Dear Sir/Madam,

What the tobacco industry did, and continues to do, spending billions of dollars encouraging people, including children, to smoke, despite its known addictiveness and harmful effects on human health, is a crime of enormous magnitude, which worldwide has caused, and continues to cause, millions of deaths annually (U.S. Seeks $289 Billion in Cigarette Makers' Profits, March 18, 2003).

But those responsible, far from being punished, have been and continue to be, highly rewarded for what they and many others consider to be simply going about their business.

There is an urgent lesson to be learned from this, because the tobacco industry is not exceptional in putting its commercial interests before all else. It is characteristic of most companies and individuals – which is hardly surprising when one considers the paramount importance given to making money, which is generally taken to be synonymous with “success”.