Altria (philip morris U.S.A.) to buy U.S. Smokeless Tobacco

General

Altria (philip morris U.S.A.) to buy U.S. Smokeless Tobacco

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Anonymous 09-16-2008, 9:14 PM

So now that  U.S. Smokeless Tobacco sold to a company that says the following....how will you be funded?...you must be bummin'.

Philip Morris USA supports a single, consistent public health message on the role played by smokeless tobacco product use in the development of disease in smokeless tobacco users, as well as smokeless tobacco product use and addiction. We believe that smokeless tobacco product users and potential smokeless tobacco product users should rely on the messages of the U.S. Surgeon General and public health authorities worldwide in making all smokeless tobacco product use-related decisions. In this section of our website, therefore, you will find information on these smokeless tobacco-related messages, as well as links to government and public health authorities, including the U.S. Surgeon General's reports related to tobacco.

Our smokeless tobacco product packages carry health information from public health authorities. In addition to the three rotating federally-mandated warnings required for smokeless tobacco packaging and advertisements, the packaging carries additional health information, as well as our website address and a toll-free number for additional health information. Our smokeless tobacco product advertising materials also carry additional health information, as well as the rotating federally-mandated warnings.

Smokeless tobacco products cause serious diseases. The U.S. Surgeon General and other public health authorities have determined that smokeless tobacco products:

• cause serious diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases of the mouth, gums and teeth; 
• may increase the risk of serious diseases when used in combination with smoking;
• cause adverse reproductive effects and should not be used during pregnancy; 
• are not a safe alternative to smoking.

Smokeless tobacco product users and potential smokeless tobacco product users should rely on these messages in making all tobacco-use related decisions.

Click on the links at the right to obtain more information about smokeless tobacco product use and disease in smokeless tobacco product users.

Smokeless tobacco products are addictive. The U.S. Surgeon General and other public health authorities have determined that smokeless tobacco products are addictive. It can be very difficult to quit using smokeless tobacco products, but this should not deter smokeless tobacco product users who want to quit from trying to do so. Learn more about Quitting the Use of Smokeless Tobacco Products.

PM USA supports a single, consistent public health message on the role played by smokeless tobacco product use in the development of disease in smokeless tobacco users, as well as smokeless tobacco product use and addiction. This includes our support of the law that requires U.S. smokeless tobacco product manufacturers to place health warnings on packages and in advertisements, and our belief that government and public health officials should determine the content of the warning messages.

Re: Altria (philip morris U.S.A.) to buy U.S. Smokeless Tobacco

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admin 09-29-2008, 8:04 AM
Two small points to make to put this release into perspective.  First, this is not a scientific statement but a statement of compliance.  We have argued in the past that the tobacco companies are too conservative and cautious when discussing the potential of smokeless tobacco.  You will notice that there is no comparison of the dangers of smoking to using smokeless tobacco.  Second, people will take this message seriously because it happens to agree with the status quo (which obviously we don't).  However, we wonder if anyone will dismiss this message because it originates with a tobacco company; after all, people have been saying all along that you cannot trust a thing they say, so why this?

We don't know how this development will affect our funding but it is irrelevant to our message.  The message has never been related to the funding and will not change unless the evidence does.  Would a loss of financial support affect our operations?  It might; we don't have access to the massive funding available to the anti-smoking groups.  We'll just have to wait and see.