Phillip Morris...

[feigned innocence]

Just heard (Radio 5!) that PM (Marlboro makers, world's biggest tobacco compnay) have sent a report to Czech government saying that Smoking is good for the economy...

The increeased tax income + reduced life span (hence reduced later life health costs...) versuis teh cost of treating tobacco related illness. For Czech they claimed >$100million saved per year !

Wild really when no tobacco manufacturer have formally admitted that cigarette's are bad for your health...!

[LeeLee]

Yes, but aren't PM the ones who just had to pay out that huge sum of money, because they told one of their customers that their cigarettes could not have given him lung cancer - sorrry, it's a bit vague in my mind now. :{

[RED]

Scary stuff - I can imagine the posters now... Uncle Sam pointing to the reader surrounded by "CIGARETTES - Your COUNTRY needs YOU!" :{

[feigned innocence]

LeeLee - yup, PM did pay out, but deliberately a pre-settlement rather than a judgement, so they didn't have to admit liability...

[Leady]

Still you can't dispute the economics behind it...

[[-NIM-]Orangelily]

When I heard this this morning, you were the first person I thought of Leady :D

[feigned innocence]

Personally I think the finances are on shakey grounds...major suing by families affected I would imagine, in a Western country. The ethics though are crystal clear...

[[-NIM-]Orangelily]

I don't know much about the finances having not looked at the report (I'm working on getting a copy though...)

I don'tt hink the suing would really feature though if the government cover themselves approrpriately (warnings and all that kinda thing). All suing relating to the tobacco industy is based on past events, and is directed at the firms themselves.

As for the ethics, are they really that clear? what's your problem with the report?

[Ironheart]

You've got to admit, tobacco manufacturers are onto a winner here. They produce a product which is not only addictive, but is dangerous to your health with prolonged exposure, and they have people queuing up as far as the eye can see to buy it. Personally, I would not shed any tears if all tobacco companies were dismantled tomorrow, but the problem is the effect on world economies. These companies now employ hundreds of thousands of people around the globe, and sacking them overnight would be a large detriment to national economies. Either way, they're unfortunately onto a winner with this.