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

The National Conference of State Legislatures was based in Denver, Colorado, but it also had a Washington office. It acted both as a research and publishing house, and also as an advocate for state rights.

It had a long and well-funded association with the tobacco industry — specifically with Philip Morris.

1993 June: The National Conference of State Legislatures, Denver, Colorado has published a book "Maternal and Child Health legislation.

Provides legislation in 20 subject areas related to maternal and child health. Covers access, reform, financing, immunization, Medicaid, Prenatal care, and many more topics. Cross referenced by state, topic and bill number. Written by Melissa Hough and Wade Schock. June 1993. ca. 75 pages. ISBN 1-55516-699-7

1994 Oct 14: Melissa Hough Savage (known as Melissa Hough) has just published "Selling Tobacco to Minors" for the National Conference of State Legislators. It is a reasonably attack on smoking, pointing out that:

Tobacco causes more deaths each year than alcohol, guns. AIDS, automobiles and airplanes combined.

1995 Feb: She is coauthor of a NCSL brief on the various states and Tobacco Regulation.

1996 Oct 10: As Melissa Savage she is phoning Philip Morris for comments for State Legislators magazine

1999 March 18: Pam Inmann of PM writes to the company's executive lobbyist team

"I understand from Melissa Hough, NCSL, that we are trying to set up a meeting with NCSL staff on the impact to MSA [Master Settlement Agreement] funds not only from recoupment..."

NCSL wants delegates to lobby their federal counterparts against federal recoupment. Depending on how things go, this might be an appropriate meeting to change their polity from just recoupment to include FET [Federal Excise Tax] and litigation.

1999 April: Environmental Health Perspectives article. In late 1998, the NCSL had polled all 50 US states to identify how legislators were thinking of spending the money [gained from the legal settlement with Big Tobacco] Some planned to use it for capital projects, some for school construction/ The Department of Health and Human Services claims that it deserves at least half of he money because of existing Medicaid laws compel it to recover its share. [the so-called 'federal recoupment']

As the NCSL discovered in its survey, most states say they are planning to use their windfall for health-related services, but the extent of these services from state to state won't be known until the current legislative session plays out and everyone who thinks their interest deserves a piece of the action has their say.

    According to NCSL researcher Melissa Hough, at least six states created trust funds in the last session in anticipation of the settlement funds, but plans are still definitely in the preliminary stages.

1999 Sep 13: Melissa Hough is organising a National Tobacco Conference on the tobacco settlement money to be held in Phoenix [actually Scottsdale Arizona]. This involves speakers from the Center for Disease Control, and from the tobacco industry. She is inviting two Philip Morris people to speak on a panel. [Karen Daragan and Mark Berlind] and also Jack Lenzi (her future boss) [airfare paid by NCSL].

    Lenzi is introducing her to Carolyn Levy, a veteran Philip Morris researcher. Clearly this was a recruitment opportunity.

1999 Oct: "Spending Tobacco Funds: States Cook Up Their Own Recipes". Melissa Hough and Lee Dixon, State Legislatures, October/November 1999. (328.11/N214/v.25, no.9) pp.20-22.

2000 June 12: Weekly Activities report for Philip Morris Issues Management. She has just joined Philip Morris. Working on the Youth Smoking Project (YSP) with Pan Inmann: they are trying to recruit NCSL and she helped set up meeting with NCSL's Executive Director, Bill Pound.

2000 Aug 10: She is now an Issues Manager at Philip Morris

2000 Dec: /E Philip Morris inhouse conference "Phillip Morris in the New Millenium" She is listed here as "Issues Manager"

2001 Nov 7: Melissa Hough puts out an "Issues Watch" e-mail circular to a list of Philip Morris staff detailing the finding in the Steven Arnold endocrine disrupter case (Tulane University finding of scientific misconduct).

2002 /E: Mellisa Hough is Manager, Legislative and Policy Issues, Corporate Affairs Strategy and Social Responsibility, at Philip Morris.
    This bulletin is about BAT contracting two former clerics to run 'ethics' workshops in 15 countries.