Dear Editor,
CBC reports "our" government secretly dropped warning labels on cigarette packages after tobacco company lobbyists (mostly Conservatives) waged a lobbying campaign by three tobacco companies, Imperial Tobacco Canada, JTI-Macdonald Corp. and Rothmans, Benson & Hedges Inc. to make "our" government stop placing those ugly warning labels on cigarette packages.
Big tobacco has persuaded "our" government, rather than warn us about health risks, must work to stop the illegal cigarettes that burn a hole in their profits. "Our" government will ensure we do not see graphic images, including a woman (shown with her husband's permission) dying of cancer. Smoking will again be glamorous, as long as we puff on brands sold by the same big companies now enriching Conservative Party coffers.
We soon won't hear reports that half of long-term smokers die early of cancer because "our" government will soon kill the CBC and the only message we will hear is that smoking (brand names) is okay.
Larry Mackillop
Nanton
