BACKGROUND NOTE: The tobacco industry
uses its vast resources to create and shape public
policy that benefits itself. It drafts its own preferred legislation,
manipulates the legislative leadership into introducing and advancing
their bill, and then they control the public hearings about it, create
'grass roots support' for it, compose and publish articles ('op-eds')
expressing support for it, etc. until its finally passed. They
orchestrate it all. Following is a Tobacco Institute document that
describes the process, in brief:
Quotes
Pro-Active Proposal
OBJECTIVE
Protect smokers' rights and preempt local governments' ability to impose
restrictive smoking ordinances.
GENERAL STRATEGY
* Under The Institute's guidance, the following strategy is being
implemented.
* There is no statewide clean indoor air act. Therefore, it will be
necessary to select key sponsors for introduction and control of
proposed legislation which will create same with the inclusion of
smokers rights....
* Establish a...timeline for movement of the bill prior to
introduction and develop a controlled hearing scenario.
RESOURCE NEEDS
.....Use expert ETS and IAQ witnesses to brief lawmakers, allies and the
media. Develop favorable op-ed pieces from these experts and from local
experts where possible...
...Develop grassroots mail program to focus on specific legislators'
home districts. Schedule these grassroots efforts and seminars to
coincide with the movement of the legislation.
Anne Landman
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
Grand Junction
Title: Proactive Proposal MS Smoking Restriction Local Preemption
Type of Document: Report
Author: N/A (Tobacco Institute)
Date: N/A
Site: Tobacco Institute document site http://www.tobaccoinstitute.com
No. of Pages: 1
Bates No. TIMS0025665
URL:
http://www.tobaccoinstitute.com/getimg.asp?pgno=0&start=20&bool=preemption%20and%20confidential&docid=TIMS0025665
