If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s a good idea to rent the movie The Insider. It is a well-crafted film with great performances by Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer and Russell Crowe, a good soundtrack, and a very charged atmosphere.

The movie is based on a true story – that of Dr Jeffery Reywgand.

Without taking away from the suspense or your viewing enjoyment, here’s a brief outline of the movie.

Dr Reywgand, an eminent scientist, was the head of research and development for one of the major pharmaceutical companies in the States. He discovered that the company was manipulating nicotine, in a process called ‘impact boosting’, with a substance that was carcinogenic. He reported the fact to the president of the company, but was instructed to continue the work and not attempt to find another substance (not carcinogenic) as it would possibly affect sales. Shocked, he tried to refute the outrageous decision and was subsequently fired.

The tobacco company fears he might divulge the information, and threatens Dr Reywgand and his family in ways that make the Mafia look like a bunch of mischievous adolescents. It is scary, and the family does not sustain the pressure.

This is a true story.

A producer from CBS’s ’60 Minutes’ somehow connects with the doctor and persuades him to go to air with the story.

We learn from the doctor that the tobacco industry refers to their field as ‘the nicotine delivery business’, and to cigarettes as a delivery device for nicotine.

The tobacco industry manipulates and adjusts the nicotine fix of cigarettes not by artificially adding nicotine to the tobacco, but by enhancing the effect of nicotine through the use of chemical elements such as ammonium.

The process is known as impact boosting.

There is extensive use of this technology, known as ammonium chemistry. It allows for the nicotine to be more rapidly absorbed in the lungs, thus affecting the brain and central nervous system more efficiently.

The tobacco company now threatens CBS with a multibillion dollar lawsuit, demanding they should not air the program. The basis of the lawsuit is that the information about to be revealed is true and hence it breeches the nondisclosure confidentiality agreement that Dr Reywgand has signed.

Please rent the movie and watch it.

Think about it …

You pay good money to buy cigarettes from companies that knowingly and purposefully manipulate tobacco with carcinogenic substances in order to make it more addictive.

They know for a fact that the additives are carcinogenic, but they also know that manipulating nicotine to make it more effective is increasing sales.

They do not have a conflict – the decision is clear.

Their business is important. What about your health? They couldn’t care less.

These are the true facts.

Now, why would you smoke?

Allow your intelligence to work for you!

Why would you smoke and support the tobacco industry with your money?

There is only one answer – you are addicted to nicotine.

Although nicotine dependency it is a self-inflicted disease, it is not exactly your fault:

1.  Most smokers start smoking when they are in their teens or early twenties, lured by massive propaganda that is directed at their age group. Most of the tobacco industry’s advertising budget is spent on media aimed at teenagers and young people.

2.  Nicotine is more addictive than heroin or cocaine or alcohol. It is so easy to get hooked that one in three casual smokers will become an addict. In other words, you were enticed – your peers smoked, it seemed ‘cool’ to smoke. You tried once, twice, and that was it.

3.  Once hooked, smokers start ‘enjoying’ their cigarettes, defending their habit, making rationalizations, or just admitting that they are hopeless – they cannot stop.

You smoke because you are addicted to nicotine.

Addicted means that you need a fix every few hours, when the nicotine levels in your blood become low.

To provide your fix, the tobacco industry developed A Nicotine Delivery Device – their term for a cigarette.

To ensure you will become addicted faster and remain addicted for as long as you live (on average you will live seven years less than a non-smoker), they manipulate the cigarettes by using other chemicals that cause cancer.

Cancer is a terrible disease.

The tobacco industry knows they are committing crimes, but they believed they would get away with it with the help of their enormous economic power and influence.

Why would you cooperate with them by buying another pack of cigarettes?

You can put an end to it.