(identity 'myron)

Sun, 02 Nov 2003

Japan Tobacco [/Japan]

Japan out of touch on tobacco. A few weeks ago, the Japanese courts ruled against a lawsuit filed by six smokers seeking compensation from Japan Tobacco for contracting cancer and emphesyma. While it sounds ludicrous that people should sue for falling to their own vices, the ruling is just as silly as the suit given that claims of nicotine being highly addictive were denied: "Nicotine is addictive, but it is not strong enough to override the free will of each smoker," Presiding Judge Asaka said. From the link above:

The Japan Times itself referred to "mounting scientific evidence" that smoking harms health. There is "mounting" evidence that smoking is harmful only in the same sense that there is "mounting" evidence that the world is round.

Another Japan Times article points out that "[f]oreign cigarette makers simply hook 'em young and leave it at that. JT wants to help its customers smoke throughout their lives, but the customers have to be responsible." Indeed. Well, in need of moral guidance? Talk to your local tobacco company, surely they're full of it.

Now, you might be thinking, what's my point? Every tobacco company denies adverse effects on health, big deal. No, not quite, because most tobacco companies aren't two-thirds owned by the government. Even Yahoo! Finance's company profile provides a tongue-in-cheek description of JT:

Japan Tobacco has plenty to puff about. It controls more than 70% of the cigarette market in a country where half the men smoke and warning labels suggest, "There's a risk of damage to your health, so let's be careful not to smoke too much." A state monopoly until 1985, Japan Tobacco is two-thirds owned by the Japanese Finance Ministry.

World's third largest tobacco company, controlled essentially by a country's government. The Finance Ministry, no less. IMO, they shoulda put it under the control of the Health Ministry, cause that would make even more sense. Well, once again, kudos to the government of Japan.

// posted at 17:56. permalink   comments