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As a point of clarification, I found the stats I used on the website of the
ex-tobacco executive, Jeffrey Wigand, who blew the whistle on the cigarette
industry.
They made an excellent movie about him, THE INSIDER. It's worth seeing.
I cut-and-pasted the stats and some general comments directly from his
webpage into my original note without attribution and made some alterations
as I worked on it.
You can find his home page here:
http://jeffreywigand.com/inside/index.html
The material I copied from Mr. Wigand can be found here:
http://jeffreywigand.com/inside/speech.html
Normally I would use quotation marks and attributions, but last night it was
late and I was pissed off. I hope this hasn't confused anyone.
Dr. Wigand is one of the true heroes in this country and deserves the credit
for his words. He is still being attacked by the tobacco industry.
JoeL Markwell
I have quoted the passage I borrowed below here:
"470,000 people die each year from tobacco use. This compares to 1,000
deaths due to alcohol abuse or 10,000 deaths due to murders. The annual
death count due to tobacco use is equivalent to two jumbo jets crashing
EVERY DAY with no survivors.
The chemicals found in tobacco are so toxic that you are unable to dump
them in a landfill.
3,000 kids become regular smokers each day ... one MILLION each year.
Year-to-date, 110,000 kids have become daily smokers. Smoking before the age
of 15 versus the age of 25 puts them at TEN TIMES more risk to get cancer.
82% of adults who smoke started before the age of 18.
Smoking racks up $50 Billion a year in direct medical costs.
The tobacco industry spends more than $6 Billion annually in advertising
programs directed at getting new smokers - targeting children, women, and
minorities.
How? Silver screen (Movies), advertising outside schools (targeted
billboard campaigns), free gifts, and misleading advertising stating that
smoking is healthy, "cool" and fun.
The tobacco industry uses science to obfuscate the truth and generate
controversy. They hide and lie to the public about the dangers of tobacco
use and nicotine addiction. They put profits ahead of public health and
safety."
--Speaking Engagements, Jeffrey Wigand, Ph.D.
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