| Date:
Wed, Jun 6, 2001 11:40 AM
Subject: Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Reports Response to: Notice on Continued Publication of the FTC's Reports on Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco Dear Commisioners, I am writing in strong support of the continuation of the FTC's Reports on Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco Advertising. These reports have been invaluable to me, my colleagues, and other researchers who study tobacco advertising and promotional strategies. I am a public health researcher who has used the reports to understand shifiting tobacco advertising strategies and their implications for tobacco control. Much of my research examines retail outlet advertising of tobacco products, and the FTC data clearly show that this has been the number one spending category of the tobacco companies since 1985. In fact, the FTC reports were the impetus for much of our research when we noticed the increasing spending of the tobacco companies on Retailer Promotional Allowances. I have attached a copy of one of our studies recently published in the scientific journal Tobacco Control that cites the FTC reports several times. In addition, I have also included a reference for another study that has looked explicitly at Retailer Promotional Allowances and shows that nearly 78% of the promotional allowance money given to small retailers comes from the tobacco companies. These reports have provided essential information for practitioners and researchers and it would jeapordize our efforts to promote public health through decreasing use of tobacco products if they were discontinued. Thank you for your consideration of this issue, Kurt M. Ribisl, PhD |