USA

WARNING: This site deals only with the corporate corruption of science, and makes no inference about the motives or activities of individuals involved.
    There are many reasons why individuals become embroiled in corporate corruption activities - from political zealotry to over-enthusiastic activism; from gullibility to greed.
    Please read the OVERVIEW carefully, and make up your own mind.

OPINION ONLY

Some key documents

1988 June 16: Tobacco Institute's speech by Jeff Ross on the activities of the Tobacco Institute in the area of "Social Cost". [He works under Susan Stuntz]

We have been promoting our corporate assistance progra for more than three years. We're seeing a continual increase in requests from employers and smokers. [faced with workplace smoking bans]

    We think theres a way to reach even more businesses. We know many employers hesitate to contact us because of our perceived bias. Therefore, we recommend the retention of a credible, independent consulting firm to handle requests for corporate assistance.

    The company we've identified is Best Type Office Environments, a Manhattan based firm specializing in office furnishing and design. This firm would be a more professional alternative to [anti-smoking] firms like Bob Rosner's Smoking Policy Institute in Seattle, and Rita Addison's Clean Air Associates in Boston.

    Both of those consulting firms counsel total workplace smoking bans as the easiest solution to workplace smoking problems. The basic message Best Type would convey is that any workplace smoking problem can be resolved without imposing unreasonable restrictions.

    Best Type is eminently qualified for this program. It is already the second largest company of this type, with sales last year of 48 million dollars and an impressive list of clients including: Hilton International Hotels, IBM, Kodak, Chase Manhattan Bank, RCA and AT&T.

    But more importantly, they have formed a new consulting division, offering companies assistance in a wide range of problem areas, such as office planning, design, lighting and indoor-air quality. In April, they sponsored a sell-out conference in New York City on Tight Building Syndrome.

[An alternate name for Sick Building Syndrome, which was largely a tobacco-industry invention.]

The president of the company is Gabriel Bannon, former French industrialist and advisor to past-French President George Pompidou.

    Best Type sees workplace smoking assistance as a natural expansion of the services they already have offered for 40 years. To promote their smoking policy assistance, Best Type will undertake several types of activities:

• They will conduct seminars similar to the one they did in April. Natural markets for these seminars are States and localities facing laws, or legislation requiring employers to develop workplace smoking policies.
• They will advertise both to promote their seminars and their new consulting services — including 'smoking policy assistance'. The advertising will be targeted to the corporate community in personnel and other business journals.
• Third. They are prepared to conduct a direct mail campaign promoting their services. Again, targeted to corporate decision-makers.
• Finally, they plan to produce and promote a video addressing current workplace issues.

We've worked with Best Type to develop sample creative materials.

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