The Tobacco Conspiracy

It's no secret that smoking tobacco is anything but therapeutic—in America, cigarette packages have carried health warnings since 1966. So how does the tobacco industry continue to enjoy astonishing profits despite the well-publicized consequences of lighting up? Nadia Collot's compelling The Tobacco Conspiracy, a Canadian-French co-production, offers a chilling global perspective on how Big Tobacco maintains its standing through brutally aggressive lobbying at the political, scientific, and cultural levels. Whether paying off scientists to skirt around the facts in health studies relating to smoking, dropping endless amounts of cash for product placement in popular movies and TV shows, or infiltrating developing nations to ensure new consumer markets, the tobacco industry never seems to pause for breath. Indeed, the industry has made a habit of flicking aside anti-smoking concerns as if they were mere ashes at the end of a cigarette. The rundown of facts presented here may not come as much of a surprise to those already familiar with Big Tobacco's antics, but it nonetheless provides a much-needed reminder that the industry's economic and political power shows absolutely no signs of abating. Combining insightful interviews with hard-hitting reporting, this is highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)