BACKGROUND NOTE: The tobacco industry hates arguments that focus on the social costs of
smoking. The social cost issue puts them in a position where, if they
aren't careful, they'll find themselves arguing that it is not 90,000
hospital beds that are attributable to cigarettes but only some figure
less than 90,000.
Another bizarre argument mentioned in this document
is that smokers actually cost society less because they die sooner.
Industry executives were aware of these pitfalls in arguing against the
"social cost theory," so they undertook to devise a strategy that would
allow them to avoid the topic. That strategy was to move the argument
onto another plain entirely, like how smoking benefits society, to focus
on the libertarian views of government intervetion and, finally, to
calculate and make known the financial value of the lost "right" to
smoke.
Note the unique new term used by the author of this paper to describe
tobacco control activists's actions: we have fumoaphobia syndrome.
Quotes:
Last fall Charles Tucker and I were asked to review the issue of social
costs and recommend the best way to achieve a response capability in the
area...
The public perception of social costs as a policy issue is very low but
it is becoming a crucial element in the thinking and deliberations of
government authorities. It also appears to assume an important place in
the attack plan of anti-smoking groups. A default on this issue by the
industry surely will result in unfavorable public opinion... to avoid
adverse mindset on the question of the social costs of cigarette
smoking, the industry needs to embark on a thorough, well done and
properly supervised program for dealing with this issue...
An attempt to reply in kind is sure to miss the mark...Instead of trying
to argue that it is not 90,000 hospital beds which are attributable to
cigarettes but only some figure less than 90,000, the better tack is to
take the adversary onto higher conceptual ground..
I understand that ICOSI considers the so-called GIRA study an example of
what not to do. Reportedly the study makes the lugubrious argument
that some positive value should be assigned to the early death rate of
smokers, that their early death saves society the geriatrics and nursing
home costs of old age. The foregoing illustrates a mistake which should
not be repeated on this side...otherwise you may wind up with some bad
surprises.
...Dr. Berger of Rutgers University is well known in sociology and has
written a delightful "anti-anti smoker" magazine article in which he
discusses the religious sociology of the fumoaphobia syndrome. He
thinks today's smoker is akin to the Jew in Nazi Gernman. It is someone
the authoritarian can kick around and legislate against....
...How relevant is it to count absenteeism or to count cigarette burns
on desks and couches as a counterweight to the important social function
of an alternate lifestyle?
...The analysis will deliberately avoid pharmacological claims; that is
to say, cigarettes will not be treated as a relaxing "dependency drug."
The position platform will be both pragmatic and philosphical...The
philosophical questions relating to the sacrifice of civil liberties and
the governmental precedent being set will be closely examined, too. Do
we really want a law that forbids one from going out in the rain without
his rubbers because there is a "social cost" of he catches cold? To
what extent are we willing to be mortgaged to each other and to the
society?
SOCIAL FUNCTIONS OF SMOKING:
- on the job
- In negotiation
- In social situations
SMOKING
- marks out time
- marks out space
- provides entree
- relieves conflict
- permits sharing
It is believed that smoking helps mark out time and may be related to an
inner sense of time. It is this sort of inquiry that will be undertaken
with regard to the positive contribution of tobacco rather than in
inquiry into its effects on the central nervous system. [emphasis added]
It is also believed that in a social situation smoking can help create a
shield against a real or potential aggressor. For example, in a
business negotiation cigarette smoking helps to create a barrier against
the negotiator across the table. It also helps to break the ice -- a
function, which includes...the European custom of "permitted sharing."
Evidently it is possible to demonstrate the clear and substantial loss
in productivity when so-called "smoking shacks" are instituted. The
theory is that smokers entering the special area are out of phase with
their fellow workers who have already started smoking. Smokers already
present stay and light up a second cigarettes. Additional time is
consumed in the enjoyment of cigarettes and, of course, time is lost
going and coming from the smoking area...
...It is clear that Genghis Khan would never had bothered to do a
cost-benefit analysis on the social values of varying lifestyes.
Concern for people allegedly is the reason for such a study. Is it fair
then to aks what is it worth to the smoker to go on smoking. If smoker
will buy cigarettes and pay steadily increasing prices for them a
measure can be made of the value of smoking cigarettes....If you take
away the right of the smoker you owe something to the smoker who has
been denied that right. The consultants indicate that a price curve can
be established using principles normally applied which will supply a
value to the loss of the right to smoke...It is the "settlement sum"
which should be payable to the smoker who is forced to give up
cigarettes...
Anne Landman
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
Grand Junction
Title: Social Costs
Type of Document: Memorandum, Budget review (confidential)
Author: Pepples, E.
Recipient: Kornegay, H.
Date: 19790208 (Feb. 8, 1979)
Site: Lorillard Document site http://www.lorillarddocs.com/
Bates No. 03678680/8689
URL: http://www.lorillarddocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=03678680/8689
