BACKGROUND NOTE: This document indicates that Liggett and Myers Tobacco Company was ahead
of Philip Morris in knowledge about the dangerous chemical constituents
in tobacco in 1964, and that at that time, Philip Morris feared that L &
M might use this advanced knowledge to come out with a "Super Lark"
cigarette that actually would be lower in carcinogenic activity....
Note that a final line was scratched out in the orginal that says
"...and apparently their lawyers have not interfered..."
Quotes:
...The following portions of the report are pertinent:
2. p. 55 - "Nickel is present in cigarettes in trace amounts and may
occur in main-stream smoke to a small extent, probably as the chloride."
3. p 57 - "A compilation...prepared by I.L.Hartwell (reference) of the
National Cancer Institute lists 2108 compounds of which 481 were
reported to cause malignant tumors in animals. All but one of the
polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon listed in Table 2 as having been
identified in tobacco smoke have already been documented in the Hartwell
report and can be assigned a rating as very potent (+ + + +), potent (+
+ +), moderately carcinogenic (+ +), or weakly carcinogenic (+). Many
other such compounds studied and reported in the Hartwell survey and in
another by Arthur D. Little, Inc..."
9. p. 272 - "Experimental studies in chronic cigarette smoke exposure in
animals, although acutely massive compared to human exposure, confirm
some of the above morphological findings in man...In mice exposed for
long periods to cigarette smoke, changes observed in the bronchi and
periobronchial tissues were characteristic of severe bronchitis,
purulent bronchoilitis severe enough in some cases to cause massive
ateltectasis...These changes are similar to those described in advanced
cases of human bronchitis."
I would speculate from the above information...that L & M's report to
the Surgeon General's Advisory Committee probably includes work dating
back to the late 1950's.
L & M no doubt, conducted, over a long term, analytical studies on the
composition of smoke condensate. Bates, in 1961, felt that L & M had
identified 99% of the gas phase components and about 50% of the
particulate phase constitutest. Items 2 & 3 suggest this. Further,
Items 3 & 4 indicate extensive chemical carcinogen study.
...I would assume that L & M has probably studies the full range of
pulmonary clearance mechanisms and now has a very good idea of what
components must be removed from cigarette smoke to eliminate impairment
of these mechanisms. They may be well on their way to effecting
removal....
From its detailed chemical analysis and carcinogenic testing of tar
fractions we might also fear that L& M knows as much as anybody about
which fractions account for carcinogenicity and the contribution of
co-factors, etc. ...
From the above, one might compound the speculation by anticipating that
L & M's next product may be a super-Lark, that is, one which permits
satisfactory pulmonary clearance mechanisms, perhaps within a year;
perhaps even a product with less chemical carcinogenic activity a year
or so further in the future. At any rate, they are probably at least
2-3 years up on us in research in these areas, and their lawyers
apparently have not interfered (lining out of this phrase appears in
the original).
__________________________________________________________
I was going to take the evening off from document posting, but when I
turned on the TV to relax I saw a deeply touching TV commerical that
showed an older black woman, alone in her apartment in the bitter cold
winter of Minneapolis, gently and enthusiastically peeling a ripe
tangerine as though it was a rare gem. The wording of the commerical
expressed her profound gratitude that the food bank was able to supply
her with this rare and delicious treat.
It was an ad for Philip Morris.
I shut off the TV and went back to document posting!
Anne Landman
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
Grand Junction
Title: Reference to Liggett and Myers special unpublished report in the
Smoking and Health Report [Confidential]
Author: R.N. Saleeby, Jr.
Recipient: Dr. H. Wakeham
Date: March 5, 1964
Site: Philip Morris Document Site
Bates No. 1001885124/5127
URL:
http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=1001885124/5127
