Daily Doc: PM, Feb 17, 1984: PM Padding the results
Daily Doc: PM Padding the results
Title: PM USA Government Relations Report, PM International Government Relations Report
PM, Feb 17, 1984
Bates #: 2501042413/2416
May 28, 2000
The majority of people are nonsmokers. This was even true back in 1984. In addition, most people prefer to have clean, fresh air in enclosed spaces. So when the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) considered eliminating smoking in commercial aircraft cabins in 1984, how could it have been that fully 72% of people writing in about the proposed measure opposed it?
This document shows how. Among the pile of letters in opposition to the smoking ban, the chairman of the CAB found one with the following printed on it,
"In preparing your letter, please use plain paper or personal letterhead and a plain envelope. Do not use Philip Morris letterhead or envelopes."After finding the Philip Morris tobacco company's "sample letter," the CAB chair rightly questioned the veracity of the final letter count regarding this measure.
Q: In how many similar cases of proposed clean indoor measures has Philip Morris meddled in order to change the perception of public opinion on this subject?
CITATION
Title: PM USA Government Relations Report, PM International Government Relations Report
Type of Document: internal memo, report
Author: CHENEY,CM; SCOTT,GR
Recipient(s): BADLER,R; BATEMAN,RE; BOWLING,JC; CLEPHAS,V; CULLMAN,H; FRYE,JM; HAUSERMANN,M; HOLTZMAN,A; JOHNSON,C; JOHNSON,VBH; JONES,J; LLOYD,WG; MCCOY,WD; MOORE,RJ; POLLACK,SP; POLLAK,L; ROBINSON,P; SCOTT,SS; SELIGMAN,RB; SMITH,OC; STEVENS,V; SYKES,L; WHIST,A; WINOKUR,M
Date: 19840217
Site: Philip Morris document site http://www.pmdocs.com/
Page Count 4
Bates No. 2501042413/2416
URL: http://www.pmdocs.com/getallimg.asp?DOCID=2501042413/2416
Found Using Search Criteria: Bowling and ETS
QUOTES
Chairman McKinnon stated that the [Civil Aeronautics] Board received a total of 19,899 letters in response to its smoking proposals. He said that 14,399 (72.4%) opposed the board's proposals or any further restrictions on smoking while 5,457 (27.4%) favored those proposals or sought further restrictions on smoking. The remainder took the middle position or no position. McKinnon said that among the letters was a "sample letter" which stated, "In preparing your letter, please use plain paper or personal letterhead and a plain envelope. Do not use Philip Morris letterhead or envelopes." McKinnon questioned just how much weight should be given to the final letter count.
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Anne Landman, Regional Program Coordinator
American Lung Association of Colorado, West Region Office
Grand Junction, CO
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