Elizabeth A. Smith, PhD¹, Ruth E. Malone, RN, PhD², C. Keith Haddock, PhD³, W.S. Carlos Poston, PhD, MPH³, Jennifer E. Taylor, MA³, and Harry A. Lando, PhD⁴. (1) Dept of Social & Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, Box 0612, San Francisco, CA 94143-0612, (2) Dept. of Social & Behavioral Sciences and Center for Tobacco Control Research & Education, University of California, San Francisco, Box 1390, San Francisco, CA 94143-1390, 415-476-3273, rmalone@itsa.ucsf.edu, (3) Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Kansas City, 4825 Troost, suite 124, Kansas City, MO 64110, (4) School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Division of Epidemiology, 1300 South Second Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454

The relationship between the tobacco industry and the United States military dates back to World War I, when cigarettes were distributed free to troops. Tobacco industry documents reveal extensive activity in the marketing and policy arenas to maintain this relationship. A 1985 proposal to stop selling cigarettes in commissaries and base exchanges at tax-free (and thus deeply discounted) rates prompted industry efforts to head off the measure, including: working with individuals in the military command structure; making alliances with military and quasi-military organizations, such as DeCA (the Department of Defense Commissary Agency); placing articles in Department of Defense journals and military-oriented publications; and “quietly” having language inserted in the Defense Authorization bill forbidding the Department of Defense to stop selling cigarettes or raise their price without the approval of Congress. Despite repeated congressional efforts, it was not until 1996 that prices began to be raised in military outlets. Because tobacco sales support Morale, Welfare, and Recreation programs, there has been resistance to prohibiting cigarettes in military outlets. In addition to sales, tobacco companies have frequently sponsored activities for enlisted people, such as concerts, tournaments and Desert Storm victory celebrations, all with prominent branding. These activities show that, as an internal company history of the Marlboro brand asserted, “the marketing experts understood how to use the far-flung involvement of the military superpower, the U.S., for the distribution of their products.”

Learning Objectives: The participant in this session will be able to

• Understand why the military is an important market and ally for the tobacco industry
• Recognize various strategies the industry uses to maintain this relationship
• Strategize about how to support the military in its efforts to go tobacco-free

Keywords: Tobacco Industry, Marketing

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.