Tobacco Product Issues - Engaging With Others - Altria

Owning tobacco companies presents a variety of business challenges – some typical of many Fortune 500 companies and others specific to the products made by our companies.

We believe our position as the parent company of some of the largest domestic tobacco manufacturers provides us with a unique perspective and carries with it the opportunity to work collaboratively on the challenges we face.

 

Engaging With Others

The ways Altria Group’s tobacco companies communicate about their products and market them matters to a range of stakeholders. That’s why our companies listen to and discuss tobacco product issues with a variety of groups and individuals.

Examples of some recent engagement activities include:

  • Philip Morris USA and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company have shared their perspectives and information with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on several important issues through written submissions, meetings and presentations at the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee and through other written communications.
  • In 2011, PM USA and USSTC shared their perspective and understanding of the science related to harm reduction at several Institute of Medicine (IOM) meetings. IOM sought input from a variety of stakeholders, including tobacco companies, to help inform a report to the FDA on the scientific standards for modified risk tobacco products.
  • PM USA and USSTC participated in two panels at FDA’s August 2011 workshop on modified risk tobacco products.
  • The Master Settlement Agreement provides the framework for PM USA, USSTC and other participating manufacturers to work with states attorneys general to reduce underage tobacco use. There are periodic meetings to discuss opportunities and more formal triennial meetings.
  • Altria’s tobacco companies regularly communicated with experts in the field of cessation who serve on a review board.
  • Altria’s tobacco companies are represented on the We Card® Manufacturer Advisory Council, which advises We Card and discusses best practices in responsible retailing of age-restricted products.
  • John Middleton and PM USA engaged with stakeholders on the depictions of their tobacco brands in social media and concerns regarding visibility of tobacco products among youth. Through these engagements, we also established a process for ongoing monitoring of potential trademark violations and depictions of illegal product use.
  • We engage with the scientific community and public health authorities through face-to-face meetings, publications in the scientific literature and participation in scientific conferences where we present our research. In addition, Altria Client Services maintains a scientific website, altriaclientservices-science.com, to bring together scientific information related to its process and technologies and share it with scientists and the public health community.

ELIMINATING SMOKING SCENES FROM MEDIA DIRECTED AT YOUTH

PM USA believes that producers, directors and others involved in the creative process are in a unique position to voluntarily eliminate smoking scenes in movies and other entertainment media directed at youth, and encourages them to do so. Since 2004, PM USA has reiterated its policies and positions and encouraged major and minor motion picture studios to take additional steps to eliminate smoking scenes in movies directed at youth. In addition in 2011, Middleton and PM USA engaged with numerous stakeholders on the depictions of their tobacco brands in social media and concerns regarding visibility of tobacco products among youth. Through these engagements, we also enhanced our process for ongoing monitoring of potential trademark violations and depictions of illegal product use.

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