Her's a bit of something interesting...
Diane Ridout, Instructor, ACP.............................................
Kwantlen University College, "Talk
12666-72 Avenue doesn't
Surrey, BC, Canada V3W 2M8 cook rice," they say.
Tel: (604) 599-2964 Voice mail 9837.......................................
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U.S. Brings First Tobacco Criminal Case
January 7, 1998 5:11 PM EST
By James Vicini
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government Wednesday brought the first
criminal charges in its tobacco industry investigation, alleging a
California biotechnology firm conspired with a cigarette maker to
secretly develop a high-nicotine tobacco plant.
Justice Department officials said DNA Plant Technology Corp., which
develops new plant varieties, has agreed to plead guilty to one count
of conspiring to violate the tobacco seed export law and to cooperate
in the 3-year-old probe.
The officials said Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp., the nation's
third largest cigarette maker and a unit of B.A.T Industries Plc of
Britain, was an unindicted co-conspirator in the alleged scheme to
develop a genetically altered tobacco plant with a higher nicotine
content.
According to court papers, DNA Plant Technology conspired with Brown &
Williamson and its Brazilian affiliate to violate a law that bars
tobacco seed exports from the United States without a permit. The
alleged violations took place between 1984 and 1991, when the law was
repealed.
The department charged that one of Brown & Williamson's goals was to
develop a reliable source of high-nicotine tobacco it could use to
control nicotine levels in its cigarettes.
It said one variety, code named Y-1, had a nicotine level of 6
percent, about twice that of normal flue-cured tobacco.
It said Brown & Williamson gave the variety to the Oakland-based
company, which specializes in developing new plant varieties through
genetic engineering and advanced breeding techniques.
The department said Y-1 was allegedly grown in Brazil and other
countries to help conceal its development. Federal regulations barred
the commercial growth of such high-nicotine tobacco in the United
States.
It charged that the two companies also illegally exported seeds to
other nations, including Nicaragua, Honduras, Chile, Nigeria, Costa
Rica, Argentina, Zimbabwe and Canada to explore whether they were good
locations to grow Y-1 tobacco.
The department said the two companies used code words in internal
documents to conceal the tobacco seed exports. The plantings in Brazil
were called ``winter trials'' while the seeds were ``special
material.''
The Department also said DNA Plant Technology deliberately concealed
from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) information about its
contract with Brown and Williamson to develop the tobacco.
The department charged that employees of the biotech firm and Brown &
Williamson illegally shipped seeds by air express or courier and
smuggled them when they traveled to Brazil.
The maximum penalty that DNA Plant faces is a $200,000 fine or twice
the gain it received under the contract. The charges were filed in
federal court in Washington, D.C.
The charges were brought as Congress prepares in the next few months
to take up a proposed national settlement under which the tobacco
companies would pay $368.5 billion in a deal negotiated last June with
state officials.
Congressional sources said the case would not likely have a direct
impact on congressional action, but could strengthen tobacco foes
fighting an industry whose public image has grown ever more tarnished.
Congressman Marty Meehan, a Massachusetts Democrat who sought the
tobacco investigation, applauded the bringing of the first case. ``I
anticipate that this is just the tip of the iceberg,'' he said.
A plea agreement is expected to be filed soon, department officials
said, adding that DNA Plant has agreed to tell what it knows about
Brown & Williamson's activities.
DNA Plant said it has agreed to cooperate in the probe and added that
its research agreement with the cigarette maker involving the Y-1
variety ended in 1994. It said the Justice Department asked it not to
comment further because of the ongoing investigation.
Sources close to the probe said the department has been negotiating
with the biotech company in recent weeks about the terms of the plea
deal.
In 1994, FDA Commissioner David Kessler testified before Congress that
Brown and Williamson had shipped Y-1 tobacco to the United States from
Brazil for use in five cigarette brands -- two varieties of Viceroy,
two varieties of Richland and Raleigh Lights King Size.
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