Busy news day for October 13, 1999 – starting with Philip Morris Cos. is acknowledging that scientific evidence shows that smoking causes lung cancer and other deadly diseases, after decades of disputing the findings of the U.S. surgeon general and other medical authorities. In recent years Philip Morris, the nation’s largest cigarette maker, has moved closer to prevailing scientific opinion about the health risks of smoking, as it has faced increasing pressure from smoking-related lawsuits, regulators and Congress. On a new Internet site it is unveiling Wednesday as part of a $100 million corporate image campaign, the company unequivocally states there is an “overwhelming medical and scientific consensus that cigarette smoking causes” diseases including lung cancer, emphysema and heart disease.
It also states that smoking “is addictive as that term is most commonly used today.” Philip Morris’ move is part of a trend among tobacco producers to try to put health-related issues behind them, after agreeing in the last two years to pay $246 billion to settle lawsuits brought by states seeking to recover their Medicaid costs for treating ill smokers. By making more disclosures about smoking risks, tobacco producers also want to make it harder for those who start smoking now to sue by claiming they were unaware of the dangers.
Several anti smoking advocates who were read new statements by Philip Morris said they are a marked shift for the company. Previously, the company had contended, for example, that smoking was a “risk factor” or a “causal factor” in diseases such as lung cancer, not that it caused the diseases. “It is a profound change,” said Dr. David Kessler, the former head of the Food and Drug Administration, who launched a federal effort to regulate tobacco. “It really sets a new stage for regulation and legislation.” Matthew Myers, a lawyer with the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, an advocacy group in Washington, agreed but added that Philip Morris still had not taken the final step.
“The acknowledgments seem to be an abandonment once and for all of the campaign of sowing doubts in the minds of consumers,” said Myers. “But it falls a critical step short because it doesn’t say whether Philip Morris agrees with these conclusions.”.
And in other news – Wilt Chamberlain, the only player to score 100 points in an NBA game, died Tuesday at 63. There were signs that he might have had a heart attack, authorities said. ChamberKnown as “Wilt the Stilt” and “The Big starred Dipper,” in the the 7-foot-1 NBA from 1959 through Chamberlain 1973, when he played for the Philadel- San Francisco) Warriors, phia 76ers (later the and Lakers. He later stirred controversy with boasts of his sexual exploits. Chamberlain scored 31,419 points during his career, a record until Abdul-Jabbar broke it in 1984. Chamberlain never fouled out in 1,205 regular- season and play-off games. “Wilt was one of the greatest ever, and we will never see another one like him,” Abdul-Jabbar said.
And finally – The Supreme Court appeared ready Wednesday to weaken the federal law that bars age discrimination in the workplace. Some justices wondered whether the law is constitutional at all. In the case argued before the court, the narrow question was whether state employees who claim they were fired because they were too old can sue state government in federal court under federal law. That question plays into the court’s recent interest in protecting states from domination by Congress and the federal government. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor said “there is very little” evidence that Congress 1 focused on age bias in state government employment when it passed the law against age bias in 1967.
And that’s just a sample of what went on, this October 13, 1975 as reported by The CBS World News Roundup.
