DC Lobbying. Arizona & Colorado.

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

DC Lobbying. Arizona & Colorado.

This memo was written around the time that Arizona and Colorado were pursuing tobacco tax increases in 1994. It describes a group called the "National Coalition Against Crime and Tobacco Contraband" (NCACTC), and is clear about the R.J. Reynolds' sole hand in forming this group and subsequent funding of its activities:

RJR made the initial grant to get the organization formed and to pay for its first activity -- a major study of the current U.S. contraband tobacco situation.

The memo describes use of Rod Stamler, a former assistant commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to conduct a study of cigarette smuggling in Arizona and Colorado and disseminate the results to the media in those states. The memo describes other ways Mr. Stamler could be used to help defeat the tax efforts in Colorado and Arizona. A section on Page 2 titled "Avoiding Direct Ties To 'The Tobacco Industry' " explains how the National Coalition Against Crime and Tobacco Contraband (NCACTC) would be used as a front to avoid connecting the smuggling studies and their dissemination back to the tobacco industry.

Further investigation into the NCACTC's budget reveals a "highly confidential" internal industry Q&A document about the nature of the organization. The document was apparently a briefing for members about how to respond to questions about the organization and the tobacco industry's involvement in its formation. In response to a question about whether the tobacco industry IS the NCACTC, the paper denies that the organization "is" the tobacco industry. In response to a question asking how the organization is funded, the paper says the answer is, "Members fund the organization through membership fees, grants and contributions." [1] However, another document, a "highly confidential" 1999 estimated budget for NCACTC, reveals that no estimated income from membership dues is even listed. The only income projected for the organization comes from contributions made by Brown & Williamson and RJR, at $225,000 each, and from interest [2]

Title DC LOBBYING. ARIZONA & COLORADO.
Author SMITH MD
Date 19940823
Type LETTER
Bates 515324783/4784
Collection RJ Reynolds
Topic ELECTRONIC MEDIA
Pages 2
URL: http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/sjl40d00