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Media
release
April 22 2005
Tobacco
industry developed artificial nicotine
to trick governments and smokers
New research published in
international journal Addiction
Vagg
R, Chapman S. Nicotine analogues: a review of tobacco industry research
interests.
Addiction 2005;100:710-12.
The
international tobacco industry experimented with developing artificial
nicotine substitutes (nicotine “analogues”) in anticipation that
governments will one day regulate or ban nicotine, new research published
in the international journal Addiction
has found.
Reviewing
internal documents made available through US court action, Professor Simon
Chapman and Rosemary Vagg from the
School
of
Public Health
at the
University
of
Sydney
, found that commencing in the 1970s, three companies – Philip Morris,
British American Tobacco and RJ Reynolds – each developed nicotine
analogue research programs.
One company planned that the artificial nicotine could be used “in
countries where the legislation requires the reduction of nicotine…
D-nicotine could possibly be substituted for the natural product ” and
another noted that the products were “for eventual use, if nicotine
becomes prohibited.” The fake nicotine would allow them to claim
“nicotine-free” products even though the artificial nicotine was
present.(see pp705-6)
The companies were also concerned with the possible development of
nicotine antagonist vaccines which could “negate the effect of
nicotine and lead to the rejection of the smoking habit by some
consumers” and so wanted to develop nicotine-like substances they could
add to cigarettes which would not be affected by the vaccines.
Professor Chapman said that “Australian tobacco companies may well be
using these compounds in their cigarettes today. Because tobacco<>
is totally unregulated – unlike food, drink and pharmaceuticals -- there
is nothing preventing local companies spiking their products with these
artificial nicotines.”
“The so-called disclosure of ingredients that the companies have
published on websites include a catch-all group called “processing
aids” where the companies can bury any additive like nicotine analogues
that they don’t want to let governments and consumers to know
about. This is yet further evidence of why the government must pull
tobacco in from its regulatory no-man’s-land and demand to know all
ingredients and why they are added to cigarettes .”
For
comment: Professor Simon Chapman 0438 340304
See the full
paper
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