Resolutions
presented, all of which are
opposed by the Altria Board of
Directors
Proposal 1 -- Independent
Board Chairman
Proposal 2 -- Global Human
Rights Standards
Proposal 3 -- Address Health Hazards for African Americans
Associated
with Smoking Menthol Cigarettes
Quote from this
resolution:
Noting findings in Nicotine and Tobacco Research
(07.01.05) on "the influence of gender, race, and menthol content on
tobacco exposure measures," Business
Week reported (09.05.05):
"Menthol evokes smooth refreshment, but for
African American smokers, it may be lethal. Researchers have long
puzzled over why black male smokers are 30% more likely to develop lung
cancer and die from it than are white men, even though they smoke fewer
cigarettes. New Harvard research points the finger at menthol
cigarettes, which are favored by more than 70% of black smokers.
Scientists at the Harvard School
of Public Health analyzed the menthol
in several brands and found much more had been added to those
cigarettes labeled as light or ultra light. Because menthol is a
numbing agent, they said, the high levels may lead to deeper
inhalation."
Proposal 4 -- Extend New York Fire-Safe
Products Globally
Quote from this
resolution:
Nationally,
cigarette fires are the
leading cause of fire death. They claim approximately 1,000 lives
in the U.S. annually. Ten years ago, the direct costs of
cigarette-ignited fire deaths, injuries and property damage was
estimated to be $4 billion, with health care costs exceeding $100
million.
We have the technology to drastically
reduce such deaths. We already make a product which, while legal,
if used as directed causes death. To be complicit in more deaths
due to an unwillingness to change our technology makes us complicit in
their deaths.
Proposal 5 -- Animal Welfare
Policy
Proposal 6 -- Support for Laws
at All Levels Combating Use of Tobacco
Quote from this
resolution:
RESOLVED
that, since a combination
of laws against smoking in public places as well as tax increases has
been shown to demonstrably reduce smoking, especially among young
people, the Company make as public policy a commitment to support
legislation at all levels of local, regional, state and federal
government which is geared to that end. Furthermore, the Company
shall also support all efforts to repeal existing preemption laws
limiting local smokefree air ordinances.
Proposal 7 -- Facilitating
Medical Efforts to Dissuade Secondhand Smoke
Quote from this
resolution:
The
study noted that, soon after the
new SHS [secondhand smoke] exposure diagnostic code became available in
1994, Philip
Morris hired MBS to influence the governmental process for creating and
using medical codes. It budgeted more than $2 million for this
"ICD-9 Project" and sought to keep its actions secret. It
utilized third-party lobbying, Paperwork Reduction Act challenges, and
backed alternative coding arrangements. PM and MBS also
challenged the use of such a code as an entry on one of the most common
billing forms, the Medicare Form 1500. As of the writing of this
shareholder resolution, the use of this diagnostic tool by medical
personnel has remained "an invalid entry on a common medical form."
Proposal
2 -- Global Human Rights Standards
The Comptroller of the City of New
York on behalf of the New York City Pension Funds submitted this
proposal:
... RESOLVED ... that the shareholders
request that the company commit itself to the implementation of a code
of conduct based on the aforementioned ILO[International Labor
Organization] human rights standards and United Nations' Norms on the
Responsibilities of Transnational Corporations with Regard to Human
Rights, by its international suppliers and in its own international
production facilities, and commit to a program of outside, independent
monitoring of compliance with these standards.
PM opposes this.
Proposal
3 -- Address Health Hazards for African Americans Associated with
Smoking Menthol Cigarettes
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
... submitted the proposal set forth below. ...
Altria
(Marlboro), Loews (Newport), Reynolds American (Kool and Salem)
WHEREAS, most African
Americans who smoke have become addicted to menthol cigarettes.
Approximately three of every four who smoke prefer menthols; among
Black youth who smoke, as many as nine of every ten prefer menthol
brands.
Noting findings in Nicotine and Tobacco Research
(07.01.05) on "the influence of gender, race, and menthol content on
tobacco exposure measures," Business
Week reported (09.05.05):
"Menthol evokes smooth refreshment, but for
African American smokers, it may be lethal. Researchers have long
puzzled over why black male smokers are 30% more likely to develop lung
cancer and die from it than are white men, even though they smoke fewer
cigarettes. New Harvard research points the finger at menthol
cigarettes, which are favored by more than 70% of black smokers.
Scientists at the Harvard School
of Public Health analyzed the menthol
in several brands and found much more had been added to those
cigarettes labeled as light or ultra light. Because menthol is a
numbing agent, they said, the high levels may lead to deeper
inhalation."
The Business Week article
commented: "That helps explain earlier studies showing
smoking-cessation programs are least successful for black menthol
smokers; They may draw in more addictive substances along with
menthol." One of the authors of the study noted that while
"smokers may believe the term 'light' implies a reduction in the
disease
risk, this is not true, and menthol may be playing an important role in
this misperception."
An abstract of the original study noted that "more than 25% of
cigarettes sold in the United States are branded as mentholated, and
these cigarettes are smoked disproportionately among populations with
disparate tobacco-related health outcomes. ... Results [of the
study] showed menthol per cigarette and menthol per tobacco [SIC] to be
significantly greater in cigarettes labeled with industry descriptors
of ultra light or light, belying the common consumer perception that
"light" means less. Menthol per cigarette and tobacco per
cigarette were significantly greater in 100-mm compared with 85-mm
cigarettes. The study
results are consistent with prior research
that suggests menthol may be used to offset reductions in smoke
delivery or impact and to facilitate compensatory smoke inhalation
behaviors in smokers of cigarettes with reduced machine-measured smoke
delivery."
The Harvard study recommends that "tobacco manufacturers should be
required by federal or other regulatory agencies to report the amount
of menthol added to cigarettes."
RESOLVED, within six months of
this annual meeting, this Company shall
voluntarily undertake a campaign aimed at African Americans apprising
them of the unique health hazards to them associated with smoking
menthol cigarettes, including data showing the industry descriptors
such as "light" and "ultra light" do not mean those who smoke such
brands will be any less likely to incur diseases than those who smoke
regular brands.
PM opposed this proposal:
This
resolution would require the Company to undertake a campaign aimed at
African Americans regarding the health hazards associated with smoking
menthol cigarettes. The Company believes that this objective is
currently addressed by a variety
of communications that are currently available and relevant to all
smokers, and which reflect the conclusions of public health authorities
on the health effects of smoking.
PM USA openly communicates its
agreement with the public health authorities that:
Cigarette
smoking is addictive;
Cigarette smoking causes lung cancer,
heart disease, emphysema and other serious diseases in smokers;
There is no safe cigarette; and
Smokers should not assume that
lower-yielding brands are safe or safer than full-flavor brands.
These are and have been the messages
of th U.S. Surgeon General and public health authorities
worldwide. PM USA communicates that smokers and potential smokers
should rely on these messages in making all smoking-related decisions.
Health warnings are required or
included on all of PM USA and PMI brands. The Company defers to
the judgment of public health authorities as to what health warning
messages will best serve the public interest.
In addition to the
congressionally-mandated, Surgeon General's warnings, PM USA
communicates about the health effects of smoking on its website ...
through television, radio and print advertising, through onserts
periodically placed on cigarette packs, in testimony before state and
federal policy makers, and through engagement with the scientific
community and other stakeholders. PM USA facilitates access to
its website in its consumer marketing vehicles.
In addition to health warnings on all
its brands, PMI has statements on the health risks of smoking similar
to those above on its website ... and in onserts periodically placed on
cigarette packs.
PM USA's and PMI's websites include
links to public health authorities and information that they provide
about the health risks of smoking. For example, [the web site]
includes links to the reports of the Surgeon General, including the
1998 report entitled, "Tobacco Use Among U.S. Racial/Ethnic Minority
Groups," which addresses African Americans and smoking menthol
cigarettes, among other topics.
In addition:
With
respect to the use of various cigarette ingredients in the United
States, PM USA currently reports annually to the Secretary of the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services the ingredients it uses in
cigarettes, and the Secretary has responsibility under the Federal
Cigarette labeling and Advertising Act to apprise the United States
Congress regarding "information pertaining to any cigarette ingredient
which in the judgment of the Secretary poses a health risk to cigarette
smokers."
With respect to "light" and
"ultralight" cigarettes, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has
stated that "smoking 'low tar' or 'light' cigarettes does not eliminate
the health risks of smoking. If you're concerned about the health
risks of smoking, stop smoking ... There's no such thing as a safe
smoke." In this regard, the FTC has regulated tar and nicotine
testing, measurement and the use of descriptors on cigarettes sold in
the United States for decades, and PM USA has asked the FTC to take
further regulatory action regarding the disclosure of average tar and
nicotine yields, the use of descriptors, and whether disclaimers should
accompany such use.
PM USA supports comprehensive
regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA), including granting FDA full authority to regulate the use of all
cigarette ingredients, such as menthol, and to regulate or ban the use
of product descriptors.
Internationally, PMI supports strong
and effective regulation of cigarettes. PMI believes that such
regulation should be comprehensive, addressing all aspects of the
manufacture, sale, marketing and use of tobacco products, and has
communicated its views on this subject to many governments and public
health officials around the world. Specifically, PMI has
supported legislation that would give national health authorities the
ability to regulate product descriptors, ingredients, advertising,
public smoking, and many other aspects of tobacco product
manufacturing, sale, use and marketing. In addition, as part of
its efforts to promote strong and effective regulation of tobacco
products around the world, PMI has communicated to national
governments, including the European Union, as well as the World Health
Organization, its views on the need for additional regulation of how
tar and nicotine yields in cigarettes are measured and how this
information is communicated to smokers.
For these reasons, the Company
believes this proposal is not warranted.
Therefore. your Board urges stockholders to
vote AGAINST this proposal,
and proxies received by the Company will be so voted unless
stockholders specify a contrary choice in their proxies.
Proposal
4 -- Extend New York Fire-Safe Products Globally
The Province of Saint Joseph of the
Capuchin Order ... submitted the proposal set forth below.
On June 28, 2004, a New York state law
compelled major tobacco companies to replace their cigarettes with new
"fire safe" versions designed to extinguish themselves more quickly
than conventional cigarettes. The
Wall Street Journal noted that this legislation might create an
environment wherein "cigarette companies could become more vulnerable
to cigarette-fire lawsuits filed in other states" if they did not enact
similar laws (06/23/04).
The article noted that
most "tobacco companies have no intention of changing the cigarettes
they sell in other parts of the country to match New York's
standards." It also stated: "legal experts note that having
two distinct classes of cigarettes could expose their makers to a huge
legal risk. With self-extinguishing cigarettes required only in
New York, anti-tobacco lawyers may find it easier to argue in court
that manufacturers know how to make a safer cigarette -- something the
companies had largely denied until recently" (WSJ 06/23/04).
Even before the New
York law took effect, groups, including the American Cancer Society,
the American Lung Association and other New York-based groups wrote
(06/24/04) the Chief Executive Officer of this Company "on behalf of
consumer, public safety, public health and firefighter
organizations." They asked our CEO to "commit at once to
voluntarily establish New York's cigarette fire safety regulatory
criteria as the standard for all the cigarettes that you produce for
sale in the United States, Puerto Rico and U.S. protectorates."
Their letter was
followed by another letter from a representative of the filers of this
resolution asking for the same standards to apply beyond New York to
the rest of the United States. In response, our Company's CEO did
not make such a commitment. Instead, Altria stated that "the
prudent thing to do, at this time, is to stay focused on compliance
with New York State requirements, and to support a reasonable national
ignition propensity standard while we all try to understand the real
world implications of the New York regulation." Given the fact
that our competitors question the New York State law, such a position
will take a long time before it can be effectuated. Thus this
request to the shareholders for immediate action.
RESOLVED: that the Altria Board
commit the Company within six months of the annual meeting to
voluntarily establish New York's cigarette fire safety regulatory
criteria as the standard for all the cigarettes that are produced for
sale throughout the world, unless local legislation prohibits this.
Supporting
Statement [from
the Province of Saint Joseph of the
Capuchin Order]
Nationally,
cigarette fires are the
leading cause of fire death. They claim approximately 1,000 lives
in the U.S. annually. Ten years ago, the direct costs of
cigarette-ignited fire deaths, injuries and property damage was
estimated to be $4 billion, with health care costs exceeding $100
million.
We have the technology to drastically
reduce such deaths. We already make a product which, while legal,
if used as directed causes death. To be complicit in more deaths
due to an unwillingness to change our technology makes us complicit in
their deaths.
PM opposed this proposal, with the
following statement:
The Company agrees that
steps should be taken to reduce
the number of fires caused by carelessly handled cigarettes.
Reducing the risk of fires caused by carelessly handled cigarettes
has been the focus of discussion in a number of states in the United
States and in other countries.
PM USA supports the enactment of federal
legislation mandating a uniform and reasonable national standard for
reduced ignition-propensity cigarettes that would preempt state
standards and apply to all cigarettes sold in the United States.
PM USA believes that a reasonable national standard would eliminate the
possibility of a patchwork of inconsistent and conflicting state
regulations. It would also ensure that all manufacturers,
whatever their size and wherever located, are subject to and required
to satisfy the same ignition-propensity standards throughout the United
States. Furthermore, a reasonable national standard applicable to
all manufacturers would serve to minimize the opportunity for adult
consumers to obtain non-compliant cigarettes.
The states of New York, Vermont and California have thus far adopted
standards for reduced cigarette ignition propensity, each of which
requires a certain level of minimum performance as assessed by the New
York standard. The New York standard has been in effect since
June 30, 2004, and the Vermont and California standards are scheduled
to take effect respectively on May 1, 2006 and January 1, 2007.
Both the Vermont and California statutes recognize the importance of
uniformity by requiring that they be implemented "in accordance with
the
implementation and substance" of New York's standard. PM USA is
opposed to the adoption of individual state standards for reduced
cigarette ignition propensity. However, if a state decides to
enact such a standard, it is important for the standard to be
consistent with the requirements uniformly adopted by New York,
California and Vermont.
Similarly, PMI believes that reduced cigarette ignition-propensity
standards should be uniform, technically feasible, and applied against
all manufacturers. PMI is prepared to work with regulators,
legislators and fire-safety organizations to develop
ignition-propensity standards, including sharing the results of PMI's
research with governments for the purpose of developing such standards.
It is important to note that cigarettes that comply with the New York
regulations are not "fire-safe." Anything that burns, if handled carelessly, can
cause a fire. Although
cigarettes that meet the New York standard are less likely than
cigarettes that do not meet that standard to ignite certain fabrics
under specific laboratory conditions, the relationship between reduced
ignition-propensity cigarettes and the number of cigarette-related
fires will remain unclear until the actual impact of reduced
ignition-propensity cigarettes has been evaluated in the marketplace.
The Company believes that the best approach to this issue is for PM USA
and PMI to continue to work with interested governments on appropriate
and consistent regulatory standards.
Therefore. your Board urges stockholders to vote AGAINST this proposal,
and proxies received by the Company will be so voted unless
stockholders specify a contrary choice in their proxies.
Proposal 5
-- Animal Welfare Policy
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ... submitted the proposal
...
... RESOLVED, that the shareholders request
that the Board adopt and post an Animal Welfare Policy online which
addresses the Company's commitment to (a) reducing, refining and
replacing its use of animals in research and testing, and (b) ensuring
superior standards of care for animals who continue to be used for
these purposes, both by the Company itself and by all independently
retained laboratories, including provisions to ensure that animals'
psychological, social and behavioral needs are met. Further, the
shareholders request that the Board issue an annual report to
shareholders on the extent to which in-house and contract laboratories
are adhering to this policy, including the implementation of the
psychological enrichment measures. ...
PM opposed this proposal.
Proposal
6 -- Support for Laws at
All Levels Combating Use of Tobacco
The Sisters of St. Joseph of
Carondelet ... submitted the proposal set
forth below. ...
Whereas, this Company has publicly said
that using its tobacco products
is a danger to peoples' health;
According to Market Wire
(August 25, 2005), the American Lung
Association (ALA) has noted an increasing number of states are taking
aggressive action to reduce tobacco use. For instance, "during
the first half of 2005, several states went completely smokefree,
others moved to strengthen existing restrictions on smoking in public
places, and new increase in state tobacco taxes are bringing the
national average to nearly $1.00 a pack."
The report
noted: "While states are making it harder for people
to smoke in public places, higher cigarette taxes are also making
smoking more expensive. Since January 1, 2005, tobacco taxes have
increased in 11 states, including the tobacco-growing states of North
Carolina and Kentucky. As of August 15, the average state
cigarette tax was $0.89 cents per pack. It will increase to $0.92
cents per pack when tax increases in Maine and North Carolina take
effect. Texas is considering a $1.00 increase in its cigarette
tax, which would push the nationwide average even higher."
According to John L.
Kirkwood, President and CEO of the ALA, "Higher
cigarette taxes mean significant drops in smoking rates. Studies
show that a 10 percent increase in the price of cigarettes reduces
consumption by 7 percent for youth and 4 percent for adults.
Raising the cigarette tax is one of the most effective ways to reduce
adult smoking and stop kids from ever starting."
The Company has
publicly said it does not want youth to start
smoking. It has been running ads to help people to stop
smoking. However, it has not demonstrated that such efforts have
reduced smoking for young people and/or adults.
The report took note
of preemption of smokefree laws: "Illinois
became only the second state (after Delaware) to repeal preemption of
local smokefree air ordinances. This action will allow any local
community in Illinois to adopt smokefree air ordinances that are
stronger than state law. Once the Illinois law goes into effect
on January 1, 2006, 19 states will have total or partial
preemption. Preemption is a major priority for th tobacco
industry and its front groups because they have less influence at the
local level and prefer to lobby for weak statewide smokefree air laws
that cannot be replaced by stronger local ordinances."
RESOLVED that, since a combination
of laws against smoking in public places as well as tax increases has
been shown to demonstrably reduce smoking, especially among young
people, the Company make as public policy a commitment to support
legislation at all levels of local, regional, state and federal
government which is geared to that end. Furthermore, the Company
shall also support all efforts to repeal existing preemption laws
limiting local smokefree air ordinances.
Supporting
Statement [from The Sisters of St. Joseph of
Carondelet]
This Company needs to clearly and
publicly support efforts that will reduce, if not eliminate, the
nation's number one cause of preventable disease smoking.
If you agree, please vote "yes" for this proposal.
PM opposed this proposal, with the
following statement:
PM USA
and PMI support strong and effective regulation of cigarettes,
including measures to reduce smoking by young people. PM USA and
PMI recognize that certain public health groups and others support
taxation policies and public place smoking restrictions as measures
that lead to a reduction in the incidence of smoking.
Taxation of tobacco products is one of
many tools that governments can use to advance public health
objectives, including increasing quitting and helping to prevent youth
smoking. However, PM USA and PMI oppose excessive increases in
cigarette excise taxes. Fiscal measures should not be viewed in
isolation. In making fiscal policy and considering tax increases,
governments must consider the unintended consequences associated with
excessive taxation, such as an increase in illegal cigarette
trafficking
and counterfeiting or encouraging
consumers to switch to cheaper forms
of tobacco or to low price cigarettes. In addition to tax
increases, therefore, governments should consider complementary
measures
to achieve the objectives of their tobacco control policies.
In the United States, PM USA supports
comprehensive Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco
products. More specifically, PM USA fully supports legislation
introduced in the United States Congress by Senators DeWine and Kennedy
and Representatives Davis and Waxman. Internationally, PMI
supports strong and effective regulation of cigarettes by all competent
authorities, both national and regional, and is an advocate of uniform
international science-based standards to guide regulation. PMI
believes that such regulation should be comprehensive, addressing all
aspects of the manufacture, sale, marketing and use of tobacco
products, and has communicated its views on this subject to many
governments and public health officials around the world.
Specifically, PMI has supported legislation that would give national
health authorities the ability to regulate advertising, public smoking.
and many other aspects of tobacco product manufacturing, sale, use, and
marketing.
With respect to restrictions on public
place smoking, PM USA and PMI believe that the conclusions of public
health officials regarding the risks of second-hand smoke to
non-smokers are sufficient to warrant certain government measures to
regulated public place smoking. Government, businesses and the
public should be guided by these views in making decisions about public
smoking.
There are places where smoking should
not be permitted at all, such as elevators, places where a specific
fire hazard already exists, or areas occupied primarily by children,
such as playgrounds, schools and daycare facilities.
Complete
bans on smoking go too far. Governments should strike a
balance between the desire to protect non-smokers from exposure to
second-hand smoke and allowing the millions of people who continue to
smoke to do so in certain circumstances. Smoking should be
permitted outdoors except in very particular circumstances, such as
outdoor play areas primarily designed for children.
In many indoor places, reasonable ways
exist to allow smokers a place to smoke but provide non-smokers with
the ability to avoid second-hand
smoke. PM USA and PMI believe that business owners --
particularly owners of restaurants, bars and nightclubs -- are most
familiar with how to accommodate the
needs of their patrons and should
be allowed the flexibility to determine the smoking policy for their
establishment, including whether to ban, restrict or allow smoking.
Where smoking is permitted, the
government should require the posting of warning notices that
communicate public health
officials' conclusions that secondhand
[SIC] smoke causes disease in non-smokers.
The Company believes that these public
policy positions appropriately address public health interests, as well
as the interests of adult consumers who want to smoke.
Therefore. your Board urges stockholders to
vote AGAINST this proposal,
and proxies received by the Company will be so voted unless
stockholders specify a contrary choice in their proxies.
Proposal
7 -- Facilitating Medical
Efforts to Dissuade Secondhand Smoke
The Sisters of Charity of St.
Elizabeth ... submitted the proposal set
forth below. ...
WHEREAS, Philip Morris' website,
acknowledging the health dangers from secondhand smoking (SHS), states:
Public
health officials have concluded that secondhand smoke from
cigarettes causes disease, including lung cancer and heart disease, in
non-smoking adults, as well as causes conditions in children such as
asthma, respiratory infections, cough, wheeze, otitis media (middle ear
infection) and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In addition, public
health officials have concluded that secondhand smoke can
exacerbate
adult asthma and cause eye, throat and nasal irritation.
Philip Morris USA
believes that the public should be guided by the conclusions of public
health officials regarding the health effects of secondhand smoke in
deciding whether to be in places where secondhand smoke is present, or
if they are smokers, when and where to smoke around others.
Particular care should be exercised where children are concerned, and
adults should avoid smoking around them.
We also believe that the conclusions of
public health officials concerning environmental tobacco smoke
are
sufficient to warrant measures that regulate smoking in public
places. We also believe that where smoking is permitted, the
government should require the posting of warning notices that
communicate public health
officials' conclusions that secondhand smoke
causes disease in non-smokers.
Despite acknowledging
the health hazards connected to SHS, a recent study ("Health Affairs" of Tobacco Control 24.4, July/August,
2005) revealed that, in tandem with the creation of a code (ICD-9-CM)
to determine SHS exposure in patients, PM USA's internal documents show the
Company aggressively worked to prevent the creation and adoption of an
appropriate medical diagnostic code related to SHS for use on Medicare
and other medical forms. A memo from the group (Multinational
Business Services [MBS]) it hired to obstruct the inclusion of SHS data
told PM that including such an "E-code:" "would provide an
incentive for people to claim illnesses related to second-hand smoke,"
and, the memo adds, "it would directly link second-hand smoke to
national health costs."
The study noted that, soon after the
new SHS exposure diagnostic code became available in 1994, Philip
Morris hired MBS to influence the governmental process for creating and
using medical codes. It budgeted more than $2 million for this
"ICD-9 Project" and sought to keep its actions secret. It
utilized third-party lobbying, Paperwork Reduction Act challenges, and
backed alternative coding arrangements. PM and MBS also
challenged the use of such a code as an entry on one of the most common
billing forms, the Medicare Form 1500. As of the writing of this
shareholder resolution, the use of this diagnostic tool by medical
personnel has remained "an invalid entry on a common medical form."
RESOLVED, that having now acknowledged
hazards due to SHS, until the present CODE is changed, that
Altria/Philip Morris refrain from any action that would maintain the
existing law (expecting to have expired 03.31.06) and voluntarily make
available on its website and to all requesting physicians, nurse,
dentists, and other medical personnel, questionnaires for their
patients that include their past and present exposure to SHS.
PM opposed this proposal, with the
following very short statement:
The Company has no
intention of engaging in any advocacy regarding the existing U.S. law
referred to in the resolution.
With respect to the voluntary action
requested by the resolution, the Company believes that the need for,
and proper form of, the diagnostic tool suggested by the resolution are
best provided by public health agencies or health-care personnel.
Therefore. your Board urges stockholders to
vote AGAINST this proposal,
and proxies received by the Company will be so voted unless
stockholders specify a contrary choice in their proxies.
In the days following the meeting on April 27th, 2006, this web site
will report on the questions of activists, answers by PM/Altria's
representatives, and comments
regarding the resolutions presented at the meeting.
Updated
27 April 2006