Tobacco Documents Online

PHILIP MORRIS U. S. A. INTER-OFFiCE CORRESPONDENCE RlCNMOND, YIRGINIA To: From: . Subject: . FILE R. D. Latshaw Date: MERRELL DOW PHARMACEUTICAL MEETING - JULY 13, 1982 IN ATTENDANCE: July 21, 1982 DOW - K. R. Monroe, Jr. - Vice President Marketing, Merrell Dow - R. S. Ihrig - General Sales Manager, Dow Chemical - J. J. Bujold - Corporate Account Manager, Dow Chemical PHILIP MORRIS - A. J. Kay, Jr. - L. W. Morgan - R. D. Latshaw I Joe Bujold requested this meeting so that Merrell Dow could present their position on the smoking and health issue. The following major points were covered: 1. Dow Chemical and Merrell Dow are not anti smoking. They are not inten- tionally engaged in an assault on the cigarette industry. 2. Merrell's Nicorette "chewing gum" is a prescription drug sold through doctors to those patients who must quit smoking for health reasons. It is not a product aimed at the general smoking public, as evidenced by its "lousy" taste and reportedly high cost. 3. Ken Monroe was unhappy with the inflammatory anti-cigarette tone of - the first edition of The Smoking Cessation Newsletter. Apparently, newsletter was released before Monroe had taken over his new job. The second edition (copy attached) is on hold and Monroe is contem- plating modification of this edition as well as termination of this publication. We encouraged him to cease further publication. the 4. We emphasized our dissatisfaction was not with Do.w's manufacturing and distributing a pharmaceutical intended to help smokers who must quit for medical reasons. Rather, we are displeased with Dow's circulation of anti-smoking propaganda, particularly literature which has little or no scientific basis. -- 5. Dow reported the "press" was investigating a story that the Tobacco Industry was pressuring Dow to drop Nicorette. Attachment cc: F. A. Hedberg W. B. Harris A. J. Kay, Jr. L. W. Morgan /t k 2Q23'799'798