What kills you, makes them stronger Hello ! Around 290 billion euros of revenues over 29 billion euros of profit Here is the pretty jackpot that gathered the 6 biggest tobacco company in 2010. For the last 10 years 43 000 billions cigarettes were smoked around the world, a nice business that is near of exploit With almost 6 millions deads in the world in 2012 700 000 in Europe only Every years, tobacco kills more than malaria, aids, and wars together.
Building a permanent business, with a product that kills prematurely half of its consumers Well done ! To achieve this, it had to start early after WW2 in the "old continent" people were mainly smoking brown tabaco it had a thick smoke and an acrid taste And then there was the Marshall plan, USA coming to help the wounded Europe brought boxes of blonde tabaco which had a less irritating smoke that allowed the nicotine to go further into the lungs assuring a stronger dependence The result : for 2$ of food, 1$ of tabaco was shipped to Europe all throughout the Marshall plan, 40 000 tones total But in 1953 studies on mouses prooved that tabaco create cancer. OUPS !
The big companies fight back funding other scientific studies To put up a smokescreen and while the doubt infuses cigarettes boxes are selling In the United States Public authorities discover tobacco's danger only in 1964 A ten year win 8000 billions of cigarettes solds and 8 millions additional dead Another tip to help against those deaths that kill the business : recruit smokers from a young age. just to make the dependency profitable. Take China for example : 1st consumer of cigarettes in the world.
Over a 100 Chinese primary schools are sponsored by "China Tobacco". After the terrible earthquake of 2008, The state enterprise financed the reconstruction of the "Sichuan Tobacco Hope Primary School". A cheerful slogan even welcomed students: "Talent comes from hard work, Tobacco helps you become talented " The latest trick that was founded The menthol ball.
In the filter. Thanks to that, all over the world, cigarettes have become a gadget. Perfect for the youngest goodbye death, hello fun!
Except that if menthol soothes the taste and refreshes the throat It also allows the smoke to go deeper into the lungs. Causing even more damages and addiction. A Genius idea !
In February 2014, europeans deputies voted by a large majority, an anti-tobacco directive. Under discussion for two years, manufacturers had yet fiercely fought against. It will prohibit artificial flavors, such as menthol.
But the 161 Philip Morris lobbyists and colleagues obtained that this restriction does not apply until 2020. Another 6 years to refuel. And it must be said that they had enough to have leverage.
Since 2004, tobacco giants have contributed more than 2 billion euros to the European Commission. Although these funds are intended for the fight against the black market, it is a non-negligible sum A bit like the 11. 2 billion received in 2013 by the French government through taxes on cigarettes.
Another form of addiction. Behind their speeches boasting pleasure and freedom, tobacco companies mostly became masters in the art of dependence. Whether physical or financial .
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because they know that without it, their business would burn into smoke. . .
