| Date:
Mon, Jun 11, 2001 6:47 PM
Subject: Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Reports June 11, 2001 Office of the Secretary Dear Mr. Secretary: Southern Research Groups works with the Mississippi Department of Health, The Georgia Department of Human Resources, Division of Public Health, The Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi, and many other health organizations and non-profit groups on important behavioral and attitude and awareness research studies. One of the most important issues we are working on at this time is tobacco prevention and tobacco cessation. It is based on this work that we submit our request for the continued issuance of periodic reports that detail marketing and promotional expenditures of tobacco manufacturers in the US. Not only is this information helpful as we continue to provide marketing research services to our clients, but it is also helpful to our clients as they strategically plan their programs to reduce tobacco use among adults and youth. We are proud to represent a state that is on the forefront in this effort. With the tight economy we are currently experiencing, legislators are looking for alternate sources of revenue to fund many other programs. We are able to use the information you provide to cement the importance of our efforts and secure the proper funding. We respectfully request that the FTC continue to collect and to report annually the periodic reports from cigarette and smokeless tobacco companies. We frequency utilize this type of information from the Internet in PDF format (Adobe Acrobat). Additionally, it would be helpful if the reports included state-by-state breakdowns of the reported marketing expenditures and brand-specific marketing expenditure data. On behalf of Southern Research Group, we thank you for your consideration and appreciate your efforts to maintain the publication of the periodic reports from tobacco companies. Sincerely, Lee Ann Mayo |