Paul Smalera

It’s a sad state of affairs when the company selling the product you’re trying to regulate is writing the regulations, but tht’s exactly what’s happening in Congress right now with Philip Morris. As I write:

“It is a dream come true for Philip Morris,” Michael Siegel, a professor at the Boston University School of Public Health, told me. “First, they make it look like they are a reformed company which really cares about reducing the toll of cigarettes and protecting the public’s health; and second, they protect their domination of the market and make it impossible for potentially competitive products to enter the market.” Other tobacco companies have taken to calling the bill the “Marlboro Monopoly Act of 2009.”

Please give this story a read– it’s important, and a reminder to stay vigilant about our government, no matter who is in power.

Cool, Refreshing Legislation for Philip Morris: Why it’s politically impossible to ban menthol cigarettes, even if they’re the most addictive.