DIVISION CASTS SHADOW OVER SUCCESS OF TALKS [05/15]

As reported in today's BOSTON GLOBE, there is a growing schism between some establishment medical organizations and most independent antismoking organizations, and this "casts a shadow over the prospect of an agreement" in the settlement negotiations now going on.

The American Cancer Society and American Heart Association, which are in partnership with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, have apparently now gone back to the negotiating table, after previously announcing that "ACS and the other voluntary health agencies have decided not to join the [settlement] talks directly "so that we can maintain our objectivity and properly play our role as advocates for the public . . ."

They also recently joined with a number of other organizations -- none of them antismoking organizations -- to announce a basis upon which they would seek to reach a settlement.

However it appears that the American Lung Association, which typically has joined with the Cancer and Heart groups in smoking-related activities, did not join in that announcement, and will retain its "objectivity" by not joining the settlement talks directly.

Thus, even with the announced addition of a second physician representing still another medical association, there are no independent antismoking organizations at the bargaining table, and many are complaining that they are not being invited or are even being shut out of meetings to help coordinate a position and strategy for the antismoking community.

Below are excerpts from today's article in the BOSTON GLOBE.

EXCERPTS:

Public health groups, which have been struggling to maintain a unified front in the battle against smoking, have instead become deeply divided over whether a legal settlement should be struck with cigarette makers.

The divisions among tobacco opponents based here cast a shadow over the prospect of an agreement - a proposed pact exchanging cash and restrictions on cigarette sales for limits on future lawsuits - being negotiated by plaintiff lawyers, attorneys general and lawyers for the tobacco industry.

If there is a deal and it is sent to Congress for approval and then to the White House, some observers say, a lack of unified support from the public health community could make President Clinton reluctant to give it his signature.

"This won't fly unless there's universal support, and everyone knows that," said John Banzhaf, a longtime tobacco opponent and director of Action on Smoking and Health.

Banzhaf said a "very deep schism has developed" between smaller, more aggressive anti-smoking groups and the more established health organizations.

Several longtime antitobacco activists say that cigarette companies cannot be trusted and that talking with them is tantamount to making a deal with the devil.

They point to other times in the last 30 years when the industry has appeared to have made big concessions but has ended up on top. They cite the use of health warning labels that ended up protecting the industry from liability and the industry's efforts to get around radio and TV advertising bans through merchandising schemes and suggestive print campaigns.

On the other side are more established groups, such as the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, which is in partnership with the American Medical Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association. These established groups have representatives at the table, negotiating with cigarette makers.

But others contend that the more established health groups have something to gain from a settlement. The cigarette companies have promised hundreds of millions of dollars for research and educational and antismoking programs, a reliable source of funding for these nonprofit organizations for years to come.

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