Campaign to Address the Global Public Health Impact of
ALTRIA'S FUTURE BREAKUP

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Philip Morris World Tour
2005-2006

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GLOBAL DEMANDS OF PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL
IN ADVANCE OF ALTRIA'S BREAKUP

The prospect of a breakup of Altria that would split Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris International into separate companies raises significant concerns about how an independent Philip Morris International will operate. Decisions that Philip Morris International makes will have major public health ramifications:

  • Tobacco is a uniquely harmful product, which kills consumers when used as intended;

  • The World Health Organization estimates that 10 million people will die annually from tobacco-related disease by 2030, 70 percent in developing countries;

  • The combined Philip Morris is the world's largest tobacco multinational;

  • Measured by units, 80 percent of Philip Morris' sales are outside of the United States.

Philip Morris International must make commitments -- in advance of a breakup -- to ensure that the separation of Philip Morris International and Philip Morris USA does not worsen the tobacco epidemic.

We call on Philip Morris International and its subsidiaries to commit to:

  1. Adhere to the provisions of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, including by ending all advertising and marketing of tobacco products, and ending the use of misleading and deceptive terms such as "mild," "light" and "low."

  2. Not lobby or work -- directly or indirectly through sponsored organizations or otherwise -- on any national or subnational legislative or regulatory proposals to ratify the FCTC and/or implement the terms of the FCTC.

  3. Not lobby or work -- directly or indirectly through sponsored organizations or otherwise -- against legislation or regulation requiring 100 percent smokefree places.

  4. Not invoke provisions of any trade or investment agreement, or urge any government to invoke such provisions, to challenge any tobacco control-related law or regulation.

  5. Extend the European tobacco smuggling agreement to include every country in which they operate. **

  6. Fully disclose all political contributions, lobbying costs, and charitable/educational donations in every country in which they operate.

  7. Fully disclose all advertising and marketing expenditures -- as the company now is required to do in the United States -- in every country in which they operate.

  8. End all sponsorship of "youth smoking prevention programs."

  9. Refrain from directly or indirectly placing tobacco products or promoting depictions of smoking in movies or other media produced anywhere in the world. ***

VIEW LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE
SIGNED ON TO THE ABOVE DEMANDS

** This should be achieved by enacting tracking, tracing, labeling and record-keeping requirements to help law enforcement determine the source and track the path of contraband cigarettes; implementing better monitoring of its sales and distribution practices, including by tightly controlling and regulating the contractors it supplies with cigarettes, and to stop supplying them if they are found to be complicit in smuggling and vendors to ensure they are in compliance with legal requirements; and pledging not to oppose legislation establishing monetary penalties against tobacco companies if their cigarettes continue to be smuggled in large quantities.

*** Philip Morris USA is prohibited from paying for product placements in movies and other media by the U.S. Master Settlement Agreement, but this does not apply to Philip Morris International. Philip Morris International states in its marketing code that it will not pay for product placement, but it does not address: indirect efforts to facilitate product placement; direct or indirect placement of unbranded tobacco products; or direct or indirect efforts to promote smoking in movies or other media.