News Release

Tobacco companies expand their epidemic of death

Peer-Reviewed Publication

The Lancet_DELETED

An Editorial published Online First and in this week's Lancet criticises the tobacco industry for expanding its peddling of death, especially in vulnerable countries. Last week saw Imperial Tobacco report increases in sales of cigarettes to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. The company's share price rose steeply, while results from Phillip Morris, another tobacco giant, are expected on Thursday 10 February.

Africa, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and Asia Pacific are the regions where tobacco sales are expanding most. The Editorial describes the "selling, addicting, and killing" mode of these companies as "surely the most cruel and corrupt business model human beings could have invented". It also criticizes both companies for the hypocrisy of how they are spreading their killing fields in far away places, yet trying to sanitise their "imagery" for investors.

The Editorial concludes: "We should not pick on Philip Morris and Imperial Tobacco. The big five tobacco manufacturers also include British American Tobacco (BAT), Japan Tobacco, and Altria. BAT describes the cigarette industry as 'recession resistant.' It is also morally repugnant."

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The Lancet Press Office. T) +44 (0) 20 7424 4949 E) tony.kirby@lancet.com

For full Editorial see: http://press.thelancet.com/tobacco.pdf


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