805 



cigarette paper and filter, died from asbestos poisoning and lung 

 cancer. One woman died from simply washing her husband's over- 

 alls every day. Are you familiar with that? 



Mr. TiSCH. I am not familiar with those statistics, sir. 



Mr. Synar. Is the advertising cam.paign that your corporation 

 presently uses as inconsistent and untrue as it was from 1952 to 

 1957? 



Mr. TiSCH, Could you repeat the full question, sir? 



Mr. Synar. The question is — you advertised Kent Microlite ciga- 

 rettes from 1952 to 1957 with the following advertising slogan, 

 "Just what the doctor ordered" and "maximum health protection." 

 That's not very honest advertising. Is that the same kind of adver- 

 tising you all do today? 



Mr. TiSCH. I do not recall that campaign. 



Mr. Synar. Mr. Johnston, you testified that if the FDA takes ju- 

 risdiction over cigarettes, it would result in the ban on those ciga- 

 rettes. You are familiar with my bill. I'm sure you were briefed in 

 anticipation of this hearing. You are familiar with the fact that my 

 bill specifically prohibits the FDA from banning cigarettes, are you 

 not? 



Mr. James Johnston. I have been through your bill. I don't re- 

 call the exact details. I did read, however, a quote attributed to you 

 in a national journal saying that FDA regulation would effectively 

 mean the end of this industry. 



Mr. Synar. Only if the FDA finds that the ingredients are not 

 safe. Isn't that correct? Because the standard the FDA has is the 

 safe and effective standard. Therefore, if the products are found un- 

 safe, they would have no option but to ban it. Is that correct? 



Mr. James Johnston. Based upon the view expressed by a num- 

 ber of members of this committee that this is 



Mr. Synar. Let's go back to square one. Are you familiar with 

 my legislation? Mr. Johnston, are you aware that my legislation 

 specifically directs the FDA not to ban cigarettes? Yes or no? 



Mr. James Johnston. But it requires them to prove that the 

 product is safe, as I recall. 



Mr. Synar. No. It gives them the opportunity to review the prod- 

 uct. You are assuming that once they take jurisdiction and review 

 it, that they will find that the ingredients are unsafe. Is that not 

 correct? 



Mr. James Johnston. Based upon the view expressed by you and 

 others on the committee that this product kills 



Mr. Synar. Are the ingredients safe in cigarettes, Mr. Johnston? 



Mr. James Johnston. All of the ingredients that we add to our 

 product have been thoroughly reviewed. They've been in the posses- 

 sion of the U.S. Government for 10 years. The Surgeon General of 

 the United States testified before Congress saying he didn't see 

 that ingredients were a significant problem. 



But are you asking me to tell you that cigarettes are safe? Is that 

 what you're saying? 

 Mr. Synar. That's correct. 



Mr. James Johnston. No. I cannot say that. I have acknowl- 

 edged, I believe, that cigarettes are a risk factor. 



