TOBACCO INDUSTRY FOUGHT ANTI-SMOKING DRIVE

The strategy sought to eliminate ads funded by a tax increase approved by
voters in 1988

SACRAMENTO-(AP)The tobacco industry launched a multi pronged campaign in
1990 to torpedo California's anti-smoking ad campaign,according to a memo
obtained Tuesday.

In the memo,Kurt Malmgren, then the Tobacco Institute's senior vice
president for state activities, outlined a four-part strategy to eliminate
anti-smoking ads funded by a tobacco tax increase approved by California
voters in 1988 as Proposition 99.

Under the plan, industry representatives would encourage the Legislature to
intervene, promote opposition to the campaign among minority, business and
other groups, persuade the state to pull or modify the ads and encourage
the governor to intervene.

"We continue to energize and organize those other individuals and
associations with negative feelings about the campaign into a focused
coalition willing to take the lead in an effort to end funding for media
from Prop. 99 taxes," Mlamgren said.

A cover letter from institute President Samuel Chilcote Jr. said Malmgren's
memo "out-lines our legislative and other efforts to redirect Prop. 99
media funds to other, more appropriate uses."

Prop. 99 raised cigarette taxes 25 cents a pack and earmarked the money for
specific purposes, including 20 percent on an anti-smoking education
campaign and 5 percent for tobacco-related research.

The education program has included some hard-hitting television ads,
including one showing tobacco company executives denying that nicotine is
addictive.

But starting in the mid-1990s, Wilson and lawmakers began shifting part of
the funding. Anti-smoking groups challenged the transfers in court.