759 



So while you've all said you want accommodations, I think the 

 legislation does make those accommodations and I hope you'll take 

 another look at it. 



Mr. Bryant. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think there is an 

 anomaly that sort of surfaced in the questioning about kids a 

 minute ago. Mr. Johnston, you and others said that you are work- 

 ing very hard to keep kids from smoking, or you are trying to avoid 

 luring them into smoking. 



I, frankly, think that the Joe Camel advertising campaign con- 

 tradicts that very forcefully. But even if it is true, why are you 

 working hard to keep kids from smoking if, indeed, smoking does 

 not involve any risk to one's health? 



Mr. James Johnston. Our market is adult smokers. I have a 

 huge opportunity to increase my market share at these other peo- 

 ple's expense. I need the ability to advertise in order to do that. 

 Every time a kid lights up a cigarette, we get accused of luring kids 

 in and tempting them into our products, and that results in calls 

 for specific ads to be banned or all ads to be banned. 



It would be stupid and crazy for me to threaten my ability to ad- 

 vertise by targeting kids. 



Mr. Bryant. But today we are having a hearing, though, and we 

 are trying to find out what you say about your side of these issues. 

 And you said very forcefully today "I don't want kids to smoke." 



Mr. James Johnston. That's right. 



Mr. Bryant. I think Mr. Tisch said he doesn't want his kids to 

 smoke. You say you do not want to lure kids into smoking. Why 

 not? If smoking does not hurt your health, why not? 



Mr. James Johnston. Let me be clear about that. I was talking 

 about under-age kids. 



Mr. Bryant. I am talking about kids, anybody under, say, 18. 



Mr. James Johnston. I have a 25-year-old kid, but I didn't 

 mean 



Mr. Bryant. We are using time up here unnecessarily. I am talk- 

 ing about kids, people under 18 years old. 



Mr. James Johnston. Under age. Let's be specific. Smoking has 

 health risk factors associated with it. It is very important for smok- 

 ing or drinking or voting in this country that people be fully in- 

 formed in order to exercise intelligent choices. 



Mr. Bryant. So you acknowledge that it does entail dangers to 

 your health. 



Mr. James Johnston. It entails clear health risks, yes. There are 

 risk factors associated. I don't deny the statistical evidence. It is a 

 risk factor, yes, sir. 



Mr. Bryant. You have talked about — I am going to ask Mr. 

 Campbell about this one — about all the efforts that have been 

 made to reduce nicotine in cigarettes. But if, indeed, nicotine is not 

 addictive and it is not harmful, why is it helpful to your case that 

 you are working hard and have succeeded in reducing levels of nic- 

 otine? 



Mr. Campbell. W^e don't in any way imply that we just do what 

 our consumers want. We did some polling, some research. They 

 told us that they'd be interested in no-nicotine cigarettes, so we of- 

 fered one. We've tried very hard to lower tar numbers over the 

 past. 



