Broad Objectives Of Bat's Research Program, Circa 1983

BAT's primary objective in conducting research on environmental tobacco smoke was to develop a new cigarette that produced less sidestream smoke. However, by the end of 1983 BAT had added a second

primary objective to its ETS research program: to gather scientific data to refute the evidence that passive smoking is dangerous to health. This shift is shown in a document titled "Broad Objectives of the Group R&D Programme" {1180.14}. This document contains a series of tables describing eleven areas of research, corresponding loosely, but not exactly, to the work areas mentioned above. BAT's research on environmental tobacco smoke was considered both "defensive and offensive" in nature and was given a priority of 1. The main objectives of the program in this area were to "find ways of reducing the nuisance aspects of sidestream" and to "obtain scientific data to refute the alleged health risks of sidestream smoke" {1180.14} (see table 10.1, p. 433).

A document written by W. D. E. Irwin of BAT GR&DC and titled "Sidestream Research" confirms that BAT's main priorities for ETS research during the mid-1980s were to develop a low-sidestream cigarette and to conduct defensive research. This document appears to have been written in mid-1983, possibly in anticipation of BAT's research conference in Rio de Janeiro. It begins:

The B.C.A.C. [BAT Chairman's Advisory Committee] confirmed two requirements:

Again, it is noteworthy that BAT appeared more concerned with the irritative aspect of smoke than with whether passive smoking is dangerous to health. Its interest in health appeared to be limited to refuting any claims made by others about the effects of exposure to ETS.

Irwin then notes that a joint GR&DC/Marketing/Public Affairs Sidestream Working Party has been formed to coordinate BAT's effort to develop and market a low-sidestream product.

The Working Party will propose a programme of gradual reductions in sidestream emission levels as well as developing products taking maximum reductions. The former would be a safeguard to any future debate, but would not be communicated to the consumer at present [emphasis added]. {1180.24}

BAT appears to have been planning to make cigarettes with a range of sidestream emissions that would leave it free either to reduce sidestream smoke gradually, without informing the customer, or to introduce a radically new product if it were deemed marketable.

Irwin also summarizes BAT's research on cigarette papers that would reduce ETS emissions. Two types of papers were being evaluated: slow-burning papers and "sidestream filtration papers." However, the sidestream filtration papers did not appear to work well; two of them failed to reduce fresh sidestream irritation and smell {1180.24}.