[Virginia GASP]     2011 Tobacco Shareholder Meetings

How Much is a Life Worth -- to the Tobacco Executives?
Here are reports on just three tobacco shareholder meetings in 2011:
2011 Reynolds American, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A., May 6, 2011,
No Smoking in the meeting; companies and board of directors listed
2011 Philip Morris International, New York, New York, U.S.A., May 11, 2011,
No Smoking in the meeting; companies and board of directors listed
2011 Altria, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A., May 19, 2011,
No Smoking in the meeting; companies and board of directors listed

Included here are
--  a general overall view of each meeting,
--  the health resolution(s) presented and the company's stated opposition to the resolution,
--  some Questions and Answers from the meeting,
--  and media articles on the meetings. 

The tobacco company shareholder meetings present an opportunity to try to address the irresponsible actions of tobacco companies, with a hope of creating a change towards responsibility.  These are both moral issues and health issues.   The comments given by the tobacco companies in their opposing of even modest proposals may be useful in understanding these companies.

The tobacco companies continue to manufacture and market products which addict and kill their consumers, and sicken and kill those breathing the smoke from the ignited products.
 

In addition to this complete lack of responsibility, tobacco companies such as Reynolds American, market  "American Spirit" proclaiming it to be additive free, without reference to the fact that it is still a nicotine filled product, still addicts, still kills regardless of how "natural" it may be, and how apparently abusive the company's approach to the misuse of the legacy of native Americans might be.

Media coverage of these meetings has been greatly reduced over the last several years.  The audio web cast of the PMI and the Altria meetings has reduced the number of journalists attending those meetings.  The few articles on these meetings are excerpted at 2011 Newest Entries
  with specific references given below.
Media articles: 
Reynolds American meeting:  Reynolds American Takes Step

Philip Morris International meeting:  Louis Camilleri on addiction

Altria meeting:  Addiction, and comments at meeting 





2011 REYNOLDS AMERICAN, INC.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.A.
May 6, 2011, No Smoking in the meeting
Reynolds American, Inc. owns:
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco
American Snuff Co.
Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co.
Niconovum AB (nicotine gum, mouth spray, pouches)

Reynolds American, Inc. Board of Directors:

Luc Jobin, exec. vp & chief financial officer Canadian National Railway Co.
Nana Mensah, CEO XPORTS, Inc. (food, pharmaceuticals),
he serves on boards of Children's Miracle Network, Kentucky Children's Hospital
John J. Zillmer, CEO Univar (industrial chemicals)
John P. Daly, director & formerly chief operating officer BAT (British American Tobacco),
experienced in tobacco & pharmaceuticals
BAT owns approximately 42% of Reynolds American, Inc.
Daniel M. Delen, the new CEO of Reynolds American, Inc.
Holly K. Koeppel, co-head Citi Infrastructure Investors, formerly with Am. Electric Power Co.
H. (Hugo) Powell, retired as CEO Interbrew S.A.
Thomas C . Wajnert, non-executive chair of board of RAI, formerly with various financial services
Martin D. Feinstein, chair Farmers Group, Inc. (insurance)
Lionel L. Nowell, III, retired as sr. vp and treas. PepsiCo,
serves on boards of Am. Electric Power Co., Ohio State Univ. college business
Neil R. Withington, dir., counsel, BAT

Reynolds American Inc. has moved in the last few years to tighten their meetings,
generally decreasing the time for activist shareholders to speak out.  There used to be time for several people to speak in favor of or opposition to shareholder proposals.  In recent years, no one is allowed to speak to a resolution except for the presenter of the resolution with two minutes allotted for this, and two minutes for a person seconding the resolution.  Additionally, the question and answer session, while limited to 15 minutes in the past, was expanded slightly to 25 minutes, which includes both the questions, and the answers given by the company. 

Tobacco smoke used to be present like a terrible suffocating fog across the room in past years,
and especially near the microphones where the activists would come to speak.  The lights used to be focused on the activists as they spoke, and the glare was reminiscent of early movies of detectives interrogating criminals.  The lights were so bright, they were blinding to the person at the mike, one could not see the stage and the CEO.  Blinded by the lights, and choking from the smoke, the activists persevered.

But now the auditorium where the Reynolds' meetings are currently held has been no-smoking since 2005,
ever since Anne Morrow Donley brought a respirator to the meeting, and asked that the meeting be no-smoking.  She noted the health hazards for all there from secondhand smoke, and had brought the mask because she feared for the continuing assault on her lungs and health.  After much discussion back and forth that very morning, including providing Donley with an option to be in a separate room where she could hear but not speak, she refused this, and an option where she could stand outside the auditorium and have a microphone, but they found the wireless mike would not work there, the company's administration decided to make the auditorium itself a no-smoking zone for the meeting that day, and each shareholders' meeting since then.  Further information on this is given at the 2005 link above.

At the 2011 meeting, for example, a sign in the hallway proclaimed that as a "courtesy" there would be no-smoking in the meeting.

This meeting was the first one featuring the new president and chief executive officer, Daniel M. Delen,
though the business meeting itself was conducted by Thomas C. Wajnert, Chairman of the Board.  Susan Ivey had retired as CEO in February of 2011, having proven quite successfully that women are not necessarily nurturing by nature, but apparently can appear to be just as pathological and evil as some male corporate leaders.

Activists attending the 2011 meeting were
the Rev. Michael Crosby OFMCap., from Wisconsin, the tobacco coordinator with the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), who oversees the resolutions to be presented to the companies.  These resolutions must go through the federal government's Securities and Exchange Commission and receive approval to be presented at the meetings. 

Also present were Edward L. Sweda, Jr., his report is given on this page, senior attorney with the Tobacco Product Liability Project in Massachusetts;
Anne Morrow Donley
from Virginia;
and Dr. Sharon Brown from Pennsylvania, representing The Nightingales Nurses, an activist nurses' association focused on Big Tobacco; her report is on this page.


Several representatives of the farm workers were present in the auditorium as well as outside the building on the sidewalk in a protest demonstration for humane treatment of migrant farm workers.  More is given about this further down the page.




Please Note:   This is how the company's official minutes recorded the input from shareholders in the presentation of  resolutions and the Question and Answer session.
EXCERPTS from the Minutes of the 2011 Reynolds American meeting, McDara P. Folan, III, Secretary.  
Mr. Wajnert explained that each shareholder proposal would be allowed one proponent and one seconder, each having two minutes to address the meeting.  Representatives of the proponents of each of the three shareholder proposals then presented and seconded each of the respective shareholder proposals.  Mr. Wajnert followed each second with a statement of the Company's position regarding the respective proposal and also indicated that each of the proposals was opposed by the Company's Board of Directors.

The Chairman stated that the next item on the agenda was the general question and answer period.  Mr. Wajnert opened the floor to general questions and responded to them.  Each speaker was limited to two minutes.  The question and answer period was limited to a total of approximately 25 minutes.  At the end of the question and answer period, Mr. Wajnert directed that any additional questions or comments be submitted on cards located at the back of the meeting room.



An excellent overview of this meeting has been posted by Edward L. Sweda, Jr., on the web site of PHAI -- the Public Health Advocacy Institute in Massachusetts.  An excerpt is given here:
The 2011 Annual Shareholders Meeting of Reynolds American, Inc. (RAI) took place on a day when Daniel Delen, who took over as chief executive and president of the company in March, made what was billed as a major pronouncement.  Noting the findings of a major study entitled  “A State of Fear: Human Rights Abuses in North Carolina’s Tobacco Industry,"  by Oxfam America and the Farm Labor Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO (FLOC)  of the conditions under which tobacco farm workers in North Carolina do their work in the fields, Mr. Delen proposed that a multi-party council be formed to address these labor issues.  Additionally, he publicly pledged to use an independent, third-party monitor to analyze the issue of the conditions under which these workers labor at U.S.-based farms that supply essential product to RAI.

A front-page article in the May 7, 2011 edition of the Winston-Salem Journal, entitled  “Reynolds American Takes Step,”  quoted [the] Rev. Michael Crosby of the Interfaith Center for Corporate Responsibility: “I see a glimmer of hope on an issue we have been raising for a number of years.  For your willingness to participate with stakeholders, I sprinkle holy water on you.  Yet, because these discussions are going on at the highest levels with Altria and Philip Morris International, I would urge you to take the same level here.”

Mr. Delen’s promises, which will be put to the test in the upcoming weeks and months, stand in contrast to the public position of previous C.E.O. Susan Ivey, who insisted that RAI had no responsibility to take steps to improve working conditions of farm workers who labor under often unsafe working conditions on farms run by Reynolds’ suppliers.

Response to Litigation – More of the Same

However, on the litigation front, RAI management is as rigid as ever.  During the question and answer session, to which RAI allotted all of 25 minutes – fully ten minutes more than at the 2010 Annual Shareholders Meeting – I  [Edward L. Sweda, Jr.] addressed the major legal problems that R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is facing in the Engle Progeny litigation in Florida.  Shareholders are allowed up to two minutes to ask a question (a video board at the front of the meeting room featured a large numeric countdown from “2:00” once a shareholder began to speak); I mentioned that since February 2009, there have been 43 Engle Progeny trials that have reached a verdict and that 30 out of those 43 have been plaintiff verdicts.  Just a week before the shareholders meeting, a jury in Jacksonville, where a disproportionately large number of the remaining 8,000 to 9,000 lawsuits yet to be tried are located, hit RAI with a $17 million punitive damages award.  Furthermore, the company is appealing its multi-million dollar loss in the Martin case and must prevail in an uphill climb to convince the Florida Supreme Court to reverse its own 2006 landmark ruling in the Engle class-action case.

I concluded my remarks by asking whether the company, for the good of its shareholders, would move away from its current policy of refusing to settle these Engle Progeny cases.

Mark Holton, RAI’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, responded by reiterating the company’s stated opposition to settling any of these cases and said that he was “confident that the Engle process violates due process” and  that the company’s legal arguments are strong and would ultimately prevail.  Though no follow-up questions are allowed, I commented that “the risk [for the company] is there.”

Shareholder Resolutions

Two important shareholder resolutions called on the company to address concerns regarding tobacco flavoring and to create human rights protocols for the company and its suppliers.

Flavorings

Noting that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has found that the smoking of flavored cigarettes is more popular among youth than among adults, the proponents offered  this resolution “that, because youth initiation of tobacco products is influenced by the flavoring, shareholders request that, within six months of Reynolds American Inc.’s annual meeting, the Board of Directors move to ensure that RAI stops the production of any of its tobacco products with such flavoring added, as well as their distribution and their marketing, unless and until it can be proven by independent and evidence-based research that such added flavors do not contribute to youth initiation of tobacco use.”  Father Michael Crosby introduced the resolution while Anne Morrow Donley of Virginia seconded it (their remarks were limited to two minutes each).

RAI management, of course, opposed the resolution, falling back on the contention that the “flavorings utilized on our operating companies’ tobacco products are legally permitted.”  The resolution was defeated with 3 million shares being voted “Yes” with 397 million “No.”

Human Rights

A major threat to the health of tobacco farm workers is Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS), which occurs when the skin absorbs nicotine after touching the tobacco plants.  Another significant concern regarding Reynolds American, Inc. is that it receives leaf from Malawi, a country in which child labor in tobacco fields takes place.

This resolution stated that “shareholders request Reynolds American Tobacco Inc. Board of Directors to commit itself to create effective procedures to implement protocols ensuring basic worker rights consistent with internationally agreed-upon human rights conventions in the countries which supply its tobacco and to find ways to ensure, through truly independent monitoring, that its varied suppliers are enforcing these protocols as well as all other pertinent laws of the nations in which its suppliers operate.”

Father Crosby introduced the resolution while I seconded it.  RAI’s opposition to this resolution attempted to pass off any responsibility on this issue onto the already overburdened regulatory apparatus of state and federal governments in the United States.  Management also claimed that “RAI and its operating companies strive to comply with all laws and regulations.”  In my allotted two minutes, I noted that, as an individual, I do not “strive to comply with laws, I comply with laws.”  I noted that, while there would be serious consequences for me if I failed to comply with laws, there seem to be no consequences for RAI or its suppliers failing to comply with basic laws and regulations governing worker health and safety.


During the Question and Answer time, several members of FLOC lined up to speak articulately and passionately about the problems of migrant workers, including the plight of the young and adult children of these workers.
Justin Flores of FLOC during the question and answer session invited and urged the board of directors to visit the tobacco farms and tour them with FLOC.  Thomas C. Wajnert, Chairman of the Board of Reynolds American reiterated the statements made that morning about working out the problems but did not address the invitation itself.  Whereupon, Justin Flores responded, "I take it that's a 'No'."

The Oxfam/FLOC Report was mentioned several times at the meeting.

Edward L. Sweda, Jr. asked a question related to litigation and the company's stand on not settling cases.

Dr. Sharon Brown, with the Nightingales Nurses, as mentioned above, was present at the 2011 meeting, and here are excerpts from her report.
Of particular interest this year were the actions of farm laborers and their representative union [FLOC], who jammed the mike with important and pointed questions about what Reynolds was planning re:  making sure that their contracted tobacco growers exhibited real and demonstrable evidence of verifiable adequate living and working conditions as they labored away for the tobacco production necessary for Reynolds' bottom line.  Outside the building, after the shareholders' part of the meeting was over, these same laborers, FLOC & other AFL-CIO union members [Reynolds has refused for years to allow their employees to unionize], and activists marched and chanted  and spoke with the press about the need for Reynolds' commitment to true human rights reform for farm workers.  After nearly an hour of marching up & down the sidewalk in front of the building, they took to the streets of Winston-Salem - all ~ 150 of them - followed by a full contingency of Winston-Salem's finest.  It was a great sight to see!

My question?  Didn't get to ask any, as I was physically impeded to exit my row by an extremely large Reynolds employee who stuck his leg out as I was trying to get out to the mike.  Although the "rules of the meeting" indicated that they were allowing 25 minutes for shareholders' questions, in actuality, they cut off the mike well before that.  As others left the line when told that the "Q & A is over," an equally large Reynolds employee (compared to my blocker) who had been standing/towering over those who dared to come to ask their questions, sternly chastised me that there were "NO more questions!"  I stood my ground, told him that I had a "point of order" and refused to leave till I was begrudgingly recognized by the chair.  I stressed that they had committed to hear questions for 25 minutes, but had not done so; and, requested that they minimally extend the time to meet their previously stated time frame.  He stated that "we have a meeting to conduct, and are on a tight timeline."  To which I asked, "so, you are stating that you are not interested in hearing the concerns of your shareholders?" His response -- "the meeting will continue . . ."

Reynolds American Inc. -- SHAREHOLDER  RESOLUTIONS
These must go through a government process with the Security and Exchange Commission, the persons or group submitting the resolution and the corporation each meet with their attorneys and the SEC, to see if it can be presented at the annual meeting.

As noted in the excerpt above from Edward L. Sweda, Jr.'s report, two resolutions prepared by The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order, and by Trinity Health, were presented at the Reynolds American Inc. meeting.  The vast majority of the shares have submitted their votes before the meeting.  British American Tobacco owns 42% of Reynolds American, and has a presence on the board of directors.

There was a third resolution on Elimination of Classified Board which Reynolds American also opposed.  It was not connected with those concerned with the health resolutions.

The Reynolds' rules are that shareholders are allowed only two minutes to present the resolution, two minutes for a second to the resolution, and no one else is allowed to speak in support or in opposition to the resolution.  Both resolutions were defeated.  The SEC rules state how high the percentage of votes must be for the resolution to be brought back a second time, a higher percentage for a third time, etc.

Below you will find the text of these two resolutions, and the opposing statement from Reynolds American for each of these resolutions.

The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order prepared this resolution on flavorings in tobacco products.  At the May 6, 2011 meeting, the Rev. Michael Crosby presented the resolution, and Anne Morrow Donley seconded the resolution.

2011
REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.

Stop All Further Sales of Tobacco Products with Added Flavorings
Until Independent Research Proves They Are Not Significant Factors in Youth Use

WHEREAS Reynolds American Inc., unlike its main U.S. competitor, regularly advertises its tobacco products in media outlets that are not directly oriented to youth but are read by many. Among these are magazines like Sports Illustrated and Entertainment. It also places inserts in weekly newspapers that are freely available and feature material attractive to youth. Some of these feature Camel tobacco products (especially SNUS) that come in different flavors such as “frost,” “mellow,” “robust” and “winterchill.”

Flavorings and other additives are widely used in cigarettes and other tobacco products to increase the palatability or attractiveness of tobacco smoke and usage, particularly for young people.

The United States Food and Drug Administration has shown that the smoking of flavored cigarettes is far more popular among younger people than among older people. It also noted that a March, 2008 poll that found that one in five youngsters between 12-17 had seen flavored tobacco products or ads, while only one in 10 adults reported having seen them. It also showed evidence that youth between 13-18, 52% of smokers who had heard of flavored cigarettes reported interest in trying them and nearly 60% thought that flavored cigarettes would taste better than regular cigarettes.”

The FDA also has stated that an important way to reduce the death and disease caused by smoking is to prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke. Studies have shown that 17 year old smokers are three times as likely to use flavored cigarettes as are smokers over the age of 25. In addition to being more attractive to young people, flavored products make it easier for new smokers to start smoking by masking the unpleasant flavor of tobacco. Studies have also demonstrated that young people believe that flavored tobacco products are safer than unflavored tobacco products.

RESOLVED, that, because youth initiation of tobacco products is influenced by their flavoring, shareholders request that, within six months of Reynolds American Inc.’s annual meeting, the Board of Directors move to ensure that RAI stops the production of any of its tobacco products with such flavoring added, as well as their distribution and their marketing, unless and until it can be proven by independent and evidence-based research that such added flavors do not contribute to youth initiation of tobacco use.

Supporting Statement

Flavored tobacco products are just as addictive and have the same types of harmful effects as regular tobacco products. Removing these flavored products from the market is important because it removes an avenue that young people can use to begin regular tobacco use. Reynolds American Inc. management says it does not want to influence young people to use its tobacco products. The FDA has said that the removal from the market of tobacco products that contain certain characterizing flavors is an important step in our Nation’s efforts to reduce the burden of illness and death caused by tobacco products. Support for this resolution will be an important step in ensuring that this goal can be achieved.



The Reynolds American Inc. Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.

RAI and its operating companies strive to operate in a responsible manner that best balances the desires of our many stakeholders. Our Guiding Principles and Beliefs (available at www.reynoldsamerican.com/values.cfm) seek to reflect the interest of shareholders, consumers, employees, and other stakeholders.

This proposal would prohibit production of tobacco products with "flavoring added" until "it can be proven by independent and evidence-based research that such added flavors do not contribute to youth initiation of tobacco use." Most U.S. cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products use flavorings. The flavorings utilized in our operating companies' tobacco products are legally permitted. Moreover, the ability to manufacture and market tobacco products with taste profiles that appeal to adult tobacco consumers is central to our operating companies' businesses.

This proposal should be rejected for several reasons. First, this proposal is unnecessary. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 bans the manufacture and sale of cigarettes that have a characterizing flavor other than tobacco or menthol and gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, referred to as the FDA, ongoing legal authority over the use of flavorings in other tobacco products as well. This proposal thus ignores the fact that the issue of flavorings added to tobacco products was recently considered by Congress and is currently subject to ongoing oversight by the FDA. Our operating companies' practices with respect to tobacco flavorings fully conform to that congressional judgment and agency oversight.

Second, since most tobacco products contain some flavoring added to the tobacco, this proposal would affect most of the tobacco products sold by certain of our operating companies. The proposal would require those operating companies to stop selling those tobacco products until an indeterminate future date based on an indeterminate standard. Thus, this proposal would have an extreme adverse impact on those operating companies' current business operations and an extraordinary adverse impact on their future competitive posture resulting from having to withdraw those products from the marketplace for an unknown period of time.

Third, this proposal is predicated on an assumption that tobacco products with "flavoring added" appeal to youth -- a claim for which there is no evidence cited in the proposal. Importantly, this proposal ignores the fact that adults consume more than 98% of all tobacco products sold in the United States.

Finally, the proposal effectively asks RAI to prove a negative (i.e., "that such added flavors do not contribute to youth initiation of tobacco use") and, given the numerous and complex factors associated with youth tobacco use, thereby imposes a standard that is likely impossible to achieve.

Therefore, your Board of Directors urges you to vote AGAINST this proposal.


The second resolution had been presented in the past, encompassing Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS), an acute nicotine poisoning where the nicotine directly enters the skin and body of the harvester, worsened when the tobacco leaves are wet, and can cause severe nausea, vomiting, and death; encompassing shameful treatment of migrant workers.  This was prepared by The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order and supported by Trinity Health.  At the May 6 meeting, The Rev. Michael Crosby put the resolution, and it was seconded by Edward L. Sweda, Jr.

Please note that this resolution had also been prepared in past years and for 2011 for the Philip Morris International shareholders' meeting, but was withdrawn, and a statement read regarding that, after PMI had moved forward with positive steps to address some of the concerns on the plight of migrant workers, including agreeing to the use of an independent external monitor of their actions on this.

2011
REYNOLDS AMERICAN INC.

Create Human Rights Protocols for the Company and Its Suppliers

Whereas, corporations have a responsibility to ensure their total “supply chain” is uncorrupted by practices that deny basic human rights for workers, especially corporations with global sourcing like ours.

Corporations incur a reputational risk when their suppliers undermine workers’ basic human rights, such as the right to health (see the Universal Declaration of Human Rights [25], the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights [Art. 12] and the ILO Convention [155]).

In the United States, while RAI doesn’t directly hire farm workers, it contracts with suppliers who do. When their farm workers are not organized, basic worker rights can be easily violated. This abuse is aggravated when they are undocumented.

In the USA, "many farm workers believe they will be fired and lose their income if they get sick or work too slowly. Green tobacco sickness is an environmental justice issue, part of the growing concern that poor, minority and medically underserved populations bear a disproportionate share of environmental and occupational health risks” (Sara A. Quandt, Ph.D., Science Daily, 02.24.00).

 A key problem of tobacco harvesters for RAI is acute nicotine poisoning, Green Tobacco Sickness (GTS). This occurs when the skin absorbs nicotine from touching tobacco plants (McKnight, Spiller: Public Health Rep. 2005; 120.6). GTS threatens 33 million+ tobacco farm workers globally (WHO, 1999 World Bank).

Malawi is a key leaf supplier for our products. Besides being highly susceptible to forms of GTS, countless children are being forced unwillingly into slave-like situations to provide leaf for RAI products.

Despite RAI’s statement that it has hired “independent” monitors to ensure that it is not violating U.S. laws and human rights, its U.S. suppliers continue to hire undocumented workers and, in places like Malawi, forced child labor persists, so much so that the U.S. Department of Labor has listed Malawi’s tobacco production as particularly egregious.

RESOLVED shareholders request Reynolds American Tobacco Inc. Board of Directors to commit itself to create effective procedures to implement the internationally agreed-upon core human rights conventions in the countries from which it gets its tobacco and to find ways to ensure, through truly independent monitoring, that its varied suppliers are enforcing these as well as pertinent laws of the nations in which its suppliers operate.

Supporting Statement

This resolution’s sponsors believe RAI cannot dismiss the above problems by saying its suppliers “report” they comply with codes covering farm workers’ basic rights and that no forced child labor takes place in tobacco fields supplying RAI product. Continual data shows such problems are not being redressed here nor abroad. There must be truly independent verification of the kind that has not yet been effective for RAI.  Because farm workers continue to make this Company healthy; it has the obligation to ensure their health.

Support for this proposal will help ensure our profits and dividends are not being realized by exploiting “the least” of our brothers and sisters. Please support it so “good news” may come to those who are poor for whom we bear responsibility as shareholders.



The Reynolds American response, pages 85-86 of the Proxy Statement.

Your Board of Directors recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.

The Board believes that this shareholder proposal to require RAI to create human rights protocols for the company and its suppliers would not be in the best interests of RAI and its shareholders. This proposal previously has come before shareholders for their consideration at our 2008, 2009 and 2010 annual meetings. This proposal was defeated by shareholders at all three meetings, with only 11.13%, 12.99% and 9.77% of the shares voting at such meetings supporting the proposal.

RAI and its major operating companies are U.S. companies that conduct business almost exclusively in the United States and Puerto Rico. Over 99% of the companies' total tobacco sales revenue, excluding contract manufacturing for other tobacco companies, is generated from the U.S. market.

The United States has an extensive foundation of federal, state and local laws and regulations that support human rights. In addition, these laws are enforced by federal and state regulatory agencies and through direct access to the courts by individuals. RAI and its operating companies strive to comply with all laws and regulations, we do not believe it is appropriate for RAI and its operating companies to assume the regulatory and enforcement role of the federal, state and local governments.

Reynolds American and its operating companies further support human rights considerations as follows:

* The RAI Board has adopted and reaffirmed a "Statement on Our Efforts to Support Human Rights."

* All employees are required to adhere to the RAI Code of Conduct and certify such on a yearly basis. The Code of Conduct includes clear expectations relating to employment practices, relationships with suppliers and customers, adherence to governmental regulations, and other aspects of how we conduct our businesses which are supportive of fundamental human rights.

* Each operating company conducts Corporate Social Responsibility, referred to as CSR, efforts related to its supply chain and procurement activities intended to reinforce suppliers' respect for human rights.

RAI's Statement on Our Efforts to Support Human Rights, Code of Conduct and annual CSR reports are available for review on our web site at www.reynoldsamerican.com .

RAI's operating companies continue to incorporate human rights principles and considerations in supplier programs to promote continuous improvement in suppliers' performance:

* Beginning with the 2011 growing season, all U.S. contract tobacco growers will be required to participate in a a comprehensive training program being developed and conducted by the Cooperative Extension Services of major public universities in tobacco-growing states. Each grower must certify that he/she has received this training in 2011 before any tobacco will be purchased from them by the operating companies this year. The program will include training on the following topics.

1) State and federal employment regulations on hiring practices, wages and hours, workers' compensation insurance and child labor provisions.

2) Key seasonal/migrant labor regulations on joint employment, use of farm labor contractors, adequate housing for migrant and seasonal workers, and provisions of the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act.

3) Agricultural safety regulations and practices covering the safe use of pesticides and herbicides, farm machinery and equipment, and the prevention of heat stroke and green tobacco sickness.

4) Key record-keeping requirements and best practices related to the application of pesticides and herbicides, farm safety logs and agronomic practices.

RJR Tobacco, pursuant to its service agreement with each operating company, has worked directly with major public universities to develop the training program. RJR Tobacco will also coordinate the provision of this training to contract tobacco growers.

* RJR Tobacco has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Labor, referred to as NCDOL, and North Carolina State University over the past several years to produce training videos that have been distributed to its contract growers and are available to all tobacco growers in North Carolina. The videos focus on farm safety practices, safe use of pesticides and prevention of green tobacco sickness. RJR Tobacco extended this partnership with NCDOL in 2010 by sponsoring a pilot program of face-to-face, on-farm NCDOL training sessions for contract growers and their workers. RJR Tobacco and NCDOL plan to expand these on-site farm safety training sessions in 2011 to reach additional contract growers and their workers in North Carolina.

* RJR Tobacco continues to provide support for NCDOL's Gold Star Grower program. This voluntary program involves NCDOL inspections of farm-worker housing and worker safety conditions and allows growers to be certified as a Gold Star grower.

* RJR Tobacco, ASC and SFNTC also procure tobacco leaf from offshore growing regions through the use of tobacco dealers who purchase and process tobacco leaf from local farmers, FJF Tobacco contracts with LeafTc Ltd., an independent company also utilized by most of the major multinational tobacco companies, to evaluate tobacco dealers on a broad range of leaf-procurement requirements, which includes the impact these suppliers' activities have on the environment and safety conditions on local farms.

* Each major operating company of RAI will continue to communicate their expectations of suppliers to respect fundamental human rights through supplier guides, during site visits and in ongoing activities with suppliers. This expectation is further reinforced in all procurement contracts, which require suppliers to adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

* RJR Tobacco utilizes the Business Enabler Survey Tool (BEST) to evaluate many suppliers of raw materials other than leaf tobacco. The survey tool evaluates suppliers on a broad range of procurement requirements through onsite visits and written surveys, and includes verifying that the suppler has a commitment to ensure safe workplace conditions and address other relevant human rights issues. RJR Tobacco, pursuant to its service agreement with each operating company, will extend the use of this survey to key suppliers utilized by ASC and SFNTC during 2011.

RAI and its operating companies continue to identify and act on appropriate opportunities to encourage improved human rights conditions in supply chains. RJR Tobacco also continues to seek feedback and insight into contract growers' and their workers' perspective through on-farm surveys. RAI and its operating companies continue to believe that the primary responsibility for ensuring human rights rests with suppliers, governments and regulators in the appropriate countries and that it is not appropriate for RAI and its operating companies to assume the regulatory and enforcement role of these individual companies and governments.

Therefore, your Board of Directors urges you to vote AGAINST this proposal.





2011 PHILIP MORRIS INTERNATIONAL
New York, New York, U.S.A.
May 11, 2011
No Smoking in the meeting
Philip Morris International owns:
numerous tobacco products worldwide
and other tobacco products such as Swedish Match and Interval

PMI Board of Directors:
Harold Brown, counselor Center for Strategic and International Studies
Mathis Cabiallavetta, vice chair Swiss Reinsurance Co.
Louis C. Camilleri, CEO PMI
J. Dudley Fishburn, chair Henderson Smaller Co. Investment Trust (UK)
Jennifer Li, chief financial officer Baidu
Graham Mackay, chief exec. SABMiller
Sergio Marchionne, CEO Fiat, Chrysler
Lucio A. Noto, managing partner Midstream Partners
Carlos Slim Helu, chair Impulsora del Desarrollo y el Empleo en America Latina
Stephen M. Wolf, chair R.R. Donnelley & Sons, Alpiles, Trilantic Capital Partners

Several activists with The Nightingales Nurses asked questions at the PMI Question and Answer session, as did numerous other activists from several states in the U.S.A.  Additionally, a resolution from Trinity Health and from The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order, and other proponents, was presented on the fact that food insecurity is a growing problem -- people spending money on cigarettes instead of food and health care and education for the children -- and asked that PMI produce cigarettes with non-addictive levels of nicotine and not market in countries with 50% of its citizens living in poverty.  PMI's board opposed this resolution as did the majority of the shareholders.

The media coverage however, was on one point only, that CEO Louis Camilleri responded to a nurse's question regarding tobacco products being more addictive than heroin and cocaine, with Camilleri stating that:

"We take our responsibility very seriously, and I don't think we get enough recognition for the efforts we make to ensure that there is effective worldwide regulation of a product that is harmful and that is addictive. Nevertheless, whilst it is addictive, it is not that hard to quit. … There are more previous smokers in America today than current smokers."

Please note his words, "the efforts we make to ensure that there is worldwide regulation of a product that is harmful and that is addictive."  He stresses regulation, not making it safer for consumers by not manufacturing and marketing a product which addicts and kills.

One week later, at the Altria meeting [PMI was spun off from Altria in the recent past], CEO Michael E. Szymanczyk stated in his prepared remarks, which were placed on that company's web site, and quoted in The Richmond Times Dispatch :

"Because tobacco use is addictive and it can be very difficult to quit, our tobacco companies help connect adult tobacco consumers who have decided to quit with cessation information from public health authorities." 

Since Camilleri speaks with the aide of a prompter, and since it is the experience of activists at past meetings, when he was the CEO of Altria, that he rarely if ever speaks "off the cuff", but has planned points to be made, it is perhaps unlikely that he made his comment without a plan.  That Szymanczyk the following week appeared to contradict this statement gives food for thought and discussion, including any ramifications this would have when argued in courts of law in the U.S.A. and worldwide, and any impact either or both of these statements would have in advertising and marketing the products.

Below you will find
    --  some excerpts from the Question and Answer session;
    --  the text of the resolution on Food Insecurity, and PMI's opposing statement. 

Following that is a statement regarding the withdrawing of a continuing resolution on Human Rights and the plight of farm workers worldwide, in response to significant steps taken by PMI to address this issue with external monitoring by a
very reputable independent monitoring group, Verite.

Also helpful are the excerpts provided at the 2011 Newest Entries, such as one on marketing by tobacco companies worldwide. 



EXCERPTS from the PMI 2011 Question and Answer segment:

Louis Camilleri:  Madam, you have a question?

Elisabeth Gundersen, with The Nightingales Nurses:  Good morning. My name is Elisabeth, and I am an oncology nurse at UCSF [University of California-San Francisco] in San Francisco. It seems as if you know your numbers, and I'm sure you know that the product that PMI markets and sells kills over 400,000 Americans every year and 5 million people worldwide every year. If you find yourself detached from this suffering and death, I am here as a reminder.

As an oncology nurse, I care for patients, countless patients, dying and suffering from the products that you market and profit from. I've witnessed their suffering and the grief of their loved ones. In response to your statements of personal responsibility, I offer this.

I cared for a patient last week, a former addict, who told me that of all the addictions he's beaten -- crack, cocaine, meth -- cigarettes have been the most difficult and he has been unable to beat this addiction.

Consider someone you love dying slowly and helplessly from a wholly preventable death and consider those dividends. The existence of tobacco companies like this one are the single greatest threat to health of our time, especially for poor people, for vulnerable people, and as you know well, for young people.

Tobacco control advocates and nurses like me won't rest until we've eliminated your ability to profit from death and suffering. Thank you.

Louis Camilleri:  Thank you very much. I admire and respect what you do, but I do want to emphasize that we take our responsibilities very seriously, and I don't think we get enough recognition for the efforts we make to ensure that there is effective worldwide regulation of a product that is harmful and that is addictive.

Nevertheless, whilst it is addictive, it is not that hard to quit. You've heard me say this before. There are more previous smokers in America today than current smokers. Thank you.

...

Madam?

Nancy Wise:  Good morning. My name is Nancy Wise. I'm a school nurse from Haworth Public School in New Jersey. My students have learned about tobacco. They've learned about nicotine addiction. One student in particular asked me to come and speak at this meeting.

She has concerns about the marketing techniques that are going on overseas in developing countries. She saw a slogan of Philip Morris that said, "Look to the future," and she would like me to ask you, Mr. Camilleri: 
What future do the young people, whether they're underage or 18 or 19, what future do they have as long-term smokers?

Louis Camilleri:  We're all starting to sound like broken records, aren't we, year after year? This company takes very seriously its responsibility to ensure, to the extent possible, that children do not smoke and we try everything in that regard. It starts with our support of uniform, comprehensive, and effective regulation across the world, addressing marketing and other issues.

It also addresses access, youth access to cigarettes, because it's very important. And as you know, in a lot of markets in the world, there are no minimum age laws for smoking and we're trying to promote that with governments, with some success I would say.

So we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. We do everything in our power to ensure that kids do not have access to cigarettes, but more can be done by others. We can't take sole responsibility for that. If you see the reasons why kids smoke, advertising is nothing to do with the actual smoking initiation.

People confuse preference with prevalence, and that's a trap you should not fall into. But anyway, I admire what you do and thank you for coming.

...

Sir, good morning.

Licensed to Kill, Inc. representative:  Good morning. I'm a friend of the tobacco industry. In fact, I am CEO of a legal incorporated tobacco company called Licensed to Kill, Incorporated. And I'm here to talk in support of the board's position to oppose proposal number one.  I realize that the statistics cited by the World Health Organization say that 9 million people will die by tobacco by 2020 and 7 million will be from underdeveloped countries.

But our view is that people live too long, Mr. Camilleri, and that the costs of providing health care are skyrocketing, so the result is that we need to look for some ways to save money and actually in your own work in research in 2001 you found that actually savings from early death from tobacco use amounted to $1,200 savings of health care costs per person.

And that, according to my math, comes to over $8 trillion a year of savings in health care. That's amazing.

The cost of keeping care of our dependent elderly is going too far, and you're doing a good job of dealing with that. So I really do applaud that kind of a thing. You emphasize profits over people and that is the way to go. So we congratulate you, and we hope that we can work together as you decrease the world population by providing early death and making great profits and taking care of your stockholders.

So I hope that Licensed to Kill and Philip Morris International can start a very positive relationship and remember:   profits over people, sir.

Louis Camilleri: We were unaware that there had been a change in management in your company.  Obviously you replaced Anna White, and you're just as distasteful as she was. Thank you.

[Please note, Anna White of EssentialAction.org has for years coordinated efforts of youth groups across the U.S.A. and indeed across the many nations on this planet as the young people work to become informed about tobacco industry tactics in their areas, and the fact that tobacco, in all forms, kills those who use it, those who breathe the smoke from it, and sometimes those who harvest the tobacco crops.  She is highly respected across the globe for her work.]

...

Kimberlyn Bailey:  Good morning. My name is Kimberlyn Bailey and I'm from Fresh Campus and also a developing country. We all know that life is defined as the condition that distinguishes animals and plants with inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activities, and continual change preceding death, which is the action and cessation of all vital functions.

Today I am speaking about the ways that we help developing countries where food and other necessities are scarce, providing life-changing initiatives by suppressing hunger with nicotine addictions only to take those lives with the very same nicotine addictions.

So today I want to ask:  Does marketing nicotine, which leads to less appetite for food among people who are already facing malnutrition, make for healthy people?

Louis Camilleri:  I don't subscribe to the theory that smoking somehow suppresses appetite. Just doesn't make sense to me. Thank you.

[Please Note:  A recent article, along with earlier works, contradicts Camilleri.  Please see Science Magazine, vol. 332, pages 1330-1332, June 10, 2011, "Nicotine Decreases Food Intake Through Activation of POMC Neurons", Yann S. Mineur, Alfonso Abizaid, Yan Rao, Ramiro Salas, Ralph J. DiLeone, Daniela Gundisch, Sabrina Diano, Mariella De Biasi, Tamas L. Horvath, Xiao-Bing Gao, Marina R. Picciotto.]

...

Kelly Anderson:  My name is Kelly Anderson, and I'm a regional coordinator for the Louisiana Campaign for Tobacco-Free Living.  Every day I work to share information within my community about the inequality of the working environments of our cultural workers, including our musicians, whom we love, and our bar and casino employees.

Smoke-free efforts are moving forward both in the states and internationally, and my question is this: 
Do you feel that cultural workers are second class citizens who don't deserve equal air in their workplace, and what does PMI do to work against smoke-free efforts?

Louis Camilleri:  As opposed to what you just said, we actually support public smoking restrictions throughout the world. Where we differ is that we believe in the hospitality industry, the people who run restaurants, cafes, discotheques, et cetera, should be allowed to choose whether their establishment will be a smoking facility or not or whether they will allow smoking in separate ventilated areas.

So we believe that some of the smoking restrictions or regulations that are being proposed are somewhat extreme and we think there should be a rather more fair balance of things. As I said earlier, 20% of adults do smoke and somebody's got to stand up for them. Thank you.

[Please Note:  Laws and regulations on public health do not apparently depend upon the whims of the business owner.  Should it be left, for example, to the business owner to decide if the chicken salad should be refrigerated, or if employees should wash their hands after leaving the restroom?  Both customers and employees are impacted by smoke and its lingering residue -- tobacco is known to be a lethal product to the user and the breather.]

...

C.J. Petersen:  ... The point is, why specifically does Philip Morris continue to maintain addictive levels of nicotine in the products?

Louis Camilleri: I think I answered that question before. We recognize that cigarettes are an addictive product. That doesn't mean you can't stop smoking.  But nicotine is not the issue.  It's the other compounds that are created -- they're called volatile compounds -- that are created in smoke. They're the ones who create the harm, and they're the ones we're working on in terms of our reduced risk products.

[Please note:  Here is another example of Camilleri seeking to draw the blame away from the major cause of addiction, illness, and death -- nicotine.]




Resolution, 2011 PMI meeting:  FOOD INSECURITY AND TOBACCO USE
Trinity Health ... together with seven co-proponents, submitted the proposal set forth below ...

WHEREAS PMI's profits come mainly from people who cannot afford our core product:  those who are poor.  Smoking has become the second biggest cause of death in the world and, if present trends continue, by 2020, the World Health Organization estimates that the global burden of smoking-related deaths will surpass 9 million annually -- with 7 million in developing nations.

Tobacco not only impoverishes those who use it, it puts an enormous financial burden on countries.  The costs of tobacco use at the national level encompass increased health-care costs, lost productivity due to illness and early death, foreign exchange losses, and environmental damage.  The tobacco industry's attempts to stave off sensible regulations on tobacco have included overstating the employment and trade benefits of tobacco to developing countries and raising the spectre of massive job losses if governments move to protect public health.  Yet, according to a World Bank study, these arguments and the data on which they are used greatly misrepresent the effects of tobacco control policies (Chaloupka:  Curing the epidemic:  Governments and the Economics of Tobacco Control, 1999).

The future success of PMI rests in getting new recruits to our brands, especially in such developing nations.  In developing nations where PMI is expanding rapidly, such as Indonesia, India and China, peoples' tobacco expenditures often are crowding out expenditures for food, health care and education (Tobacco Control 10.3 [2001]).

As in the U.S.A. hunger and malnutrition are exacerbated by tobacco use.  Families in developing nations with low income, in general, are more likely to experience food insecurity, spend less on food, and spend a larger percentage of available money on tobacco compared with more affluent families (Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine 162.11 [November, 2008], 1056).

Such studies also show that, because many such people are not stopping smoking, their own health and that of their housemates are compromised by direct and sidestream tobacco smoke.  The primary reason they do not quit is because of their addiction to the nicotine in cigarettes.  It is incontrovertible that, in many cases, such people buy our cigarettes rather than feed their children.

A major supplier of PMI's tobacco comes from Malawi.  However PMUSA has stated:  "In addition to high levels of poverty and low life expectancy, Malawi faces problems that directly threaten food security..."

RESOLVED:  that shareholders recommend that the Board of Directors commission an independent study and issue a resulting report on the affect of our company's marketing on the purchasing practices of poor people and what might be done to mitigate the harm to innocent children, such as food insecurity, of such poor people who smoke, including reducing the nicotine in cigarettes to non-addictive levels.  Shareholders ask that such a report include recommendations as to whether our Company should continue marketing its products in any nation having over 50% of its citizens living in poverty.  Barring competitive information, this report shall be made available to requesting shareholders within six months of the company's annual meeting.


The Philip Morris International response, on pages 67-68 of the proxy statement.

The [PMI] Board recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.

This proposal is identical to a proposal rejected by nearly 96% of the votes cast by stockholders on the matter last year [2010].

The core business of the Company is the manufacture, sale and marketing of tobacco products in all of the markets in which we operate.  While this includes so-called developing countries, the proposal suffers from the misperception that such countries lack meaningful tobacco regulation.  In fact, many developing countries have already implemented significant regulations, including Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Gambia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, and Thailand to name just a few.

PMI has been and continues to be a leading advocate for comprehensive and science-based regulation of tobacco products, both in developed markets and in emerging markets.  For example, the Company supports the enactment and strict enforcement of minimum age laws, bans on smoking in many public places (such as places frequented by minors), prominent health warnings on consumer packaging and in advertising, regulation of the product and restrictions on marketing, including bans on television, radio and billboard advertising.  PMI also has been working very successfully with governments to tackle the enormous problem of illicit trade, which, as the UK Department of Health has stated, "is thought to have a major impact on social inequalities."

Furthermore, the Company has a significant contributions program in the markets where it does business, focusing on, among other things, extreme poverty and hunger, education, and disaster relief.  For example, in South Africa, we have supported the Association of Nutrition Services Agencies for more than ten years, as they help to feed children and adults in areas decimated by AIDS and HIV.  In Mexico, we work with the Merced Foundation to combat hunger and malnutrition with a program called NutriLife.  In the Philippines, we sponsor the Philippine Band of Mercy, an NGO that provides free surgical services to indigent children with cleft lips and palates, hydrocephalus, and meningoceole.  In China, we support the New Hope Foundation, helping care for abandoned babies with grave medical problems in one of the country's poorest provinces.

Accordingly, it would neither benefit public health nor improve food security if the Company were to unilaterally withdraw from the tobacco market in countries with high levels of poverty.  Other tobacco companies would continue to operate in those countries.  Our consumers would turn to their products or to the black market.  The Company's ability to advocate for and support regulations and to join in the fight against illicit trade would be lost.  Finally, a unilateral withdrawal from the market would place the Company at a competitive disadvantage, which is inconsistent with its obligations to its stockholders and employees.

We believe that the right course for the Company is to continue participating in the tobacco industry by marketing and selling its products responsibly, by advocating and supporting strong, effective and reasonable regulation of tobacco products, including the marketing of tobacco products, and by supporting communications about the serious health effects of smoking, including the fact that smoking causes fatal diseases and is addictive.

Therefore, the Board urges stockholders to vote AGAINST this proposal.



STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF REV. MICHAEL CROSBY, OFMCap. Made by Ms. Cathy Rowan
Re: Positive Movement Regarding PMI’s Commitment to Develop Protocols on Ensuring Human Rights with External Monitoring.

Mr. Camilleri, I am here on behalf of The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order and other members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. I am here to make a comment from the Capuchin’s Corporate Responsibility Agent, Reverend Michael Crosby.

I make this statement in light of the statement the day before yesterday (May 9, 2011) appearing on PMI’s web site that details its commitment to rectify labor abuses on tobacco farms throughout its global supply chain.

Our effort toward this commitment by PMI goes back much further. Even before Human Rights Watch documented the abuse and exploitation of many migrant workers on farms in Kazakhstan supplying tobacco to us, the Capuchin Franciscans, along with my own group, Trinity Health, and other members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, were engaging PMI and other U.S. based tobacco companies on the issue.

It all started with the issue of Green Tobacco Sickness in 1997. You, Mr. Camilleri, took personal interest in this issue raised by the Capuchins. You personally committed PMI to address the problem. While last week’s release of the Oxfam/FLOC Report on tobacco farms in North Carolina show the problem has not yet been eliminated, PMI has taken major steps to remedy it. Again we thank you for this effort.

From GTS we moved in 1998 to address the increasing press reports of cases of egregious violations of human rights in the tobacco fields of developing nations like Kazakhstan and Malawi.

Since we began raising the issue, and then, with the Human Rights Watch report, PMI has taken the lead in trying to find ways to make sure its product is not being produced at the expense of workers’ basic human rights not only here but throughout the world, especially in economically developing nations.

We at the ICCR, along with groups like the ILO and Human Rights Watch, have worked with PMI to develop protocols and procedures, with a very reputable independent monitoring group, Verite, to make sure that, as far as possible, the rights of those human beings producing the leaf for our tobacco products are being treated as we would want to be treated if we were in their shoes in those fields.

Because PMI has evidenced movement toward such a positive direction, the Province of St. Joseph withdrew its shareholder resolution on this topic that had been filed for this 2011 annual meeting.

While we all know much remains to be done, we believe PMI has exhibited the will to address this issue in a very inclusive way, involving all the key stakeholders, including concerned shareholders like us. We also know this is a systemic issue that involves a host of issues, including depressed tobacco prices in many places that negatively impacts the wages of farmworkers. However, we thank you, Mr. Camilleri, for your personal commitment to create what we consider to be a model that deserves to be emulated by other tobacco companies here and around the world.

Everyone here knows that the product this company makes leads to death; old time shareholders will know we’ve been addressing this issue for more than 30 years. However, in this case we think it’s good to balance our challenges with support for what the Company is trying to do to ensure human rights compliance and monitoring within its supply chain. And for this we thank you.




2011 Altria
Richmond, Virginia,
U.S.A.
May 19, 2011
No Smoking in the meeting
Altria owns:
Philip Morris USA
US Smokeless Tobacco Co.
John Middleton Co. (Cigars, Pipe tobacco)
Ste. Michelle Wine Estates Ltd.
and Philip Morris Capital Corporation (investments).
The Philip Morris coat of arms has the slogan which translates to "We came, We saw, We conquered".

The Altria Board of Directors:
Elizabeth E. Bailey, professor emerita of business & public policy Wharton School of Univ. Pennsylvania,
serves as trustee of Natl. Bureau Economic Research, trustee Brookings Inst., trustee TIAA-CREF
Gerald L. Baliles, director Miller Center Public Affairs Univ. Virginia, former governor Virginia,
serves on boards of Nature Conservancy, Norfolk Southern Corp., et al
John T. Casteen III, pres. emeritus Univ. Virginia, formerly Sec. Education in VA,
formerly pres. Univ. Conn., served board of Wachovia
Dinyar S. Devitre, special advisor General Atlantic Partners (equity firm),
formerly with Kraft Foods, on boards for Lincoln Center Perf. Arts, Brooklyn Acad. Music
Thomas F. Farrell II, CEO Dominion Resources Inc. (power co.),
director Institute of Nuclear Power Operations
Thomas W. Jones, sr. partner TWJ Capital LLC (investments),
formerly with Citigroup, formerly pres. & chief operating officer TIAA-CREF, board of TIAA-CREF
George Munoz, principal Munoz Investment Banking Group
serves as board member Marriott Intnl., et al
Nabil Y. Sakkab, retired Sr. VP corporate research Proctor & Gamble Co.
serves on boards of Givaudan SA and Deinove
Michael E. Szymanczyk, CEO Altria,
serves on boards of Univ. Richmond, United Negro College Fund, Richmond Performing Arts Center

An excellent overview of the Altria meeting has been posted by Edward L. Sweda, Jr., on the web site of  PHAI  -- the Public Health Advocacy Institute in Massachusetts.  An excerpt is given here:

Just eight days before the Altria Group, Inc. 2011 Annual Shareholders Meeting in this historic city,  Altria Group’s former Chief Executive Officer, Louis Camilleri, complicated matters for his successor.  At the Philip Morris International Annual Shareholders Meeting in New York City on May 11, 2011, Camilleri answered a question from a shareholder who is also a nurse who has treated many smokers with serious diseases.  While admitting that smoking is addictive, Camilleri added the comment that “it is not that hard to quit” using tobacco products.  That comment made international headlines after the Associated Press reported it.

So, when Altria Group’s Szymanczyk gave management’s report at the meeting in Richmond on May 19th, he specifically, on page 10 of his prepared remarks stated: “Because tobacco use is addictive and it can be very difficult to quit, our tobacco companies help connect adult tobacco consumers who have decided to quit with cessation information from public health authorities.”

During the question and answer session, shareholder Rev. Michael Crosby of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and I both pressed Szymanczyk to state whether, as Altria Group’s CEO, he disagreed with Camilleri’s comment and, if so, why.  Refusing to do so, he stated that “I would simply say that what I said is on our web site.  There is nothing new here.”  The juxtaposition between the public statements of two tobacco executives just six days apart was the central focus of the Richmond Times-Dispatch article on the meeting.

I also pressed Szymanczyk on the issue of the ongoing Engle Progeny trials taking place in Florida.  Noting that 30 out of 43 (now, as this report is written, 32 out of 46) such trials resulting in verdicts have seen jurors return plaintiff verdicts, I asked whether Altria Group, for the sake of its shareholders, would abandon its no-settlement policy regarding the thousands of  Engle Progeny cases remaining throughout Florida.  His response was simply to refer shareholders to the company’s 10Q form, which restates its standard policy of refusing to settle these cases.

Virginia shareholder Anne Morrow Donley, citing studies from March 2011 which showed that a fetus subjected to secondhand smoke is at a higher risk of stillbirth, lower birth weight and lower birth length, asked Szymanczyk whether he would publicly advise smokers not to smoke around women of child-bearing age.  His response was to acknowledge that pregnant women should not be exposed to secondhand smoke, but he refused to broaden that recommendation to include women of child-bearing age.

Cathy Rowan, representing shareholder Trinity Group, noted Altria Group’s willingness to address concerns about implementing internally agreed upon code upholding the human rights of tobacco farm workers and about ensuring that the company’s suppliers are enforcing those rules.  Altria Group’s cooperation with shareholders following a 2009 vote of shareholders where 25% supported a resolution to protect the human rights of farm workers stands in contrast to the rigid opposition by the management of Reynolds American, Inc. to similarly worded resolutions.

...

A shareholder resolution was offered, calling on the Board of Directors to move “to ensure that Altria stops the production of any of its tobacco products with characterizing flavoring added, as well as their distribution and marketing, unless and until it can be proven by independent and evidence-based research that such added characterizing flavors do not contribute significantly to youth initiation of tobacco use.”   That resolution was defeated, with 97.5% of shares voting NO, with 2.5% voting YES.


EXCERPTS from the May 19, 2011 Altria shareholders' meeting. 

Michael Szymanczyk (in opening remarks):  A common thread that runs across all our tobacco businesses is that the majority of adult tobacco consumers make tobacco purchase decisions based in significant part on flavor preferences. Whether it is a complex tobacco flavor like Marlboro Red, a classic smokeless tobacco flavor like Copenhagen Wintergreen, or historical pipe-tobacco flavors like those found in Middleton's cigars, adult tobacco consumers want a wide variety of flavors in their tobacco products.

[Please Note,  Text of resolution on flavorings and Altria's opposing statement given below ]  

Our tobacco companies have taken a number of actions, which I previously described, designed to responsibly offer adult tobacco consumers the products they want, while also seeking to limit underage reach. In addition, our tobacco companies also supported enactment of the bill granting FDA regulatory authority over tobacco products; communicate about the health effects of their products; and because tobacco use is addictive and it can be very difficult to quit, our tobacco companies help connect adult tobacco consumers who have decided to quit with cessation information from public health authorities.
...

QUESTIONS and ANSWERS
Michael Szymanczyk:  We will now transition to our 30 minute question-and-answer session. We have placed two microphones in the aisles for use in asking questions. We will alternate between the microphones until the time is up, or we have run out of questions. The ushers will assist you in getting to the microphones. We ask that each speaker limit his or her question to 2 minutes, so that all who wish to ask a question may have the opportunity to do so.

Brandt, [W. Hildebrandt Surgner, Jr,] our corporate secretary, will help us watch our time with a lighting system. When the speaker has 30 seconds remaining, the light in front of the stage will turn from green to yellow. When a speaker's time has expired the light will turn red, and the speaker should please conclude his or her question. Thank you for your cooperation.

Anne Morrow Donley:  I am Anne Morrow Donley, a shareholder from Virginia. You said this morning you believe Altria's  work is making a difference.  Studies released in March of this year, 2011, revealed that trauma is caused to the fetus by people smoking around nonsmoking pregnant women.  One study is Environmental Research, the other is in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. They found that in secondhand smoke exposure, certain toxic chemicals are present in higher proportions in secondhand smoke than in mainstream smoke, and this can affect the developing fetal nervous system by reducing oxygen and nutrients flow to the fetus, resulting in significant decreases in cognitive function in six-month infants.  Also, that adverse outcomes include lower birth rate, shorter birth length, smaller head circumference, and still birth.

Some years ago, your CEO, Geoffrey Bible, stated twice during a shareholders' meeting that he would advise pregnant women not to smoke. Given this data that has come out this year that secondhand smoke around a non-smoking pregnant woman can significantly harm and even kill the fetus, would you as the current CEO go further and advise people not to smoke around women of child bearing age?

Michael Szymanczyk: Well, thank you very much for your question Anne, and thanks for being here today. I think that we're pretty clear on this subject. And you can find some information about this on the web. For some time our position has been that people should be guided by the public health authorities relative to issues of smoking on health including secondhand smoke. I also think that our position has been clear that pregnant women shouldn't smoke, and that children and pregnant women shouldn't be exposed to smoker's smoke, and that people should be mindful of that when smoking.

So I don't think there is anything new here. I think that we believe that it is appropriate for pregnant women not to be exposed to smoker's smoke. So thanks very much for your question.

We have a question over here.

The Rev. Michael Crosby: Thanks Mr. Szymanczyk. My name is Michael Crosby, and I am with the Midwest Capuchins, thank you.  I noticed you saying something pretty quickly that is in contradiction to last week's meeting of PMI. At PMI, what -- I wasn't there, but I read all over in the press -- was that Louis Camilleri said that tobacco use is addictive, but it is not that difficult to quit. And here you, I think I heard you say, it is addictive, but it can be very difficult to quit.  So, I'm sure you are going to be asked, does this put you over against Louis Camilleri?  Why does he say it is not that difficult to quit, and why do you say it can be very difficult to quit?  Would you elaborate on that a little bit please?

Michael Szymanczyk: Well, I would simply say that what I said is on our web site. So there is nothing new here, and this is the Altria Group Shareholders Meeting, and we discuss the business of Altria.  But thanks very much for your question.

Over here, we have another question.

Edward L. Sweda, Jr.:  Yes, sir.  Edward Sweda, a shareholder from Massachusetts. I indeed also was intrigued by the statement from Mr. Camilleri, who of course, was the CEO of this company previously.  It is interesting also in the context that as you know, in Florida, since February, 43 of the Engle progeny cases have gone to verdicts down there, and 30 out of the 43 have come back as plaintiff verdicts. So, over two-thirds have come back plaintiff verdicts, and one of the cases on appeal, the case against Reynolds, has been upheld by an Intermediate Court of Appeals, which I think it is fairly a long shot that that would be overturned by the Florida Supreme Court -- they would have to essentially undo what they put forth in the 2006 Florida Supreme Court ruling.

So my question would be in this context, or actually perhaps two parts: 
one if you could just clarify -- I got a sense that you said just a moment ago, correct me if I am wrong, is that you disagree with Mr. Camilleri's statement from last week that quitting tobacco use, that it is not that hard to quit.  And then secondly, given the situation in Florida, will Altria at some point in the near future change its position of refusing to settle any of those Engle progeny cases? Thank you.

Michael Szymanczyk:  Well, thanks very much for your question. I believe I answered the first question relative to Altria Group's position and statement on the subject of addiction, which has been on our web site for some time. Again there is nothing new here, I don't think. And relative to litigation, Engle in particular, you can understand that in great detail by looking at our 10-Q. It will give you the basis for why we believe that it is appropriate to do what we are doing relative to those cases. So thanks very much for your question, and for being here today.

We have a question over there.

Catherine Rowan:  Good morning Mr. Szymanczyk. I am Cathy Rowan, representing the shareholder Trinity Health, and I just have a short comment to make. For several years, Altria shareholders and members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility filed a proposal asking the Company to create procedures to implement internationally agreed upon core human rights conventions in the countries in which it operates, and to find ways to ensure that suppliers are enforcing those as well. In 2009, that proposal received the support of one quarter of shareholders.

The Company listened to its shareholders, and began to address concerns around the protection of human rights of tobacco farm workers, and we have been pleased to participate in dialogues with Altria, and see the company taking some first positive steps towards communicating its expectations in regards to suppliers, assessing suppliers practices and using third-party organizations to verify the results of those assessments. And based on those actions, we have decided not to refile that proposal this year.

I think everyone here knows that the product that this company makes can lead to death, and old time shareholders will know that my colleagues have been addressing this issue for decades. However, in this case we think it is good to balance our challenges with support for what the Company is trying to do to ensure human rights compliance, and monitoring within its supply chain. So we thank you for that.

Michael Szymanczyk: Well, thank you very much, and most of all thank you for constructively engaging with us. I think there are going to be places where there are disagreements between the Company and various stakeholders, but I also think that we can make progress when we constructively engage, and try and find things that we can do to make this situation better. So, thank you very much for your comments, and for your constructive engagement.
...

[Two questions from Davenport & Company, stockbrokers; another question from someone, about management]

Do I have another question over here?

Anne Morrow Donley:  Thank you, Mike.  Anne Morrow Donley again, and I just wanted to clarify what I had asked earlier, or your answer rather because you refer to the statement on the web site, and also you have a statement in the annual report about secondhand smoke, which never really says what you think or what Altria thinks beyond referring everything to public health people. I wondered if you would say whether you yourself as CEO would specifically address this about not smoking around women of childbearing age because of the damage secondhand smoke does to the fetus, including killing it. And whether you would then say that you advise people not to smoke around women of child bearing age?
 
Michael Szymanczyk:  I think the answer to that question is again that people should be guided by what the public health authorities say in this subject. And I think they are pretty clear about smoking and pregnancy, and I think that that is what is important, and that is what people should listen to. So thanks very much for your question.

Is there another question over here?

[Note:  The next comment, not recorded here, was from a shareholder who comes each year to express thanks for having a Hispanic on the board.]

I think that completes our time period. Is that correct? Well, well, then thank you, everyone, for your questions. They are very good questions, and I would ask now I think everybody has returned to their seats.  Okay, we can move on. So, if you have a question that wasn't answered, that you didn't ask, but you still like to get the answer to it, I will remind you that there again is a comment card that is on your seat. You can return it to an usher.  If you don't have a comment card, ask for one and they will give you one.

RESOLUTION  Text and Altria's opposing statement given below
Michael Szymanczyk:  Okay, well now here is a presentation on the shareholder proposal included in the proxy statement and vote on this proposal. We believe shareholders should vote against this proposal for the reasons set forth fully in the proxy. In the interest of time, I will not elaborate on our views today, but we encourage all shareholders to read the proposal and our response.

As has been our practice, we ask that the proponent limit of his or her presentation to 4 minutes or less and each speaker commenting on the proposal will limit comments to 2 minutes or less. We will devote no more than eight minutes to the proposal. We will use the lighting system to help keep track of time. The light will turn yellow when the speaker has 30 seconds remaining, and the light will turn red when a speaker's time has expired. At this point, the speaker should conclude his or her remarks and allow the next person to speak. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. The proponent for the proposal, please proceed to the microphone. Identify yourself and your proposal.

The Rev. Michael Crosby:  Mr. Szymanczyk, as I said before, my name is Michael Crosby from Milwaukee. I am a Capuchin Franciscan brother, and we and other members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility move the adoption of our proposal on page 75 that asks the board of directors to ensure that Altria stops the production of any its tobacco products with characterizing flavor added, as well as distribution and their marketing unless it can be proven by independent and evidence based research that this kind of characterizing flavors doesn't contribute to youth initiation.

Way back, I think it was somewhere in a study that I read as early as 1994 I think it was, 1992, Philip Morris then ...  acknowledged in its documents that flavoring influences young people to smoke, and we know the Company has made very strong statements about it doesn't want young people to smoke. But we know that flavoring does make an incentive, or offer an incentive to young people, which otherwise wouldn't be there. And by smoking, nicotine is addictive, and addiction as you said is very difficult to quit.

And I would still like you to state why you disagree with Mr. Camilleri, because that part with your disagreement of how hard it is to quit, isn't on the web site. The fact that it is addictive is, but not why and why you disagree with Mr. Camilleri. 

When you look at what this company is doing in terms of its competitor, I compliment you. You aren't coming up with all these different types of flavoring, but when you say in your statement and in our position, sir, that the Company's tobacco subsidiaries do not manufacture or sell any cigarettes with characterizing flavors other than tobacco or menthol.

And I haven't constituted it or deconstituted it yet, when you say it is only regular tobacco or menthol, and then you look out in the display booth, first of all, you have got all different degrees like a mint, and winter green or winter mint, and I am wondering, is this how you nuance the flavoring or what, I honestly don't know. It is an honest question, you don't have what is called used to have in terms of some of the flavoring and I compliment you for that at least I haven't found it. But in the old school there are all these like blackberry and cinnamon and things like that that a competitor has.

But I would like you to comment on how you then manipulate the menthol in terms of the flavor to get these different characterizing flavors around the word mint, wintergreen and so on. So with that I move our resolution.

Michael Szymanczyk:  Okay. Thank you. Are there any comments on this shareholder proposal?

Anne Morrow Donley:  Anne Morrow Donley, yes, and I would be very much interested in hearing your comments in response to what the Rev. Crosby has said. Also mentioning that there is a study that came out this year, the European Journal of Public Health and that noted that in the past, the tobacco companies including this one has looked at adding not only flavorings, and some of them are flavorings and some of them are chemicals that produce thirst, and that are appetite suppressants. Menthol is wrapped around those as well.

And we know that young women, teenagers often are looking at trying to suppress their appetites and lose weight. So I would hope that you would also look into that as well, and we certainly should support this resolution.

Michael Szymanczyk:  Okay. Thank you very much. Are there any further comments?

Edward L. Sweda, Jr.:  Yes sir. Edward Sweda, again a shareholder from Massachusetts. Certainly I would agree with Father Crosby that Reynolds American has been far more irresponsible in this regard than Altria, in terms of the use and abuse say of flavoring even up to the present time. I would just say nonetheless that it really -- it is a mistake for the Company to oppose this particular resolution. We do have ongoing litigation as you know, particularly the Department of Justice's racketeering law suit against the Company.  The Company has already been established as an adjudicated racketeer in that case from a few years ago.

There are health issues involved, including corrected statements, and other issues in that case. I think the unwillingness to support such a very mildly worded reasonable resolution as this one is, I think is something that it can be looked at by the courts, lawyers involved in that case, and put the Company in additional negative light. So I would make that comment and really say that it is, certainly I believe in the shareholders interest to support this resolution. Thank you.

Michael Szymanczyk:  Thank you. So thank you. All the matters to be voted on have now been formally presented for the meeting. If you need to do so, please complete your proxy card. After you have done so, raise your hand and the ushers will collect all cards and deliver them to the inspectors of election. Since all shareholders have had the opportunity to vote, I declare the polls closed. The ushers should now collect all the proxies and they are directed to deliver them to the inspectors of election for counting.

While the inspectors of election count the proxies, let me make a few concluding remarks. Altria historically has been a good investment for shareholders, and we believe the Company will continue to be a quality investment for the foreseeable future. We believe we have a diverse business platform with strong positions in the largest and most profitable tobacco categories, anchored by the best brands. We have a strong balance sheet, which enables us to return a large amount of cash to shareholders through dividends and periodic stock repurchases. We are well-equipped to deal with the changing regulatory environment and challenging legal issues, and most importantly, we have a talented Mission- and Values-driven organization.

Altria's performance is the result of the hard work and dedication of the employees across all of our companies. They work every day to accomplish our Mission, live by our Values, and responsibly execute our business strategies to create value for shareholders. It is a privilege to lead such a talented group of people, and I thank them for their efforts.

I also want to thank the Richmond [Virginia, U.S.A.] community, and all of the communities where our employees live and work, for their support. We will continue working hard to make them better places for all of us to live. Finally, I want to thank you, our shareholders, for your continuing trust and support. I speak for all employees when I say we will continue working hard on your behalf to deliver superior returns.

I now ask that the inspectors of election deliver the report to the corporate secretary.

Okay, Brandt will you please read the report?

Brandt [W. Hildebrandt] Surgner, Jr:  The inspectors of election have completed the preliminary count on the vote, which I have received. The preliminary voting results are as follows. Each of the nominees for director has been elected with more than 87% of the shares voting for their election. The selection of PricewaterhouseCoopers as Altria's independent registered public accounting firm has been ratified with more than 98% of the shares voting in favor.

Shareholders have approved on an advisory basis the compensation of the Company's named executive officers with more than 93% of the shares voting in favor. Shareholders have voted on an advisory basis that future advisory votes on the compensation of our named executive officers should be considered annually. Of the shares voting, 69% voted for an annual frequency, 2% voted for a 2 year frequency, and 27% voted for a 3 year frequency. The shareholder proposal has been defeated, 97.5% of the shares voting on the proposal voted against the proposal, and 2.5% voted in favor. That concludes the report.

Michael Szymanczyk:  Thank you Brandt. Please file the inspectors report, the oath of the inspectors of election, their certificate and the proxies with the records of the meeting. We will post voting results on our web site with a press release following the meeting and final voting results. it will also be filed in a Form 8-K. after the board reviews and considers the results of the shareholder advisory votes, we will file a Form 8-K later this year reporting our decision on how frequently we will include a vote on the compensation of our named executive officers and future proxy materials.

I want to thank everyone for coming today. Please travel safely on your way home. I declare the meeting adjourned.





Resolution  -- Address concerns regarding tobacco flavoring
The Province of St. Joseph of the Capuchin Order ... together with five co-proponents, submitted the proposal set forth below. ...

WHEREAS, in November, 2010 the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the WHO [World Health Organization] Framework Convention on Tobacco Control met.  This included representatives of Altria.  A key element for discussion involved Article 9 involving regulation of the contents of tobacco products.  According to Taco Tunisian, Editor-in-Chief of the industry magazine, Tobacco Reporter, "the term 'contents of tobacco products' is generally understood to refer to tobacco flavors." He adds "Disturbingly, many in the public health community appear unable to [or] unwilling to distinguish between characterizing and noncharacterizing flavors."

His editorial seems to support the banning of certain additional characterizing flavors that "make cigarettes more attractive to children and thus contribute to smoking uptake."

The United States Food and Drug Administration has shown that the smoking of flavored cigarettes is far more popular among younger people than among older people. It also noted that a March, 2008 poll that found that one in five youngsters between 12-17 had seen flavored tobacco products or ads, while only one in 10 adults reported having seen them. It also showed evidence that youth between 13-18, 52% of smokers who had heard of flavored cigarettes reported interest in trying them and nearly 60% thought that flavored cigarettes would taste better than regular cigarettes.”

The FDA also has stated that an important way to reduce the death and disease caused by smoking is to prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke. Studies have shown that 17 year old smokers are three times as likely to use flavored cigarettes as are smokers over the age of 25. In addition to being more attractive to young people, flavored products make it easier for new smokers to start smoking by masking the unpleasant flavor of tobacco. Studies have also demonstrated that young people believe that flavored tobacco products are safer than unflavored tobacco products.

RESOLVED, that, because youth initiation of tobacco products is influenced by their flavoring, shareholders request that, within six months of Altria's annual meeting, the Board of Directors move to ensure that Altria stops the production of any of its tobacco products with characterizing flavoring added, as well as their distribution and their marketing, unless and until it can be proven by independent and evidence-based research that such added characterizing flavors do not contribute significantly to youth initiation of tobacco use.

Supporting Statement

Characterizing flavored tobacco products are just as addictive and have the same types of harmful effects as regular tobacco products. Removing these flavored products from the market is important because it removes an avenue that young people can use to begin regular tobacco use.  Altria management says it does not want to influence young people to use its tobacco products. The FDA has said that the removal from the market of tobacco products that contain certain characterizing flavors is an important step in our Nation’s efforts to reduce the burden of illness and death caused by tobacco products.  Support for this resolution will be an important step in ensuring that this goal can be achieved.



The Altria Board of Directors response, pages 75-76 of the Proxy statement.
The [Altria] Board recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal.

This proposal is not in the best interests of the Company or its shareholders.  Today, millions of adult tobacco consumers prefer tobacco products offered in a wide range of flavor varieties.  These preferences reflect a long history of adult tobacco consumer interest in widely accepted products such as menthol cigarettes and flavor varieties in other tobacco products.  Voluntary removal of such tobacco products would deprive adult tobacco consumers of products they prefer and place the Company's tobacco subsidiaries at a competitive disadvantage.  In addition, the Company's tobacco subsidiaries do not manufacture or sell any cigarettes with characterizing flavors other than tobacco or menthol.  The Company believes that existing tobacco regulations, together with the Company's tobacco subsidiaries' responsible marketing practices, directly and adequately address the concerns raised in this proposal.

In June 2009, Congress granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") broad authority to regulate tobacco products through legislation that the Company and its tobacco subsidiaries supported.  This legislation included a general ban on cigarettes with characterizing flavors, but provided an exception for menthol cigarettes and imposed no bans on characterizing flavors in smokeless tobacco products.  In making these decisions, Congress was mindful that bans of restrictions on products in wide use among adult tobacco consumers could lead to unintended consequences such as the creation of black markets for banned products, which can in turn undermine public health or other policy objectives.  Congress instead directed the FDA to consider product regulations in the context of a regulatory process that is based on sound information and scientific evidence.

Kids should not smoke or use any tobacco products.  Existing tobacco regulations, at the federal, state and local levels, include significant restrictions on the sale of tobacco products to underage purchasers.  The FDA legislation, for example, establishes a national minimum age of 18 for the sale of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products and prohibits "self-service" displays of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products except in adult-only facilities.  Moreover, all fifty states and many local jurisdictions have laws that prohibit the sale of tobacco products to minors.

The Company's tobacco subsidiaries already take steps they believe address the issue of underage tobacco use in significant ways.  For example, the Company's tobacco subsidiaries are committed to responsibly marketing their products to adult tobacco consumers by focusing their marketing efforts on two primary channels:  direct communications to adult tobacco consumers and communications at retail, where adult consumers make their final purchase decision.  Direct communications, such as direct mail, consumer web sites and consumer engagement activities, are limited to adult tobacco consumers verified to be 21 years of age or older.  Each tobacco company also offers retail programs with requirements and financial incentives to address how their tobacco products are displayed and sold.  Specifically, participating retailers are required to display age-verification signage and train store employees on how to prevent underage tobacco sales.  According to several studies, underage tobacco use has declined significantly since the mid-1990's, but continued focus is required.

The Company's tobacco subsidiaries take seriously the issue of underage tobacco use.  The Company believes that its tobacco subsidiaries' current efforts and the regulatory oversight of the FDA are a more appropriate way to address the concerns raised by this proposal than voluntary removal of legal products that have significant adult tobacco consumer interest.

For these reasons, the Board recommends a vote AGAINST this proposal, and proxies received by the Company will be so voted unless shareholders specify a contrary choice in their proxies.







[VirginiaGASP]  Updated 22 June 2011