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fore-knowledge research

The tobacco industry (and other similar industries) often engaged in secret research projects to test-the-waters before funding independent researchers to engage in a major publicly-revealed study. The secret research phase allowed them to identify techniques (locations, animal types, dosages, etc) that would produce results favourable to the industry.

SUMMARY ONLY

For instance, the tobacco industry scientists knew in the 1980s that mice and rats were highly resistant to cancers of the lung from breathed smoke. These rodents almost never got bronchial, lung or tracheal cancers in their short test life-spans (from 18 months to 3 years). So the industry-controlled granting bodies were quite happy to fund inhallation studies on these animals.

Some breeds/types of hamsters were similarly resistant to inhallation of smoke— while others breeds of hamster were not. So research grants would be modified to specify the animal breed to be used.

In indoor air quality research, the tobacco research strategists also knew that there were always going to be false-alarms when the general public became concerned about passive smoking. Some people, in some buildings would always have exaggerated claims about smoke levels, and some individuals who believed themselves to be 'hyper sensitive' would always over-emphasise the levels of second-hand smoke in the building atmosphere. This random exaggeration gave the industry an opportunity to secretly pre-test certain prominent buildings, and choose which to select for genuine independent air-quality testing ... and the results could then be publicly released by a trusted IAQ testing authority. Hysterical claims about harm to citizens, followed by the public release of a 'clean bill of health' always made a good story for the local press.

Therefore research was often contracted to be conducted in secret. And most of the animal inhalation studies were conducted in secret European laboratories well away from the possibility of US legal discovery. (Philip Morris secretly owned one called INBIFO, and the British tobacco industry used Harrowgate.) These provided the industry with fore-knowledge of research outcomes.


1989 Mar 16: Tobacco Institute Report on media tours and available services to state lobbyists and PR agents. Lists.

ENV SERVICES.
    ENV has the capability to inspect buildings unobstrusively with" a briefcase-sized air sampling kit which can test indoor air levels of a number of common indoor air pollutants...some preliminary results can be read on the spot and a complete report takes about 10-14 days. ENV also has spokespeople capable of explaining results in a hearing setting or in private briefings with lawmakers and others.
    Like the SWT witness team, we need a couple of days to set up air tests (PREFERABLY CONDUCTED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF A THIRD PARTY SPONSOR). So, if you would like to overtly or quietly inspect a city hall hearing room or some other building, they can do it ... let WW/Diana me know, and Kay Thomas and I can explain the program in more detail.