716 



rettes. The nicotine concentration in the tobacco is not correlated 

 to FTC tar and smoke nicotine yields. That is differences in tobacco 

 nicotine concentrations are not correlated to smoke nicotine yields 

 in the cigarette. 



The filter, the filter-tipped ventilation, density of the tobacco are 

 the principal factors that control the nicotine smoke yield. 



Mr. Chairman, you told the press and the public yesterday that 

 a 1981 publication of mine, which was just referred to, reported 

 higher concentrations of nicotine in the tobacco of very low tar ciga- 

 rettes, meant that smokers of these cigarettes receive high yields 

 of nicotine. This is not true. 



The ultra-low brand cigarette was defined in my paper as a to 

 6 milligram tar segment. The Federal Trade Commission nicotine 

 yield of this segment are also the lowest among commercial brands. 

 Smoke nicotine follows tar. 



Third, the cigarette tobacco blends are formulated to try to 

 achieve taste acceptance, brand distinction and preference within 

 the smoker franchise. The fact that nicotine concentrations vary 

 among the compounds or components used to formulate the blend 

 has been discussed in the Surgeon Greneral's report and many other 

 publication besides my 1981 paper. 



The fact that commercial cigarette blends vary in nicotine con- 

 centration should not be treated as a revelation by this committee. 

 The practice of using tobacco blend differences to establish unique 

 taste characteristics have given rise to all Turkish cigarettes, the 

 American blended cigarette, the black tobacco cigarette of France 

 and so forth. 



This centuries old practice is well known and cannot be con- 

 strued as manipulation of nicotine. 



For the purpose of this committee or those of Dr. Kessler, the 

 suggestion that my 1881 article provides evidence of nicotine ma- 

 nipulation, as stated in your press conference, Mr. Chairman, ap- 

 pears to result from a total misunderstanding of the data, design 

 and manufacture of cigarettes from an agricultural commodity in 

 varying compositions. 



I've also looked at your staff report on that 1981 article and I 

 would like to address two specific things there. One, they indicated 

 that this article suggested that there was ongoing research in the 

 industry to raise the nicotine level of tobacco so that nicotine would 

 be higher than tar. 



That was work that came out of, I think, the Tobacco Working 

 Group of the National Cancer Institute, was being conducted by the 

 USDA and the land grant universities in the tobacco growing 

 States. It had nothing to do with the manufacturers or this indus- 

 try. Inference that it was the manufacturers by the staff report is 

 totally incorrect. 



I'll stop there, if you have other questions. 



[The prepared statement of Mr. Spears follows:] 



Statement of Alexander W. Spears, Vice Chairman and Chief Operating 

 Officer, Lorillard Tobacco Company 



Mr. Waxman and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity 

 to speak. I will try to be brief, but I must take this opportunity to clarity some is- 

 sues that Dr. Kessler introduced at the March 25 hearing and that you, Mr. Chair- 



