President Obama, who struggles with an addiction to cigarettes himself, is ready and willing to sign into law new tobacco regulations that would eliminate harmful ingredients in cigarettes. It would also make sure that tobacco is not advertised for children or sold to them. This new law would give the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the responsibility for tobacco regulation.

In recent years harsh criticism of the tobacco industry, accusing them of deliberately trying to entice young women and girls to smoke by advertising in magazines that are read exclusively by this particular group, as well as using feminine packaging and free giveaways, has been widely reported.

My own daughter, as a college student, received free gifts in the mail from one of the big tobacco companies. Little gadgets, along with promotional information and discount coupons were clearly geared toward that one specific group of potential new consumers.
In the past the rough, rugged masculine image of the smoking cowboy or the sexy, sophisticated man surrounded by attractive women as he puffed away on a particular brand could be seen on television commercials repetitively.

But over the last 20 years or so, regulations have tightened up and direct contact with potential new smokers and slick, colorful magazine advertising was the only way to go in order for big tobacco to attract new customers. The new regulations would only allow magazine ads to be published in black and white. The addition of enticing flavoring to cigarettes also was used to appeal to the young, but under the new regulations, this would be forbidden.

It is clear that getting the FDA involved in tobacco regulation is what groups like the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, the American Lung Association and other similar organizations feel is necessary in order to legislate by putting restrictions on tobacco advertising, bans on misleading claims regarding low tar or “light” cigarettes, and larger more obvious health warnings on packages of cigarettes.

But most people are surprised when they learn that along with these groups concerned with the health and well-being of the American people, the biggest tobacco company in the country is also in favor of new FDA regulation of tobacco products.

Philip Morris, the largest company with the most popular, well-known brands is supporting of new government regulations of their products. After many years fighting against any type of regulation of tobacco, this is an astonishing development, particularly given the fact that this new legislation will put strict limits on advertising venues and market strategies like free-cigarette giveaways.

According to Time magazine, Philip Morris already controls 50 percent of the cigarette market, and more than 50 percent of 18-to-25-year-old smokers. Harsher regulations would, therefore, be less likely to affect their business than it would be to affect their competitors.

When advertisements for various brands of cigarettes are more restricted, the already most popular brands are the ones that consumers will most likely remember and therefore most likely purchase.

The competitors of Philip Morris complain that with the FDA in charge, new tobacco products are unlikely to get approval, and with new restrictions on advertising and marketing, Philip Morris would be locked into market domination, according to the New York Times.

Philip Morris’ parent company, Altria, has hired three new lobbying firms this year alone, bringing their total number of lobbying firms in Washington D.C. to nineteen. Their lobbyists worked just as hard as did health-minded groups to get the new regulations passed in Congress. In its annual report Altria noted that “Marketing and selling expenses were lower, reflecting regulatory restrictions on advertising and promotion activities,” the Washington Examiner reported.

Philip Morris is also hard at work on research involving hundreds of scientists who are studying new tobacco technologies that they are hoping to get through the new F.D.A. approval process. They are on the elusive search for the “safe cigarette” and if that product ever becomes a reality, their involvement in the new regulation process could potentially be financially beneficial to their company.

I doubt that it was the intention of anti-smoking groups, health organizations, Congress or the President when they pushed for the “Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act,” to ultimately give Philip Morris and Altria a virtual monopoly on tobacco sales in this country. But that appears to be just what will happen.
 
 ABOUT THE WRITER
Carol Jensen is a long-time Barstow resident, graduating from Kennedy High School and Barstow College, where she was an English instructor for many years. Much of her time now is spent writing political and social commentary. She may be contacted at cajensen49@msn.com.