Cigarette giant denies smoking leads to cancer - Imperial Tobacco

[dArKeR]

A giant British tobacco company is to take the unprecedented step this week of denying there is a proven causal link between smoking and lung cancer in the first case against a cigarette firm to go to a UK court.

The unique defense, to be heard in Scotland's Court of Session, denies decades of scientific proof of such a link, which was accepted by the British Government in 1957.

Imperial Tobacco is being sued for £500,000 (US$835,000) by Margaret McTear, whose husband, Alf, a 60-a-day smoker from Beith near Glasgow, died of lung cancer in 1993. The case, which starts tomorrow, will be scrutinized across Europe by lawyers who want to bring similar actions against tobacco firms.

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2003/10/06/2003070628

[UpInArms]

1. just remember what

Warren Buffet said:

I'll tell you why I like the cigarette business. It costs a penny to make. Sell it for a dollar. It's addictive. And there's fantastic brand loyalty.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Good one! I needed a joke to cheer me up today! :crazy:

[UpInArms]

3. and my all time favorite is

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/shields&gigot/july96/wrap_7-5.html

SEN. BOB DOLE: Obviously when the Republicans control, we get more contributions from companies, as we have since 1994. I haven't any idea whether I've had any money directed to my campaign by tobacco companies. I'm not in their pocket. And my view is, as I've said time and time again, again, the liberal media crosses that out, goes right back to the Democratic line, I mean, you should--you know, you may be violating the FCC regulations by always, you know, sticking up for the Democrats, advertising their- -

[gratuitous]

4. Easy enough to overcome

Begin with the late quotations from Philip Morris and RJR Nabisco, finally acknowledging that cigarette smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer. Work backward from there to the 1958 visit of leading British scientists to the U.S., when every tobacco company researcher they talked to (with the notable exception of Philip Morris company researchers) admitted that smoking was linked to lung cancer.

Dante would have to set aside a special circle of Hell for tobacco company executives and their apologists if he were writing today.