DOCUMENTS HINT AT MANIPULATION OF NICOTINE LEVELS

Tobacco-industry documents, including some released in recent weeks,
strongly suggest that one of the nation's largest cigarette producers, the
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., altered nicotine delivery to smokers, apparently
believing that doing so would increase the "kick' of its popular Winston
brand and make it more competitive.

All cigarette manufacturers, including R.J. Reynolds, have denied that they
manipulate or control levels of nicotine, the substance in cigarettes that
addicts smokers.

But the latest R.J. Reynolds records, when added to previously disclosed
documents, show that R.J. Reynolds researchers noticed that Philip Morris
had a higher level of so called free nicotine in its popular Marlboro
brand. Soon after, the R.J. Reynolds researchers set out with the apparent
intention of matching that quality in the company's Winston product.

On Friday, a spokesman for R.J.Reynolds said nicotine levels were not a
"design characteristic" in developing cigarettes. "In fact, our research
through the years has focused on reducing total 'tar' and nicotine yield,"
the spokesman said.