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Influence, Manipulation & Deceit

Big Tobacco’s fantasy is a nightmare for us all

Published Sep 22, 2023
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Cigarette to Vape

The world’s deadliest industry is trying to rebrand itself as your friend.123 Big Tobacco wants to be put in charge of, get credit for, and profit off solving the number one cause of preventable death and disease45 – the smoking epidemic they created. Their dangerous and hypocritical rebrand promises a “better tomorrow” and “smoke-free future” with dangerous, addictive vape products while they continue selling six trillion cigarettes each year, including launching new cigarettes in California just last year.78910 

Not so “smoke-free”: Big Tobacco launches new cigarette brands in California

In 2022, when Californians voted to end the sale of most flavored tobacco products,11 including menthol cigarettes, Big Tobacco wasn’t thinking about their “smoke-free” rebrand, they were focused on making a profit off new cigarette brands to replace the products pulled off the shelves.12 These new cigarettes are marketed specifically to Californians through online promotions, catchy marketing, and deep discounts.1314 This, from the same industry that claims cigarettes are a thing of the past and they want a “better tomorrow” for us all.1516

Big Tobacco wants to be put in charge of, get credit for, and profit off solving the number one cause of preventable death and disease - the smoking epidemic they created.

Big Tobacco innovation is about profits, not health

Innovation isn’t investment in people’s health but in profits. Big Tobacco claims they are driven by product innovation for the greater good, but in reality they don’t care about health, they care about profits.1718 They’ve conveniently ignored the growing body of research that shows vaping increases the risk of serious disease like stroke, may increase the risk of lung cancer, and amplifies mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.1920212279808182838485  

With cigarette demand slowly declining the past two decades,2324 the tobacco industry has turned to tech startups, purchasing or investing in vape companies or products,25 pharmaceutical companies,26 and developing next generation tobacco products to diversify their portfolios, keeping people addicted and attracting young people to be “replacement” customers.272829

Tobacco products like vapes are camouflage for Big Tobacco’s attempt at renormalizing tobacco use, which kills eight million people globally each year.30 If the tobacco industry really wanted people to quit smoking and have a “better tomorrow,” they’d quit selling cigarettes. Instead, research shows that many people who use vapes to quit smoking cigarettes end up using both products, making Big Tobacco a killing.3132333435

Big tobacco claims they are driven by product innovation for the greater good, but in reality they don't care about health, they care about profits.

Smoke and mirrors: Big Tobacco creates the illusion of credibility

The tobacco industry has spent decades funding studies to give their claims the illusion of credibility, paying big bucks to influence public perception, securing “special editions” of scientific journals, and releasing self-funded research that says their vape products are safer.36373839 In July 2021, news outlets broke the story that Juul paid the American Journal of Health Behavior $51,000 to publish 11 company-funded studies.40 One of the world’s largest tobacco companies – Altria, the parent company of Philip Morris USA and maker of Marlboro cigarettes – was a stakeholder in Juul.41

Pay-to-play advocacy on behalf of Big Tobacco has been a critical piece to the industry’s disinformation strategy.42434445 It’s also helped foster narratives that the tobacco industry is now on the side of public health and is “socially responsible.”46 

  • Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, a nonprofit launched in October 2017 whose mission is to “end smoking in this generation,”47 is entirely funded by Philip Morris International (PMI),48 one of the world’s leading cigarette producers.49   
  • Filter Magazine, launched closely behind Foundation for a Smoke-Free World in September 2018 and partially funded by PMI,51 claims to “advocate through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights.” However, they are mostly funded by the largest tobacco companies in the world and their front groups.52 And digitally publish Big Tobacco’s rebrand “news” stories.
  • Tobacco companies have purchased advertising space meant to look like news articles, called advertorials, in major news outlets like The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post to promote new products and industry strategy, but these are really just placements to market vape products.53

The reality behind Big Tobacco’s “harm reduction” rebrand

Big Tobacco knows the more their products are perceived as “safer,” the more people will be tempted to use them.54 

Vape use is an urgent public health concern in California, especially among young adults. Currently, 11.2% of young adults use vapes, the highest among any age group.55 These young adults were among middle and high school students during the height of the tobacco industry-created youth vaping epidemic.56 Big Tobacco actively preys on youth to be “replacement” customers because their products kill their existing ones.57 And research shows kids who vape are three times more likely to be daily cigarette smokers in the future.58

Big Tobacco exploits racist and discriminatory systems that traumatize marginalized populations, preying and profiteering off them and creating higher use and disease rates compared to the overall population.59 Vaping prevalence in California is higher among people experiencing mental health challenges (11.4%), people who identify as bisexual (9.6%), people who identify as multiracial (9.6%), and American Indian/Alaskan Native (9.0%).60 Big Tobacco funded misleading research to show that people with mental illness can use their products to relieve symptoms.61

Vaping has serious long-term health risks

There are serious health risks associated with vaping. Vape use has been linked to an increased risk of stroke and serious chronic illnesses like COPD, heart attacks, and heart disease, and may increase the risk of lung cancer.62636465666779808182838485  

We also know that vaping is associated with mental health issues and can change the brain chemistry of teens and young adults.68 Nicotine is an addictive brain poison and can amplify anxiety, depression, mood swings, and irritability.6970 It permanently damages the developing brain, priming it for addiction to substances of all kinds.71 Young people who use nicotine experience negative effects on their learning ability and attention spans, which can have lifelong impacts.72

The real way to eliminate harm from Big Tobacco

The real best way to undo the damage of Big Tobacco is by helping people who are addicted quit and by preventing kids from starting. Big Tobacco kills 110 Californians each day,73 for every death, 30 more suffer from tobacco-related diseases.74 It’s critical that people who are addicted have access to free, proven quitting methods, including medical support. Using counseling and medication together gives you the best chance of quitting for good.75  

California’s emphasis on increasing and supporting quit attempts at the population level is the result of 30 years of proven, science-based strategies. California has successfully pioneered innovations in cessation support that have helped reduce tobacco prevalence.76 Currently, California, the most populous and diverse state in the nation, has the second lowest adult smoking rate.77  Eliminating barriers to cessation access is a priority, as the state has over three million adults who use tobacco, including cigarettes and vapes.78

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