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A FORMER EMPLOYEE has filed a suit against the Smoke-Free World foundation, charging she was fired after raising concerns the non-profit was taking orders from tobacco companies, including promoting teen vaping.
In the whistleblower suit filed in New York earlier this week, the foundation’s former director of digital and social media, Lourdes Liz, maintains she was wrongfully sidelined and subsequently fired after raising questions about its ties to “Big Tobacco”.
A foundation spokesperson told AFP in an email that “while we have not yet filed a formal response to the complaint, we intend to deny the material allegations and defend against it vigorously”.
The foundation was set up in 2017 with full financial backing from Philip Morris International (PMI), but claims to be independent and committed to “ending the world’s billion smokers’ addiction to cigarettes”.
It says it is working to help adult smokers quit or, if they are not able to do so, move to “safer” alternatives like e-cigarettes and heated tobacco products.
Anti-tobacco activists have long voiced scepticism about the independence of the foundation and about the largely industry-backed science behind claims that vaping is safer than regular cigarette use.
In her lawsuit, Liz charges that the foundation held strategy meetings with PMI and Altria, a significant shareholder in vaping brand Juul.
The suit also said the foundation’s founder, Derek Yach, a former top official at the World Health Organisation, had instructed staff to take points from an Altria press release and work them into foundation materials.
And it alleges the foundation has been downplaying the health risks of electronic cigarettes and even promoted them through programmes aimed at teens.
The foundation has in fact basically been “a marketing arm for Big Tobacco”, according to the suit, maintaining that it thereby was in violation of its tax-exempt non-profit status.
The foundation spokesperson insisted that while it was funded by “annual gifts” from PMI, it was “independent from PMI” and that under its founding bylaws, “PMI and the tobacco industry are precluded from having influence over the foundation’s use of funds”.
The spokesperson also stressed that the foundation “strongly condemns vaping among youth and teens, just as we condemn smoking among youth and teens”.
Anti-tobacco advocates meanwhile said the allegations in the lawsuit supported what they had long suspected.
“If ultimately proved true, the pattern of close communication and cooperation between the foundation and Philip Morris, along with the efforts to minimise the risks of e-cigarettes outlined in the lawsuit, will destroy any myth that the foundation is anything other than an arm of Big Tobacco,” Matthew Myers, head of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, said in a statement.
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It’s not at all like the Irish government to let common sense prevail. Gained a lot of respect for him
If its in his power to ban ALL forms of animal cruelty in this country, then he should. It’s a disgrace that these fur farms are allowed to continue. Bloody disgraceful and so is his attitude towards it.
Ye “cruel”…you can farm these animals to eat their flesh but God forbid you go near their fur.
Eating is essential for survival.
Vanity and “sport” are not.
Pet food farms are killing mega millions of animals. Paul mcCartney stands with two large dogs at his side. Are they vegetarian. Anyone anti fur who has a dog or cat is a hypocrite when you consider the pet food business
crulty to animals no ploblams .kill un born babies no problem
Eating fillet steaks and venison is not essential for survival. Nor is a leather bag, I don’t particularly like fur but I don’t feel I can be hypocrite enough to bash people who do as I’m eating my boiled egg and bacon sandwich sittin on a leather stool.
I know quite a few vegetarians and vegans who have pets with meat free diets. Perhaps paul mcC does too. Perhaps do some research before you make your allegations
Andrew, I don’t understand your comparaison to be honest this is not the subject. I have cats and dogs (all rescued because unwanted by other humans by the way) they do need meat to SURVIVE. The fur industry is not only cruel but totally useless to human, we have far enough materials now which are keeping us warmer than fur, so why should we encourage this? I think every little help to do a better world , and your attitude sadly does not encourage it. The idea is to minimise a maximum the impact of humans towards animal welfare as a whole, teach our children to respect our environment, and yes every little action multiplied by 7 billions on this planet helps. If Ireland choose to ban fur business, others will soon follow, as it is always the case with that kind of legislation. To me if any live being can be saved or spared then it’s worth it,
Two thumbs up for me, you gained a voter today, not your party just you.
It’s no different to the farming of any kind of animal for its meat or to taking fish from the sea. A different moral high ground should not be adopted for due farming.
*fur rather than due
Mink have decided decimated the Irish countryside & are now endangering our native species of animals, only closing all mink farms & giving rewards & huge Govt programmes for wild Mink Culls can prevent possible extinction of some species in the future, Minister Coveney you are a FOOL!
Mink have no predators here unlike in North America, any rural farmer hates Mink & many cannot keep fowl because unlike a Fox that just kills one chicken & takes it to eat the Mink kills every bird & leaves them all dead!
It is rumoured that Simon Coveney has no I.Q. ; 0 !
Ah those rumours !
Apologies all; the batteries in my hearing aid are low; CLUE , not I.Q, ah it’s terrible to be getting old !
Jaysus Flash, you’ve changed.
Intergalatic time travel is not as easy since the price of oil went through the roof for the troika ! The price of it is giving me grey hairs!
It’s only 17c. a litre in Qatar !
His Mammy won’t let him
Who Enda?
Hang on, he doesn’t have a mink farming brother does he?
have your say