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• 100+ Youth to Demonstrate at Altria/Philip Morris Annual Meeting; Call to 'Quarantine' Company 

Governments must effectively quarantine Altria/Philip Morris, the world's largest multinational tobacco company, by passing legislation to stop the spread of the global tobacco pandemic. That's the message of more than 100 youth and adult tobacco control advocates from 13 states who will hold a colorful demonstration outside the Altria shareholders' meeting in New Jersey (April 26) and company headquarters in New York City (April 27) in a show of global solidarity against the tobacco industry. Philip Morris's parent company has recently spun off its Kraft affiliate, and there is widespread speculation that Philip Morris International and Philip Morris USA will separate soon. "The proposed breakup of Philip Morris poses the risk that Philip Morris International will become even more effective at spreading its toxic product," says Anna White of the corporate accountability group Essential Action, "An independent Philip Morris International, which is likely to be based in Switzerland, will no longer feel constrained by public opinion, or the possibility of domestic regulation or litigation, in its home country and most important market, the United States."

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