Philip Morris-Bill of Rights Ad Opposed

A consumer health group asked Congress today to revoke an agreement between a cigarette manufacturer and the National Archives that the group says “smears the Bill of Rights with the blood of all Americans killed as a result of smoking.”

The August agreement makes Philip Morris Companies Inc. part of an Archives campaign to commemorate the bicentennial of the Bill of Rights.

A nationally televised public service announcement that is a part of the campaign includes the voices of President John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King over images of the Bill of Rights and scenes from civil rights demonstrations. The announcement identifies Philip Morris as the sponsor.

“This joint venture smears the Bill of Rights with the blood of all Americans killed as a result of smoking Marlboro and other Philip Morris cigarettes,” Sidney Wolfe, director of Public Citizen Health Research Group, said in a letter to Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), whose Government Affairs subcommittee has jurisdiction over the archives.

“The campaign has nothing to do with cigarettes. It’s about the celebration of the Bill of Rights,” Guy L. Smith, vice president of corporate affairs for Philip Morris, said today.

“We’re just sponsoring the messages, and the Archives is helping us to make sure they’re historically accurate.”

Smith added that as of this morning, 200,056 people had requested a copy of the Bill of Rights offered by Philip Morris.

“The Bill of Rights belongs to everybody,” said Smith, likening his company’s sponsorship of the campaign to that of American Express raising money to refurbish the Statue of Liberty.