Industry-Wide Research In The Uk, 1965

A report of a site visit in June 1965 to tobacco industry research facilities in England by Dr. R. B. Griffith, head of R&D at B&W, provides a glimpse at what had happened in the three years since the Southampton research conference. Dr. Griffith presented a report in person to high-level B&W executives on July 1, 1965, two days after his return. This presentation is summarized in a "Report to Executive Committee," marked "STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL " {1105.01}.

Dr. Griffith reported that the first set of mouse skin–painting studies from the Tobacco Research Council laboratory at Harrogate was scheduled for publication within the year. The results demonstrated once again that tobacco smoke condensate is carcinogenic to mouse skin. Contrary to hopes expressed at the Southampton research conference in 1962 {1102.01}, fresh condensate was found to be actually more carcinogenic than old condensate. Griffith notes,

Scientists with whom I talked were unanimous in their opinion that smoke is weakly carcinogenic under certain conditions and that efforts should be made to reduce this activity [emphasis added]. {1105.01, p. 2}

Griffith stops short of saying that this "weakly carcinogenic activity" commonly leads to cancer in humans. By this time, statistician Sir Ronald Fisher, a consultant for the British tobacco industry, had conceded that epidemiological evidence established that there was a real association between smoking and lung cancer (12).

"Most people" Dr. Griffith spoke with in the United Kingdom were also worried about the potentially adverse impact of the reports from Harrogate {1105.01, p. 2}. At least one person expressed concern "that the Harrogate report may bring about some type of industry regulation by agencies of the British government" {1105.01, p. 2}. Moreover, "The personal opinion was expressed that the Harrogate report, and the possible repercussions in England, would have a significant impact on the American tobacco industry" {1105.01, p. 2}.

At the same time, industry scientists at Harrogate were actively working on ways to reduce the toxicity of smoke by various means. They

had found, for example, that a charcoal filter and a PEG (polyethylene glycol)-treated cellulose acetate filter substantially reduced carcinogenic activity when equal weights of tar were tested. These results offered some hope of a safer cigarette.

The Harrogate lab was being doubled in size, and new machinery for the manufacture of condensate and smoke was under development. The lab staff was seeking the ability to process tobacco and to make its own cigarettes, but the R&D staff at BAT (Southampton) and at Imperial Tobacco (Bristol) were concerned that the Harrogate lab might thereby become too independent of the sponsoring tobacco companies.

The Imperial Tobacco laboratory at Bristol was in a rapid growth phase as well. (Imperial Tobacco was, and is, one of the largest tobacco companies in Great Britain.) Dr. Griffith notes:

Their entire laboratory facilities are operating on a "crash" basis on the smoking and health problem and activity was evident at the Director level. Two more floors are already planned for their new smoke research facilities (less than two years old) and every project in their new process development facility was concerned with this research. Their approach seems to be to find ways of obtaining maximum nicotine for minimum tar. Approaches being used include:

I was told that they were making moves to be in a position where 30% of their production could be dual filter production by June 1966. Arrangements had been made with Cigarette Components for production of P.E.I. treated filter cigarettes which will be submitted for biological testing this August [emphasis added]. {1105.01, p. 2}

The Imperial scientists at Bristol were approaching the problem by concentrating on boosting nicotine dose to achieve a lower dose of tars. As discussed in chapter 3, PEI, when used as a filter additive, boosts free nicotine delivery {1205.03}. This research strategy is consistent with the view that people smoke in order to receive a dose of nicotine. The real task, then, was to reduce the delivery of other combustion by-products that cause cancer.

The German tobacco industry was developing a lab similar to the one at Harrogate. In addition, BAT had arranged for biological testing at Battelle in Frankfurt, Germany, while Imperial Tobacco had made similar arrangements with a private lab in England. Dr. Griffith felt that these

latter two operations would be used for commercial purposes. The Battelle operation was a branch of the same industrial laboratory that had conducted BAT's nicotine research in Geneva a few years earlier (see chapter 3). Battelle's work on tobacco carcinogenesis for BAT was known within the company as Project Janus (see below).

Ed Finch, the president of B&W, had been away when Dr. Griffith presented his report to the executive committee on July 1. Dr. Griffith briefed Finch upon the latter's return. A July 19, 1965, memo from Dr. Griffith to Finch, with copies to J. G. Crume and to the general counsel, Addison Yeaman, reviews this meeting {1106.01}. In this memo Dr. Griffith indicates that, in his opinion, the adverse information from Harrogate—that fresh condensate is more carcinogenic than old condensate—will not provoke a "significant" public reaction but might precipitate government intervention. Therefore,

The company should take steps to place itself in best possible position to minimize chances of government intervention by

The memo continues,

In the discussion of these points it was agreed that a modified LIFE [brand of cigarette] would represent the best company approach to a "safer" cigarette and that work on such a cigarette should be started as soon as possible. Approaches discussed were:

The filter modifications were those that research at Harrogate had indicated would reduce carcinogenic activity of smoke condensate. The PEI additive increases the proportion of free nicotine. Potassium carbonate was used to reduce benzpyrene levels {1109.01, p. 2}. (By 1967, though, it was suspected that, despite the reduction in resulting benzpyrene level, potassium carbonate treatment resulted in increased carcinogenicity in mouse skin tests.)

Dr. Griffith also argues that B&W should have its own biological testing program, preferably based in the United States. Moreover, B&W should maintain control over the publication of any results, doubtless to avoid other instances of the expected embarrassment from the publication of the Harrogate results:

Changes in biological activity must be measured by a reputable organization willing to make the results public only upon request. {1106.01, p. 2}

The memo closes on an unresolved note:

No decisions were made and the question of biological tests was tabled for further discussion at a later date. {1106.01, p. 2}

There is no evidence in the documents that Dr. Griffith ever got his wish that B&W conduct biological testing as part of product development in this country.