ENVIRONMENTAL TOBACCO-SMOKE - THE BROWN-AND-WILLIAMSON DOCUMENTS

Objective.-To examine the tobacco industry's public and private respon ses to rising concern over the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Data Sources.-Documents from Brown and Williamson Tobacc o Corporation (B&W), the British American Tobacco Company (BAT), and o ther 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 rep orts regarding research and internal memoranda exchanged between tobac co industry lawyers. Conclusions.-Privately, B&W and BAT began conduct ing research related to ETS in the mid 1970s. BAT researchers appear t o have determined that sidestream smoke produces irritation, that it c ontains toxic substances including N-nitrosamines, and that it is ''bi ologically active'' (eg, carcinogenic) in laboratory tests. During the 1980s, the primary purpose of BAT's research related to ETS was to de velop a new cigarette that emitted less irritating and less biological ly active sidestream smoke. Publicly, the tobacco industry has denied that exposure to ETS has been proven dangerous to health. It has criti cized 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 t he stated purpose of anticipating and refuting the evidence against ET S. The tobacco industry's strategy regarding passive smoking has been remarkarbly similar to its strategy regarding active smoking. it has p rivately conducted internal research, at least some of which has suppo rted the conclusion that passive smoking is dangerous to health, while it has publicly denied that the hazards have been proven.