Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 8, 1991 TAG: 9104080015
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Short
The Coalition on Smoking or Health said recent efforts to promote low-nicotine cigarettes as a revolutionary "de-nicotined" product falsely suggest they are a safer, non-addictive alternative to other cigarettes.
The cigarettes are being test-marketed by the nation's largest tobacco maker, Philip Morris Co., in Florida and Arizona.
The anti-smoking coalition - made up of the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association - said other tobacco companies already sell low-nicotine cigarettes nationally but have not gone as far in marketing them as non-addictive and safer.
"Philip Morris has two objectives in the marketing of this product: to encourage non-smokers concerned about the addictive nature of the product to smoke and to encourage existing smokers who would like to quit to switch to this so-called less addictive product," the coalition said.
"The cigarette ads for our de-nic brands simply introduce the cigarette to the consumer," said Philip Morris spokesman Les Zuke.
Cigarettes, when smoked for pleasure only, are exempt from regulation by the Food and Drug Administration. But the coalition said that because the "de-nicotined" cigarettes are promoted with health-related claims, they should be regulated like a drug.
by CNB