"We should look at ourselves as a drug company"

This article is part of the Tobacco portal on Sourcewatch funded from 2006 - 2009 by the American Legacy Foundation.

These meeting minutes from British American Tobacco (BAT) in 1980 reveal that the company, or at least Dr. Robin A. Crellin, the individual writing this for the company, sees its role as that of a drug company with the duty of supplying the world's increasing appetite for "mood-affecting" drugs:

2. Drug Diversification In a world of increased government intervention, B.A.T. should learn to look at itself as a drug company rather than as a tobacco company. The mood affecting drug requirements of the population will in the future increase but the range of requirements will encompass tranquillisers e.g. valium, endorphin/enkephalin (brain opiates), marijuana, nicotine analogues, etc. At present the taking of many of these drugs is either medically prescribed or regarded as deviant behavior, but could be "socialised" like alcoholic drinking and tobacco smoking. The diversification programme would have to include (i) what to administer, (ii) how to administer it, and (iii) how to encourage social acceptability. Initial research might be pursued through contracts followed up through the purchase of a drug company.

Title Brainstorming II
Author: Crellin, RA
Document date:19800411
Page count:2
Bates number:109884190-109884191
URL: http://bat.library.ucsf.edu/tid/gum24a99