: p
cent : from * 28 ‘per “cent

Wednesday, May 24,2000

“For ordinary men, it’s a
burning, fiery furnace.”

(Mr. Dryden,
Lawrence of Arabia
1962)

rade 11 Stelly’s stu-

dent, Naya Kahout, .
%_4 introduced him as‘a
man not into real. ‘money,
but into truth’.

Dr. Jeffery Wigand is
the man famous for reveal-
ing the wrongful inten-
tions/actions, and corpo-
rate deceit of the tobacco
industries. . Disney immor-
talized him in the 1999 film,
The Insider, and Vanity Fair
called him The Man Who
Knew Too Much.

Despite threats to his pri-
vate life and career, Jeffery
Wigand chose to educate
the public with the absolute ©
truth about the tobacco
companies...

Former Vice President
for Research and. Develop-
ment for ~— Brown. &

Williamson (the “third

: Insider acts as advocate for smoke- free eh |

“at the. school: to. seven

earned: them® a visit from
- people in some high places,
‘and. got them © national:

recognition in.a story writ- e
ten for Canadian Press by

Dirk Meissner.

==-At-the school May 15, Dr
Jelfery. Wigand, accompa: .

nied by senior officials of
government, told Stelly’s

students their efforts were:

- an inspiration. ‘Wigand is the
former tobacco industry sci-
entist who went public about

industry. practices. His ac-
tions were the inspiration for

ye

i ene

largest tobacco company in
the US), Wigand became
the industry’s highest rank-
ing former executive to ad-
dress smoking issues and

public health.

While Wigand was in.
B.C., he requested to speak
to a high school so that he
could discuss “what the in-
dustry is trying to dot to cap-
‘ture youth.”

Stelly s was the one high

- Bfforts of the students at: ; thie movie The Insider. He is

‘Stelly’ s secondary school to. ~now_being retained by: the

B.C government: as an’ in-

dustry expert.

‘tobacco habits.
“The industry ‘knows full

: well that adults are not: the

ones that give them the new
business. It comes from the
kids,” said. Wigand.

The B.C. government is
taking another swing at the
‘tobacco industry..through
new legislation introduced

by the B.C. government on |

Monday, May 1 ie ‘The legis. «

INSTALLATION

AND BALANCIIG

ON THE PURCHASE OF 4

AN enrain TYAN

TIRES
Many 1 thru 31, 2000.

Brake & Tire

"Your Naighhourhead Sarvica Cantra”™
wW- 2061 Maloview, Slincy (near Slogg Lumber)

‘655-4212...

one

- Wigand was vocal about. .

his concerns for the health
of young people, ‘and: ‘the’
means: being. used:by’ com-:
panies to introduce them to»

school in B.C. chosen to
have Dr. Wigand. speak .to
them. because of the Kick
the Nic program, which de-
creased smoking at Stelly’s
by 300 per cent.

Attorney. General . An-
drew Petter commented,
Stelly’s has not “just heard
about it and walked away,
you've heard it and done
something about it. For
that, you should be con-
gratulated.”

I had the opportunity to
talk to Mr. Petter, who told
me that B.C. was the first to
sue tobacco companies ona
provincial level.

“We want to keep at it,
and hold tobacco compa-
nies accountable for the
damages they bring on —
especially health costs.”

Wigand was part of sim-
ilar action in the States. He
cooperated with govern-
mental agencies to investi-
gate the industry’s disre-
gard for health, and in
1997, Brown & Williamson:
‘sued ‘him. for his: public --

“ation: allows it to renew its
legal. fight. -in. the B.C.

: Supreme Court .

by. the government. to
~ cover.an estimated $500 mil-
lion’ in annual: health-care:

R ing-related illnesses.

“the act allowing the govern-
ment to launch the action
contained. provisions that
attempted to seek damages
beyond British Columbia.

Now the province of New-
foundiand, following B.C.’s
legislation, has joined the.
fi ght, announcing its intent,

costs associated with smok- ue

“In. February, the. Court’
threw out’ a similar ‘chal- >
“lenge. The: court ruled that.

disclosures.

The lawsuit was dis-
missed as a condition of the
Attorney General. of 40
states and the tobacco in-
dustry.

At the end of his presen-
tation, Wigand asked stu-
dents to “work with the
younger kids, because they
are the ones who are at the
greatest risk. The industry's

“motto is to “hook them

while they are young —
hook them for life.”

Dr. Wigand told us that
tobacco companies are in an
industry that would do any-
thing to “keep the money
going,” and to “think be-
yond what we know.”

His presentation was a re-
minder of the difference
that individuals can make
and ‘the greed that con-
sumes people in the tobacco ..
industry." 2.

Wigand is an ordinary

man who has done extraor-*
dinary things, and whose —

positive mission is an inspi--
ration to all.

‘to launch a suit against the :

eee to
similar suits, ‘Manitoba and
New Brunswick have indi-

court action.
Wigand told Stelly’ s stu-

“dents that tobacco compa-
nies must: take on. a new
‘evel of responsibility, and
that the courts are forcing.

“that issue further,

“The industry needs to 2

stop’ preying:.on our. chil-
dren,” said Wigand, who

has formed a non-profit or-

-ganization, . Smoke-Free

Kids, to help young people. _ |

decide not to cia

BP CANADIAN OWNED & OPERATED 189
“Lowest Prices. . Best Service Guarantee.”

PF” swsaesr§ 5329

8 Deine Colouss oe,
© Luxurious Soft Looped Finish, 3
¢ EXCLUSIVE to Quilts Etc.

© 100% Polyester
e Satin Finished dees

~ cated they could also launch:

mesnce DU JVET OVER ‘SETS

--@ 4 Fabulous Prints

© 200 T.C. 100% Combed Cotton
* Includes Duvet Cover & Case(s)

etc. Price Guarantee.
Dan River,

a We wil bet yy 5% an Sl cera ve cents y
of Of eftex

t

Th
VK i

ah