sample="quota" bates="511580777" isource="rjr" decade="1980" class="ni" date="19880813" R.J. Reynolds Winston-Salem, N.C. 27102 (919) 777-5000 Scott Appleton, PhD Senior R&D Toxicologist Scientific Affairs Division 8-13-88 To: R. L. Suber From: S. Appleton Subject: Comments on review of Cadmium distributed by W. D. Rowland, Rothmans International Services Limited. In my opinion the primary vulnerabilities of the cigarette industry are: Contribution of cigarette smoking to cadmium toxicity in a public health context. Although exposure from cigarettes is below current ADI's (which are about 70 µg/day) these ADI's may be revised lower as is now occurring with lead. ETS poses a similar public health issue. Contribution of cigarette smoking to presumed cadmium induced disease, i.e. emphysema, in a product liability context. Potential action steps Conduct cadmium mass ballance studies to characterize cadmium disposition in a burning cigarette; include MS and SS smoke. Characterize cadmium absorption and retention from exposure to mainstream and sidestream smoke. Evaluate tobacco and cigarette production streams to determine sources of cadmium in tobacco and devise strategies for elimination. Evaluate approaches to prevent cadmium enrichment of soil and leaf. Explore conventional tobacco breeding and biotechnology approaches for developing tobacco cultivars which are resistant to cadmium uptake and retention.