Tobacco.org

• EDITORIAL: Stop Smoking 

It is grimly appropriate that in the very week the High Court begins to hear arguments about the disclosure of medical records in a case taken by a number of Irish smokers against the tobacco industry, the world's largest tobacco company should shoot itself spectacularly in the foot. . .

It might have been thought that after several decades of lying and evasion by the tobacco industry, and the attendant public relations disaster, those who defend smoking might have become somewhat more adept at fighting their corner. There can hardly be a more cynical or disgraceful argument in defence of smoking than the one suggested in the Little Report. Philip Morris said in response that it did not want to enter a debate on smoking and healthcare. Indeed not. How could a tobacco company defend a product which has no known medical benefit?

Next week, the Minister for Health Mr Martin, brings to Cabinet anti-smoking legislative proposals. Government sources describe them as draconian. They can hardly be draconian enough.

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