15 - 

 35"; product strength was described as "nicotine satisfaction." A second memo on the Lotus 

 Project called for three different brands with high, medium and low nicotine content. The 

 graduation process was read inlo evidence by Attorney George Braly. According to the Court 

 Transcript: 



"Graduation theory. New users of smokeless tobacco..attribuled to ihe category for 

 a variety of reasons. ..are most likely to begin with products that are milder tasting, 

 more flavored and/or easier to control in the moulh. After a period of time, there 

 is a natural progression to products switching to brands that are more full-bodied 

 less flavored, has more concentrated tobacco taste that the entry brand." 



Statement of Mr. Braly, Vol.4,pg.ll2, May 21. 1986 

 Documeut No. 247-3950 



The graduation strategy was further described in court Exhibit No. 100 io the case (see 

 appendix D). The chart shows that the graduation process was dependent on varying nicoiiuc 

 content and began with use of the lowest nicotine brand, SKOAL Bandits, then Happy Days, 

 Skoal Long Cut, and finally, Copenhagen. Evidence demonstrating this process comes also from 

 published industry documents. According to Mr. Jack Africk, Executive Vice President, U.S. 

 Tobacco. 



