NC Health Care Costs for Tobacco-related Illnesses
Jump to full article: WNCT Channel 9 CBS (Greenville, NC), 2009-05-20
Author: Parul Joshi Reporter
Intro: Tough questions tonight for Senator Kay Hagan about her campaign funding from big tobacco and her opposition to the Food and Drug Administration regulating tobacco. In fact both of North Carolina's Senators oppose the idea. And both got thousands of dollars in support for their political careers from tobacco companies. We wanted to know the real reason behind the opposition. . . .
Reporter: "I know that in the past you've received some financial support from tobacco groups for your campaign. Does your current position on this bill have anything to do with that?"
Hagan responds, "You know I think tobacco companies have given quite a bit of funding to Republican candidates and it certainly has no bearing whatsoever. I am primarily interested in jobs in North Carolina and the impact this will have on the farming community and I am certainly here to advocate on behalf of North Carolina's best interests.
Which begs the question: is our states best interest the health of our people or the health of our tobacco industry?
Hagan says, "I think it goes back to the public at large knows that tobacco smoking is harmful and I think that's one of the things that's already currently known and the FDA has too much on their plate to deal with." . . .
We posted this story online before it aired and were immediately contacted by a member of Senator Hagan's staff, who questioned the accuracy of our story. When they could not provide a single example of anything factually incorrect, the staff member said they deeply resent the questions raised in this story.
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