31 



ris, that there was no evidence of physiological dependence to nico- 

 tine in the experiment. Is that true? 



Mr. DeNoble. That is correct, yes. We were unable to find it 

 using a model in which an animal is a highly motivated animal. 

 The model is, you deprive the animal of food, and the animal has 

 to work for food, and then you have it being administered nicotine. 



Pull the nicotine away, and the animal — your evidence of physio- 

 logical dependence is that the food-directed behavior is changed in 

 some way, is altered. We did not observe that. We did not see an 

 animal sort of show a physical dependence withdrawal syndrome in 

 that particular model. 



Mr. Bliley. This subcommittee has been told that the evidence 

 has been clear for some time that nicotine itself is an addicting 

 substance, that the use of nicotine alone creates a physiological de- 

 pendence, and that stopping only the use of nicotine causes physio- 

 logical withdrawal sjonptoms. Isn't it true that while you were em- 

 ployed by Philip Morris, you told your superiors that your research 

 at Philip Morris showed that nicotine does not create a physio- 

 logical dependence, and that stopping the use of nicotine does not 

 create physiological withdrawal? 



Mr. DeNoble. Yes, we did. In the same way we also said to them 

 that self-administration in the rat does not necessarily predict the 

 amount of self-administration in the human. Gentlemen, you have 

 to be very careful about predicting from rats to humans. 



What the animal data shows you is that there is something to 

 look at. And when you see self-administration, you need to go fur- 

 ther. When you fail to find physical dependence, you need to go fur- 

 ther to determine whether it's really going to be generalizable to 

 the population. 



Mr. Bliley. Mr. Chairman, I assume I'll be allowed to go on? 



Doctor, isn't it true that to your knowledge Philip Morris never 

 used any of your research to change the acetaldehyde or nicotine 

 content in any commercial cigarette? 



Mr. DeNoble. Yes. I have no knowledge of that. 



Mr. Bliley. Isn't it true that to your knowledge, Philip Morris 

 never used your research to create a new commercial cigarette 



Mr. DeNoble. That is correct. 



Mr. Bliley. Dr. Mele, if I might, isn't it true that while you were 

 working at Philip Morris, you advised your superiors that your ex- 

 periments showed that nicotine use does not create a physiological 

 dependence? 



Mr. Mele. No, I don't recall that at all. 



Mr. Bliley. You didn't 



Mr. Mele. Only as part of, possibly, a co-author on Dr. 

 DeNoble's — I know the tolerance work I was working on that in- 

 volved chronic administration took — for over 100 days, we did not 

 find a physiological dependence in that study. But I don't recall 

 specifically discussing that with anybody at Philip Morris. It may 

 be in the main script, it may not. I just don't recall that. 



Mr. Bliley. Isn't it true that while you were employed at Philip 

 Morris, you advised your superiors that your experiments showed 

 that acetaldehyde use does not create a physiological dependence? 



