Presents: Big Tobacco Quotes!
Straight from their
own mouths, here are quotes from, yea you guessed it, big tobacco executives!
Enjoy! Get enraged! Take Charge!
Source of quotes: http://tobaccofreekids.org/research/factsheets/pdf/0114.pdf
Hillsborough County SWAT Website
"Our profile taken locally shows this
brand [Newport] being purchased by black people [all ages] young adults
(usually college age), but the base of our business is the high school
student."
-August 30, 1978 Lorilard memo from Achey to CEO Curtis Judge about the
"fantastic success" of Newport.
"None of the things which have been found in tobacco smoke are at
concentrations which can be considered harmful. Anything can be considered
harmful. Apple sauce is harmful if you get too much of it."
-Philip Morris, 1976
"We strongly oppose
warning labels on cigarette packs. Warning labels may improperly imply that it
has been scientifically established that smoking causes disease."
- R J Reynolds opposing any type of health labeling on cigarettes, 1981
"We did not look at
the underage market even though I am holding a document in my hand that says
we did."
-James Morgan, former president and CEO of Philip Morris in a testimony during
the Minnesota Lawsuit
"They got lips? We
want them."
-R J Reynolds response when asked exactly who the young people that R J
Reynolds was targeting
"It is
important to know as much as possible about teenage smoking patterns and
attitudes. Today's teenager is
tomorrow's potential customer."
-March 31, 1975 market research report on young smokers entitled "Young
smokers prevalence, trends, implications, and related demographic trends."
written by Philip Morris researcher Myron E. Johnson and approved by Carolyn
Levy and Harry Daniel.
"We don't smoke that
shit. We just sell it. We reserve the right to smoke for the young, the poor,
the black and the stupid."
-R J Reynolds executive, June 1992
"Cherry Skoal is for
somebody who like the taste of candy, if you know what i'm saying."
-U.S. Tobacco
"To ensure increased
and longer term growth for Camel Filter, the brand must increase it's share
penetration among the 14-24 age market. . . which represent tomorrow's
cigarette business."
-R J Reynolds, 1975
"If you are really and
truly not going to sell to children, you are going to be out of business in 30
years."
-Bennet Leslow, CEO Brook Group LTD
"Tobacco is not
anymore addicting than coffee or chocolate."
-Tobacco Executive, CNN Tape
"For a little less
than the past year the Research Department has been working on a succession of
projects which collectively may be called the nicotine enrichment project."
-Lorillard Tobacco Company, 1977
"We use sports as an
avenue for advertising our products. We can go into an area where we're
marketing an event, measure sales during the event and measure sales after the
event, and see an increase in sales."
-R J Reynolds, September 1989
"KOOL has shown little or no growth in
share of users in the 26+ age group. Growth is from 16-25 year olds... at the
present rate, a smoker in the 16-25 year age group will soon be three times as
important to KOOL as a prospect in any other broad age category."
-February 21, 1973 untitled Brown & Williamson marketing memo from Brand
Manager R. L. Johnson memo to Executive VP Pittman on the "Latest Black
Study".
"The
ability to attract new smokers and develop them into a young adult franchise
is key to brand development"
-1999 Philip Morris Report, "Five year trends 1988-1992."
"Overall, Camel advertising will be directed toward using peer
acceptance/influence to provide the motivation for target smokers to select
Camel".
-March 12, 1986 letter, "Camel New Advertising Campaign Development."