Roger.Hicks@spaceship-earth.de
SIR- I was pleased to read that American tobacco manufacturers have been ordered by a Florida court to pay such a huge amount in damages, even though their spokespeople are scoffing at it and insisting that it will take decades before they can be forced to pay [Cigarette firms face £100bn bill for damages, 15 July 2000].
Well knowing the harmfulness of their products, yet continuing to spend billions of dollars promoting them, tobacco manufacturers are morally no better than those who make their money from hard, illegal drugs, and should be considered the criminals that they really are.
However, no matter how large the sum, merely fining the tobacco companies can hardly be considered justice. If they pay it at all, it will be their addicted customers (present and future victims of their pernicious advertising) who will foot the bill, while those responsible are getting away with murder - quite literally. They will continue to draw their large salaries and pensions, when really they deserve to be in prison for the immeasurable, deliberate harm they have done.
It is interesting to take note of all those who continue to take sides with the tobacco industry. It provides a classic example of how peoples' own pecuniary and commercial interests blind them even to the long evident evil of cigarette advertising.
It prompts me to wonder whether the same degree of blindness, indifference and criminal irresponsibility might not pervade our entire economy?
