BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 



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The Honorable Henry Waxman . 4 . May 3, 1994 



and an abstract recently submitted to the International Symposium on Nicotine. This limited 

 data indicates that there is a clear relationship between FTC nicotine yields and levels of 

 nicotine found in smokers. 



7. During the course of the hearing, you read to me statements made to the media by one of our 

 employees. Dr. Robert Suber, and asked whether I agreed with that statement. Among other 

 places, that testimony occurs at pages 150-151 of the transcript. At page 10 of our written 

 statement submitted to the Subcommittee, we made the following point: 



"The clear intent behind cigarette design developments has been and remains to 

 manufacture and market a broad range of cigarette products in response to the 

 demands and tastes of today's adult smokers and to ensure cigarette to cigarette and 

 pack to pack consistency within a brand. Within the universe of cigarettes products, 

 there is a range of "tar" and nicotine levels ..." 



Dr. Suber's statement with respect to delivering a consistent level of nicotine clearly relates to 

 the message contained in our written statement quoted above and to my testimony at page 

 149, lines 3392-97 to the effect that consumers expect and, indeed, the FTC requires, 

 consistency in "tar" and nicotine levels. As stated, within the universe of cigarette products, 

 there is a range of such levels and it was clearly not the intent of Dr. Suber to state that our 

 company intends to deliver one "consistent level of nicotine." Indeed, the Subcommittee need 

 only consider the broad range of "tar" and nicotine levels of all cigarette brands, as reflected 

 in the FTC mandated disclosures to see that such an interpretation of Dr. Suber's statement is 

 clearly wrong. 



8. At pages 223-4 of the transcript, you referred to calculations by an FDA chemist regarding 

 the concentrations of nicotine in tobacco in the 1950's. I advised that was information I had 

 not previously seen. In order for us to analyze that data, we need the source of the 

 information which is referred to on exhibit 24 at page 223. Please have someone furnish to 

 us the source of that data. Design techniques that have been developed since 1952, including 

 filtration and air dilution, have resulted in a major reduction in the nicotine content of 

 cigarette smoke. Therefore, the nicotine content of tobacco is not the major determinant of 

 the nicotine content of the actual cigarette smoke which comes through the cigarette filter. 



9. At various places during the course of my testimony I was asked questions relating to the 

 purpose of cigarette advertising. As I attempted to make clear, study after study has shown 

 that peer pressure and parental example are the primary reasons why youth begin smoking, 

 while advertising plays little or no role. I want to be certain that the Subcommittee 

 understands that the purpose of our cigarette advertising is to convince smokers of competitive 

 brands to try our products, to promote brand loyalty among our own customers, and to 

 convey information to smokers to aUow them to make choices among the various brands and 

 styles available now or in the future. 



I have quickly reviewed the transcript of the Subcommittee's hearing on the 14th and there appear to 

 be a number of typographical errors in it. By way of example, at page 1 18, line 2634, the question 

 was being asked by either Representative Synar or by you: at page 178, line 4076. the reference to 

 "RJR" should be "PM;" at page 22, line 5157, the word quoted from my letter of February 28, 1994 

 was "finished," not "Finnish;" and at page 259, line 6027, the number should be "1,200" not 

 "$1,200;" and at page 128, line 2885, the word "intent" should be "effect." The foregoing are only 

 examples where the record is inaccurate. I have not attempted to point out or correct all mistakes. 



A copy of the transcript referred to above is attached for your reference. 



Very truly yours. 



/James W. Johnston 



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84-442 (848) 



