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July 19, 1995, Vol 274, No. 3 >
ARTICLE | July 19, 1995

Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Title and subTitle BreakThe Brown and Williamson Documents FREE

Deborah E. Barnes; Peter Hanauer, LLB; John Slade, MD; Lisa A. Bero, PhD; Stanton A. Glantz, PhD
[+] Author Affiliations

Reprint requests to Division of Cardiology, Box 0124, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-0124 (Dr Glantz).


JAMA. 1995;274(3):248-253. doi:10.1001/jama.1995.03530030068036
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References

Objective.  —To examine the tobacco industry's public and private responses to rising concern over the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS).

Data Sources.  —Documents from Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation (B&W), the British American Tobacco Company (BAT), and other tobacco interests provided by an anonymous source, obtained from Congress, and received from the private papers of a former BAT officer.

Study Selection.  —All available materials, including confidential reports regarding research and internal memoranda exchanged between tobacco industry lawyers.

Conclusions.  —Privately, B&W and BAT began conducting research related to ETS in the mid 1970s. BAT researchers appear to have determined that sidestream smoke produces irritation, that it contains toxic substances including N-nitrosamines, and that it is "biologically active" (eg, carcinogenic) in laboratory tests. During the 1980s, the primary purpose of BAT's research related to ETS was to develop a new cigarette that emitted less irritating and less biologically active sidestream smoke. Publicly, the tobacco industry has denied that exposure to ETS has been proven dangerous to health. It has criticized the methodology of published research on ETS, even when some of its own consultants have privately acknowledged that the research was valid. In addition, the industry has funded scientific research with the stated purpose of anticipating and refuting the evidence against ETS. The tobacco industry's strategy regarding passive smoking has been remarkarbly similar to its strategy regarding active smoking. It has privately conducted internal research, at least some of which has supported the conclusion that passive smoking is dangerous to health, while it has publicly denied that the hazards have been proven.(JAMA. 1995;274:248-253)

REFERENCES

1 +
We indexed the documents as part of our analysis and assigned each one a six-digit number. Documents are cited in this article using these numbers enclosed in braces (eg, {1234.56}) and listed at the end of the article after the regular reference section. The complete indexed document set has been deposited in the Archives and Special Collections Department of the University of California, San Francisco, Library and Center for Knowledge Management. As of this writing, these documents are being made available via the Internet at http://www.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco through the World Wide Web.
2 +
US Dept of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General . US Dept of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control; 1986;. US Dept of Health and Human Services publication CDC 87-8398.
3 +
National Research Council. Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Measuring Exposures and Assessing Health Effects . Washington, DC: National Research Council Committee on Passive Smoking, National Academy Press; 1986;.
4 +
US Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders . Washington, DC: Indoor Air Division, Office of Atmospheric and Indoor Programs, Office of Air and Radiation, US Environmental Protection Agency; 1992;. Environmental Protection Agency publication EPA/600/6-90/006F.
5 +
Glantz SA, Parmley W.  Passive smoking and heart disease. Circulation . 1991;;83:1-12.
6 +
Taylor P. The Smoke Ring: Tobacco, Money, and Multi-National Politics . New York, NY: Pantheon Books Inc; 1984;.
7 +
Gidding S, Morgan W, Perry C, et al.  Active and passive tobacco exposure, a serious pediatric health problem: a statement from the Committee on Atherosclerosis and Hypertension in Children, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Circulation . 1994;;90:2582-2590.
8 +
Glantz SA, Parmley WW.  Passive smoking and heart disease: mechanisms and risks. JAMA . 1995;; 273:1047-1053.
9 +
Glantz SA, Barnes DE, Bero LA, Hanauer P, Slade J.  Looking through a keyhole at the tobacco industry: the Brown and Williamson documents. JAMA . 1995;;274:219-224.
10 +
BAT Industries. Annual Review and Summary Financial Statement . London, England: BAT Industries; 1993;.
11 +
Hanauer P, Slade J, Barnes DE, Bero LA, Glantz SA.  Lawyer control of internal scientific research to protect against products liability lawsuits: the Brown and Williamson documents. JAMA . 1995;; 274:234-240.
12 +
Russell M, Cole P, Brown E.  Absorption by non-smokers of carbon monoxide from room air polluted by tobacco smoke. Lancet . 1973;;1:576-579.
13 +
Cuddeback J, Donovan J, Burg W.  Occupational aspects of passive smoking. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J . 1976;;37:263-267.
14 +
Brunnemann K, Yu L, Hoffman D.  Assessment of carcinogenic volatile N-nitrosamines in tobacco and in mainstream and sidestream smoke from cigarettes. Cancer Res . 1977;;37:3218-3222.
15 +
Brunnemann K, Hoffman D. Chemical Studies on Tobacco Smoke LIX: Analysis of Volatile Nitrosamines in Tobacco Smoke and Polluted Indoor Environments . Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1978;;19:343-356.
16 +
Becker C, Dubin T, Wiedemann H.  Hypersensitivity to tobacco antigen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 1976;;73:1712-1716.
17 +
Becker C, Dubin T.  Activation of factor XII by tobacco glycoprotein. J Exp Med . 1977;;146:457-467.
18 +
Becker C, Levi R, Zavecz J.  Induction of IgE antibodies isolated from tobacco leaves and from cigarette smoke condensate. Am J Pathol . 1979;; 96:249-255.
19 +
Altman L.  Tobacco protein viewed as link to heart disease. New York Times . (September 18) , 1977;:29.
20 +
Bero LA, Barnes DE, Hanauer P, Slade J, Glantz SA.  Lawyer control of the tobacco industry's external research program: the Brown and Williamson documents JAMA . 1995;;274:241-247.
21 +
Hoffmann D, Brunnemann K, Prokopczyk B, Djordjevic M.  Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines and areca-derived N-nitrosamines: chemistry, biochemistry, carcinogenicity, and relevance to humans. J Toxicol Environ Health . 1994;;41:1-51.
22 +
Hirayama T.  Non-smoking wives of heavy smokers have a higher risk of lung cancer: a study from Japan. BMJ . 1981;;282:183-185.
23 +
Garfinkel L.  Time trends in lung cancer mortality among nonsmokers and a note on passive smoking. J Natl Cancer Inst . 1981;;66:1061-1066.
24 +
Trichopoulous D, Kalandidi A, Sparros L, MacMahon B.  Lung cancer and passive smoking. Int J Cancer . 1981;;27:1-4.
25 +
Tobacco Institute. Tobacco Smoke and the Nonsmoker: Scientific Integrity at the Crossroads . Washington, DC: Tobacco Institute; 1986;.
26 +
Friedman A, Cohen L.  Smoke and mirrors: how cigarette makers keep the health question 'open' year after year. Wall Street Journal . (February 11) , 1993;:A1.
27 +
Sarokin H. Opinion, Haines v Liggett Group Inc. (1992 DC NJ) 140 Federal Rules Decisions 681.
28 +
Robertson G, Healthy Buildings International Inc. Testimony before the House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives ; March 17, 1994;. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office serial No. 103-127.
29 +
House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. Oversight Hearing on Tobacco Product Regulation . Washington, DC: Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives; 1994;.
30 +
House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. Environmental Tobacco Smoke Investigation: Exhibits . Washington, DC: Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives; 1994;.
31 +
Turner S, Cyr L, Gross A.  The measurement of environmental tobacco smoke in 585 office environments. Environ Int . 1992;;18:19-28.
32 +
Levin M.  Who's behind the building doctor? The Nation . (Aug 9/16) , 1993;:168-171.
33 +
Levy D.  Smoking data tampered with, researchers say. USA Today . (Nov 2) , 1994;:D1.
34 +
Glantz S, Parmley W.  Dissent: passive smoking causes heart disease and lung cancer. J Clin Epidemiol . 1992;;45:815-819.
35 +
Glantz SA.  Tobacco industry response to the scientific evidence on passive smoking.  In: Proceedings of the 12th World Conference on Tobacco and Health ; July 10-15, 1983;:287-292; Winnipeg, Manitoba.
36 +
 Non-smoking wives of heavy smokers have a higher risk of lung cancer. BMJ . 1981;;283:914-917. Correspondence.
37 +
Fontham ET, Correa P, Reynolds P, et al.  Environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer in non-smoking women: a multicenter study. JAMA . 1994;; 271:1752-1759.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal

1 +
We indexed the documents as part of our analysis and assigned each one a six-digit number. Documents are cited in this article using these numbers enclosed in braces (eg, {1234.56}) and listed at the end of the article after the regular reference section. The complete indexed document set has been deposited in the Archives and Special Collections Department of the University of California, San Francisco, Library and Center for Knowledge Management. As of this writing, these documents are being made available via the Internet at http://www.library.ucsf.edu/tobacco through the World Wide Web.
2 +
US Dept of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Involuntary Smoking: A Report of the Surgeon General . US Dept of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control; 1986;. US Dept of Health and Human Services publication CDC 87-8398.
3 +
National Research Council. Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Measuring Exposures and Assessing Health Effects . Washington, DC: National Research Council Committee on Passive Smoking, National Academy Press; 1986;.
4 +
US Environmental Protection Agency. Respiratory Health Effects of Passive Smoking: Lung Cancer and Other Disorders . Washington, DC: Indoor Air Division, Office of Atmospheric and Indoor Programs, Office of Air and Radiation, US Environmental Protection Agency; 1992;. Environmental Protection Agency publication EPA/600/6-90/006F.
5 +
Glantz SA, Parmley W.  Passive smoking and heart disease. Circulation . 1991;;83:1-12.
6 +
Taylor P. The Smoke Ring: Tobacco, Money, and Multi-National Politics . New York, NY: Pantheon Books Inc; 1984;.
7 +
Gidding S, Morgan W, Perry C, et al.  Active and passive tobacco exposure, a serious pediatric health problem: a statement from the Committee on Atherosclerosis and Hypertension in Children, Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young, American Heart Association. Circulation . 1994;;90:2582-2590.
8 +
Glantz SA, Parmley WW.  Passive smoking and heart disease: mechanisms and risks. JAMA . 1995;; 273:1047-1053.
9 +
Glantz SA, Barnes DE, Bero LA, Hanauer P, Slade J.  Looking through a keyhole at the tobacco industry: the Brown and Williamson documents. JAMA . 1995;;274:219-224.
10 +
BAT Industries. Annual Review and Summary Financial Statement . London, England: BAT Industries; 1993;.
11 +
Hanauer P, Slade J, Barnes DE, Bero LA, Glantz SA.  Lawyer control of internal scientific research to protect against products liability lawsuits: the Brown and Williamson documents. JAMA . 1995;; 274:234-240.
12 +
Russell M, Cole P, Brown E.  Absorption by non-smokers of carbon monoxide from room air polluted by tobacco smoke. Lancet . 1973;;1:576-579.
13 +
Cuddeback J, Donovan J, Burg W.  Occupational aspects of passive smoking. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J . 1976;;37:263-267.
14 +
Brunnemann K, Yu L, Hoffman D.  Assessment of carcinogenic volatile N-nitrosamines in tobacco and in mainstream and sidestream smoke from cigarettes. Cancer Res . 1977;;37:3218-3222.
15 +
Brunnemann K, Hoffman D. Chemical Studies on Tobacco Smoke LIX: Analysis of Volatile Nitrosamines in Tobacco Smoke and Polluted Indoor Environments . Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1978;;19:343-356.
16 +
Becker C, Dubin T, Wiedemann H.  Hypersensitivity to tobacco antigen. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A . 1976;;73:1712-1716.
17 +
Becker C, Dubin T.  Activation of factor XII by tobacco glycoprotein. J Exp Med . 1977;;146:457-467.
18 +
Becker C, Levi R, Zavecz J.  Induction of IgE antibodies isolated from tobacco leaves and from cigarette smoke condensate. Am J Pathol . 1979;; 96:249-255.
19 +
Altman L.  Tobacco protein viewed as link to heart disease. New York Times . (September 18) , 1977;:29.
20 +
Bero LA, Barnes DE, Hanauer P, Slade J, Glantz SA.  Lawyer control of the tobacco industry's external research program: the Brown and Williamson documents JAMA . 1995;;274:241-247.
21 +
Hoffmann D, Brunnemann K, Prokopczyk B, Djordjevic M.  Tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines and areca-derived N-nitrosamines: chemistry, biochemistry, carcinogenicity, and relevance to humans. J Toxicol Environ Health . 1994;;41:1-51.
22 +
Hirayama T.  Non-smoking wives of heavy smokers have a higher risk of lung cancer: a study from Japan. BMJ . 1981;;282:183-185.
23 +
Garfinkel L.  Time trends in lung cancer mortality among nonsmokers and a note on passive smoking. J Natl Cancer Inst . 1981;;66:1061-1066.
24 +
Trichopoulous D, Kalandidi A, Sparros L, MacMahon B.  Lung cancer and passive smoking. Int J Cancer . 1981;;27:1-4.
25 +
Tobacco Institute. Tobacco Smoke and the Nonsmoker: Scientific Integrity at the Crossroads . Washington, DC: Tobacco Institute; 1986;.
26 +
Friedman A, Cohen L.  Smoke and mirrors: how cigarette makers keep the health question 'open' year after year. Wall Street Journal . (February 11) , 1993;:A1.
27 +
Sarokin H. Opinion, Haines v Liggett Group Inc. (1992 DC NJ) 140 Federal Rules Decisions 681.
28 +
Robertson G, Healthy Buildings International Inc. Testimony before the House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives ; March 17, 1994;. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office serial No. 103-127.
29 +
House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. Oversight Hearing on Tobacco Product Regulation . Washington, DC: Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives; 1994;.
30 +
House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. Environmental Tobacco Smoke Investigation: Exhibits . Washington, DC: Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, Committee on Energy and Commerce, US House of Representatives; 1994;.
31 +
Turner S, Cyr L, Gross A.  The measurement of environmental tobacco smoke in 585 office environments. Environ Int . 1992;;18:19-28.
32 +
Levin M.  Who's behind the building doctor? The Nation . (Aug 9/16) , 1993;:168-171.
33 +
Levy D.  Smoking data tampered with, researchers say. USA Today . (Nov 2) , 1994;:D1.
34 +
Glantz S, Parmley W.  Dissent: passive smoking causes heart disease and lung cancer. J Clin Epidemiol . 1992;;45:815-819.
35 +
Glantz SA.  Tobacco industry response to the scientific evidence on passive smoking.  In: Proceedings of the 12th World Conference on Tobacco and Health ; July 10-15, 1983;:287-292; Winnipeg, Manitoba.
36 +
 Non-smoking wives of heavy smokers have a higher risk of lung cancer. BMJ . 1981;;283:914-917. Correspondence.
37 +
Fontham ET, Correa P, Reynolds P, et al.  Environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer in non-smoking women: a multicenter study. JAMA . 1994;; 271:1752-1759.

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