Perjury By Tobacco Executives [02/20-2]

A USA TODAY editorial focuses the current Washington talk on perjury on the tobacco industry. Here are excerpts from that editorial.

"Cigarette smoking is not addictive." -- William Campbell, CEO of Philip Morris, in testimony April 14, 1994, before the House Subcommittee on Health and the Environment. "Under some definitions cigarette smoking is addictive." -- Geoffrey Bible, CEO of Philip Morris, in testimony Jan. 29, 1998, before the House Commerce Committee.

Four years ago, Big Tobacco's seven top CEOs appeared before a congressional subcommittee and swore that cigarettes are no more addictive than Twinkies.

A slew of secret industry documents released in recent weeks shows those statements weren't true. And evidence is mounting that the CEOs knew it.

There are other sworn statements that don't pass the truth test. Among them:

"We do not market to children." -- James Johnston, CEO of R.J. Reynolds, to House subcommittee April 14, 1994.Oh, really? Secret R.J. Reynolds documents released last month by Rep. Henry Waxman show that since 1974 the company has been trying to attract smokers as young as 13. It aimed Joe Camel ads at kids and pursued a teen market because "they represent tomorrow's cigarette business."

"Philip Morris does not manipulate . . . the level of nicotine." -- Campbell to House subcommittee April 14,1994.Yet industry documents released last week in Minnesota's suit against Big Tobacco show the industry found ways of boosting the nicotine dosage in cigarettes. Among the techniques used by Philip Morris, Brown & Williamson, R.J. Reynolds and Lorillard: treating tobacco with ammonia to increase its "nicotine kick."

Reps. Marty Meehan and Waxman have been pushing the Justice Department to pursue perjury prosecutions against tobacco CEOs. The threat of jail time has scared some sense into tobacco honchos. In recent months, industry executives testifying in state lawsuits have begun pleading the Fifth when asked what the industry knows about the health dangers of smoking. And there's talk they'll revive earlier attempts to get immunity as part of the proposed national tobacco settlement.

That shouldn't happen. The simple truth is that secrets the executives held and lies they told encouraged people to smoke and ultimately to die. Since their first congressional appearance alone, more than 4 million Americans have started smoking.

A year remains before the statute of limitations expires. If the executives committed perjury, they should be prosecuted.

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