Research

Administrative History

The Tobacco Institute (TI) consisted of 11 companies that manufactured or marketed cigarettes and other tobacco products. The Institute was incorporated in 1958 as a trade association intended to foster public understanding of smoking and health controversy and to "increase awareness of the historic role of tobacco and its place in the U.S. economy;" to cooperate with governmental agencies and public officials with reference to tobacco industry; to collect and disseminate information related to the use of tobacco published by any federal or state government agency, or from any other non-industry source; to gather information regarding federal/state legislative and administrative developments affecting tobacco industry; and to promote "good will."

The Tobacco Institute Testing Laboratory was set up in 1967 to keep track of Federal Trade Commission's Tar and Nicotine Laboratory and ensure it's work was accurate. In 1974 field offices were established on regional basis in response to efforts to regulate smoking in public places and workplace. The duties of field representatives were to advise the Institute of regional developments in regions, to serve as spokesmen for the Institute; to work/cooperate with local tobacco industries. The Tobacco Observer, a specialty publication on tobacco issues, was established in the 1970s as the Institute's public communications activities were expanded.

The role of the Scientific Division was to support the objectives and mission of the Institute itself, to advise the President, to provide back-up and support for federal and state lobbying activities, and to make such materials as were developed for these purposes available to other divisions. In addition, the members of the Division responded to requests from the wider scientific community to present the Institute's side of the dialogue on smoking and health.