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Excerpts from: Some alarmed by tobacco giant’s Vt. activities

By PATRICK JOY Staff Writer, The Rutland Herald [05/17/03]

A tobacco company by any other name is still a tobacco company, according to Vermont anti-smoking advocates.

Philip Morris has renamed itself Altria and has offered to finance events around the state. Advocates with the Coalition for a Tobacco-Free Vermont think the name change is a promotional ploy, an effort to sniff out new ways of selling cigarettes.

They say the tobacco giant has suddenly emerged as a prominent sponsor of several Vermont events. The coalition points to several recent sponsorships in the state to back up its claim.

One example is Altria’s sponsorship of the Vermont Mentorship Conference, held earlier this month. The conference, organized by the Vermont Mentoring Partnership, focused on pairing Vermont youth with adult role models in their communities.

The coalition says the conference initially accepted funding from Altria, but may have returned the money after the coalition raised questions about involving tobacco companies in youth-focused organizations.

“Philip Morris has worked both in direct and indirect ways to hook Vermont youth into a lifelong, deadly addiction to tobacco,” coalition director Christine Schlegel Brown wrote in an April 22 letter to Damon Tabor, executive director of the Vermont Mentoring Partnership.

“Accepting money from Altria is in direct conflict with the mission of the Vermont Mentoring Partnership to improve the lives of Vermont youth,” she wrote. “We urge you to return the sponsorship money from Altria. This important and empowering conference for our young people should not be tainted with big tobacco’s influence and money.”

Schlegel Brown said she heard the mentoring program had returned the money, but Tabor declined to comment on the Altria funds. Altria’s sponsorship division was unavailable for comment.

Phillip Morris Companies Inc. adopted the name Altria on Jan. 27, according to the company’s Web site. Altria Group Inc., is now the parent company of Kraft Foods, Philip Morris International, Philip Morris USA and Philip Morris Capital Corporation.

Altria Group is also the largest shareholder in the world’s second-largest brewer, Miller, holding a 36 percent economic stake in the beer company, according to its Web site. Altria says it employs 166,000 people in 150 countries.

The company’s critics say the name change is part of an image makeover that may confuse consumers.

“Most people don’t recognize Altria as Philip Morris,” Schlegel Brown said last week.

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The coalition has raised concerns about several other Altria sponsorships across the state. Altria is a silver sponsor of the Vermont Business and Industry Expo in Burlington, which is sponsoring a reception at the Expo at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain on May 21.

The center is named for Sen. Patrick Leahy, whose spokesman said he was confused by the Altria sponsorship. Spokesman David Carle said the idea for the reception at the Center was raised last fall, as was the possibility of a Philip Morris sponsorship.

Carle said that Leahy’s aides expressed disapproval and it was their understanding that Philip Morris would not be a sponsor.

“We thought this was settled last fall …,” he said. “Apparently there was some misunderstanding. It wasn’t until recent days when invitations came and Altria was listed as a sponsor (that we found out).”

Carle said that Leahy does not plan to attend the event, as the Senate will be in session. He said the senator disapproved of the sponsorship.

Vicky Tebbetts, spokesman for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, which runs the Expo, said there had been confusion between the Chamber and Leahy’s office.

“There’s been a misunderstanding, and we certainly apologize for that,” she said. “We’re sorry if we’ve caused the senator any difficulty.”

Tebbetts said, however, that she understood Altria would remain a sponsor for the event.

Schlegel Brown says the sponsorships are part of an increased presence by the former Philip Morris in the state.

“This is a new push,” Schlegel Brown said. “(Philip Morris) hasn’t been able to do any advertising to youth. …But now, since they changed their name to Altria, they are starting to sponsor events.”

According to its Web site, Altria contributed money in 2002 to the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington ($5,500), the Bennington County Meals Program ($5,000) and the Council on Aging for Southeastern Vermont Inc. in Springfield ($16,500). Grant awards for the current year are not yet listed.

Calls to Altria’s media relations department regarding sponsorships were referred to an answering machine message that asked callers to submit all requests for information in writing.

In addition to smaller nonprofit groups, Altria is also a silver sponsor for the Vermont Restaurant and Lodging Association. The VRLA says it promotes and advances hospitality and tourism in the state. Altria contributes $3,000 to the association.

Schlegel Brown and the coalition are concerned about the sponsorships. They also wonder if Altria funding is connected to the VLRA’s opposition to recent failed legislation that would have banned smoking in all bars and restaurants.

The bill, which stalled in committees in both the Vermont House and the Senate, proposed eliminating an exception in the state’s cabaret licenses, which currently allow smoking in establishments that earn more than 50 percent of their money through the sale of alcohol and entertainment.

“That association has opposed the bill,” she said. “And we saw this happen in all the other states like New York. (Philip Morris) adopted similar measures there.”

New York’s legislature recently banned smoking in all bars and restaurants, and Russell Sciandra, director of the Center for a Tobacco Free New York, says that Philip Morris used the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association in his state as a “mouthpiece” in its campaign against the bill.

“They were the primary opponent (to the bill),” he said of the ESRTA. “They were visible with the legislature and the media. It was (Philip Morris’) lobby, their mouthpiece.”

Kathy Sweeten, president of the VLRA, said there was no connection between Altria sponsorship and the VLRA’s position on the anti-smoking bill.

“They are just one of 10 people who sponsor us …” she said. “We are sponsored by Cabot Creamery, Burlington Food Service and American Express. There is no connection.”

Sweeten acknowledged that the VLRA is opposed to any legislation that would eliminate cabaret licenses.

“We feel that with the Indoor Air Act (of 1993), a compromise was reached to permit those businesses that wanted to accommodate smokers with the ability to do so with the cabaret license.”

Schlegel Brown wants all nonprofit groups to consider the consequences of accepting money from Altria, especially those with a youth focus.

“Altria is targeting youth nonprofits that need money in these tight economic times,” she said. “It’s another way to infiltrate and get teens to start smoking.”