The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

The National Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nongovernmental tobacco control advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. that was started in 1995. CTFK's stated goals are to prevent kids from smoking, help smokers quit and protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke.

CTFK works to alter the nation’s political, social and economic environment regarding tobacco by changing public policies regarding tobacco at federal, state and local levels. To this end, CTFK implements media campaigns, performs research and engages advocates within the U.S. to press for change in policies regulating tobacco sales and use.

According to its website, the Campaign is funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Thoracic Foundation Armin & Esther Hirsch Foundation, Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, Levi Strauss Company and from individual donations. Other sources of funding have included the American Medical Association, Henry Ford Health System, Kaiser Family Foundation, David B. Gold Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Weaver Family Foundation and the Everett Foundation. The Campaign does NOT accept money from any tobacco companies.

Involvement with Philip Morris
An October, 2004 article in Roll Call, the newpaper of Capitol Hill, revealed that the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and Philip Morris had each "broken ranks with their typical allies, formed a secret alliance and met clandestinely to iron out key sticking points on the legislation" that came before Congress. Roll Call wrote that "The face-to-face negotiating sessions and conference calls were so sensitive that Philip Morris and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids refused to tell even their closest allies." Other long-established anti-tobacco groups were excluded from the negotiations, according to Roll Call, who wrote "Unbeknownst to their allies in the public health community, representatives of the Tobacco Free Kids spoke with Philip Morris lobbyists several times and met at least once to iron out language that both sides could accept."

The American Association of Public Health Physicians (AAPHP) states on its web site that CTFK entered into secret negotiations with Philip Morris to draft the 2007 "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" (S.625/H.R.1108) to allow bring tobacco under FDA regulation. . AAPHP concluded that without specific amendments, the bill is bad for public health and opposes it.

In a 2007 Associated Press interview, FDA chief Andrew C. von Eschenbach, and oncologist, went on record opposing the FDA tobacco legislation, saying "We could find ourselves in the conundrum of having made a decision about nicotine only to have made the public health radically worse. And that is not the position FDA is in; we approve products that enhance health, not destroy it."

External Resources

 * Senator Reveals Philip Morris Co-Authored FDA Tobacco Bill
 * Fact Sheet on the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
 * Enzi: Peace Treaty with Philip Morris No Way to Win War on Tobacco TradingMarkets.com, May 21, 2009 (says Philip Morris was a co-author of FDA tobacco legislation)
 * Richard Craver Deep Look: Author's book delves into 'unholy alliance' between Philip Morris, FDA, JournalNow.com, June 7, 2009

Contact
The National Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 1400 I (Eye) Street, NW Suite 1200 Washington DC 20005 Phone 202.296.5469 Fax 202.296.5427