Call for Philip Morris Fades Under Mind-Altering Smoke

There is discord among the downtrodden. Or: Where there’s smoke . . .

When the Libertarian Party began planning for its state convention next February in San Diego, it sent out a call to groups feeling oppressed by the heavy hand of government.

Among those agreeing to send speakers were gun-lovers, ferret owners, animal-rights advocates, the euthanasia lobby, Greenpeace, Amnesty International, the ACLU and two taxpayers’ groups.

Also: Philip Morris U.S.A. and NORML (National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws).

Philip Morris has been aggressive in speaking out against legislation and social trends that could curb smoking. The company runs a speakers’ bureau to provide speakers virtually anywhere anytime.

The cigarette-maker was eager to tell the Libertarians about the perfidy of banning tobacco ads on radio and television. Then last week it learned that it would be sharing a platform with a man from NORML.

Suddenly, Philip Morris was no longer interested.

“They’re afraid to face the issue of marijuana legislation head to head,” complained Dale Gieringer, state coordinator for NORML. “Maybe it’s because their crop looks so bad by comparison to ours, in terms of health and addiction.”

Pat Wright, program manager for the convention, said Philip Morris is guilty of “hypocrisy to the max” by canceling. “They don’t want to recognize other people’s rights,” he said.

Wright said an official from the speakers’ bureau told him that Philip Morris is afraid that a joint appearance with NORML would give credence to rumors that the tobacco industry is eager to get into the marijuana business.

Not so, said company spokesman Steve Weiss. The company’s policy is to not share a platform with anyone, regardless of what group they represent, he added.

“We feel our message gets diluted that way,” he said.

As for rumors about tobacco companies moving into marijuana, Weiss says those are nothing but smoke: “We’re very happy making cigarettes.”

A Push for Peer Pressure

Here and there.

* The San Diego Press Club’s annual award banquets are usually occasions for unalloyed conviviality. Tuesday night’s was different.

Guild members from the San Diego Union and Tribune handed out flyers protesting the protracted contract negotiations at the U-T that have frozen wages for nearly two years:

“Because of this, morale has plummeted; veteran workers have left and others are actively seeking employment elsewhere.”

* An early poll shows Linda Bernhardt leading Councilman Ed Struiksma by 20 percentage points, with not enough undecided voters left for Struiksma to close the gap.

* The Lakeside-based Animal Press offers 18 steps on how to give your cat a pill. A sampling:

Step 2. Retrieve cat from top of lamp and pill from under sofa. Step 6. Leave cat hanging on drapes. Leave pill in your hair. Step. 18. Take two aspirin and lie down.

Dining, Geography Adventure

Only in San Diego.

Where else could the proprietor of a Chinese restaurant beat all comers for the right to open a Mexican restaurant on a university campus?

Molly Lee, Taiwan-reared proprietor of Chung King Loh in Solana Beach and a Chung King Loh annex at the Price Center at UC San Diego, has now been selected to open a Mexican restaurant at the Price Center.

When Taco Bell backed out a month before the center opened in April, 19 would-be replacements responded to the university’s plea.

That narrowed to four competitors--Molly Lee and the operators of three Mexican restaurants in San Diego: Roberto’s, Taco Time and Porkyland. A committee of students and administrators chose Lee, based on financial viability, pricing, service and, most importantly, a taste test.

“I don’t think you need to be ethnic specific in our society to cook good ethnic food,” explained student commissioner Jason Carbone.

Tia Molly will open by the end of the month.