SMOKERS CALL CONGRESS AT COMPANY'S EXPENSE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 10, 1993                   TAG: 9303100130
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: The Washington Post
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short
SMOKERS CALL CONGRESS AT COMPANY'S EXPENSE
The nation's largest tobacco manufacturer is organizing smokers to oppose higher cigarette taxes in a lobbying campaign that gives new meaning to the old advertising line, "Call for Philip Morris."
Now the calls are to Congress members on behalf of Philip Morris USA, which arranges and pays for nationwide telephone hookups.
The blitz resulted in hundreds of calls last week to members of the House Ways and Means Committee, who will be the first to consider the taxes.
A bill introduced Monday by leading members of the committee would boost cigarette taxes from the current tax of 24 cents per pack to $1 per pack.
Philip Morris representatives put through calls to the Capitol Hill operator and gave out special "800" numbers for members of Congress after discussing higher taxes with smokers, a company spokesman said.
Congressional aides said the message was uniform: It is unfair to single out smokers for higher taxes.
"These were definitely put-up calls," said an aide to Rep. Andrew Jacobs Jr., D-Ind. "They came in big bunches, 15 to 20 calls at a time, then a break, and another 15 calls."
Philip Morris spokesman John Boltz said the company is giving smokers an opportunity to "let their representatives know very quickly, very effectively their outrage" over the possibility of quadrupling the current tax.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB