Tobacco lobby political influence on US state legislatures in the 1990s

Background-Throughout the 1990s the tobacco lobby was a potent political fo rce in US state legislatures advancing its protobacco agenda. Objective-To describe the market and political motivations of the tobacco l obby and the strategies they use to achieve these goals in US state legisla tures. Design-This study is a content analysis and summary overview of recently re leased historical tobacco industry documents; tobacco related government do cuments; and recent state tobacco control policy reports. Results-In the 1990s, the tobacco lobby engaged in a comprehensive and aggr essive political effort in state legislatures to sell tobacco with the leas t hindrance using lobbying, the media, public relations, front groups, indu stry allies, and contributions to legislators, These efforts included campa igns to neutralise clean indoor air legislation, minimise tax increases, an d preserve the industry's freedom to advertise and sell tobacco. The tobacc o lobby succeeded in increasing the number of states that enacted state pre -emption of stricter local tobacco control laws and prevented the passage o f many state tobacco control policies. Public health advocates were able to prevent pre-emption and other protobacco policies fi om being enacted in s everal states. Conclusions-The tobacco lobby is a powerful presence in state legislatures. Because of the poor public image of the tobacco lobby, it seeks to wield t his power quietly and behind the scenes. State and local health advocates, who often have high public credibility, can use this fact against the tobac co lobby by focusing public attention on the tobacco lobby's political infl uence and policy goals and expose links between the tobacco lobby and its l egislative supporters.