Big Tobacco, Advocates Spar at UN Hearings October 13, 2000
News Summary
Philip Morris, the world's largest tobacco company, admitted during a United Nations hearing on a proposed international anti-smoking treaty that cigarettes were addictive and made smokers sick, Reuters reported Oct. 12."We agree that smoking is addictive and causes disease in smokers," said David Davies, Philip Morris Europe's vice president for corporate affairs. "Today I affirm we're in step with public health authorities."
For many years, tobacco companies denied the health risks associated with smoking. But at the hearing, Davis said Philip Morris would support "sensible" regulation of tobacco products and their sales, marketing and advertising.
The new stance taken by Big Tobacco, however, was quickly dismissed by anti-smoking activists as a public-relations trick. They, in turn, challenged cigarette makers to reveal the list of toxic ingredients in their products and their Third World marketing strategies.
"Philip Morris's good-sounding promises are totally inconsistent with its actions," said Matthew Myers, president of the U.S.-based Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. "We challenge Philip Morris to reveal its marketing budget and strategies in the third world. If Philip Morris is serious about preventing youth smoking, it simply needs to stop projecting the Marlboro image around the world."
The hearings are being held by the World Health Organization (WHO), which wants to develop a worldwide anti-tobacco pact that could ban tobacco ads, increase taxes, cut output and control underage smoking.
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