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Philip Morris CEO: Smoking Not Hard to Quit

CEO himself characterized as 'longtime smoker'

By Sarah Whitmire,  Newser Staff

Posted May 11, 2011 12:36 PM CDT

(Newser) – Sure, cigarettes are bad for you and addictive, but they're really not that hard to quit—in the rose-colored world that belongs to Philip Morris CEO Louis Camilleri, who was responding to anti-tobacco comments at the cigarette maker's annual shareholder meeting. Camilleri was in 2009 characterized as a "longtime smoker himself," reports the AP, who had quit only once for three months when he had a cold.

In response, the often unapologetic Camilleri said: "We take our responsibility very seriously, and I don't think we get enough recognition for the efforts we make to ensure that there is effective worldwide regulation of a product that is harmful and that is addictive. Nevertheless, whilst it is addictive, it is not that hard to quit. ... There are more previous smokers in America today than current smokers." The company did not immediately comment on Camilleri's remarks, or whether he still smokes.

In this Feb. 8, 2008 photo released by Altria Group, Philip Morris International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Louis C. Camilleri is shown.
In this Feb. 8, 2008 photo released by Altria Group, Philip Morris International Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Louis C. Camilleri is shown.   (AP Photo/Altria Group, Todd Rosenberg)
Quitting smoking isn't that tough after all, according to Philip Morris' CEO. Cough, cough.
Quitting smoking isn't that tough after all, according to Philip Morris' CEO. Cough, cough.   (Getty Images)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 40 comments
Gumby
May 12, 2011 12:41 PM CDT
TOP TEN WARNING PLUS SOME FROM MYSELF WARNING: Cigarettes are addictive.2WARNING: Tobacco smoke can harm your children.3WARNING: Cigarettes cause fatal lung disease.4WARNING: Cigarettes cause cancer.5WARNING: Cigarettes cause strokes and heart disease.6WARNING: Smoking during pregnancy can harm your baby.7WARNING: Smoking can kill you.8WARNING: Tobacco smoke causes fatal lung disease in nonsmokers.9WARNING: Quitting smoking now greatly reduces serious risks to your health.10 WARNING: YOU ANNOY PEOPLE!! WARNING: Shareholders are collecting huge dividends! WARNING: One out of three smokers die before collecting Social Security. WARNING: Smoke is soot and particulate not just a gaseous form WARNING: One out of two smokers will be addicted. WARNING: You may hate yourself for smoking WARNING: Butts are littered all over shopping centers and parking lots! WARNING: Small critters are tired and sick of butts lying around on the grounds WARNING: You cannot recycle butts
northeast
May 12, 2011 11:45 AM CDT
Redacted comments: "More Americans are former smokers than smokers. Of course, those chumps are now room temperature LOL." Anyone else seen that stat? Seems like a stat like that would have been made aware to more people if a company with so much money wanted it out there.
George-Jetson
May 12, 2011 6:36 AM CDT
WTF?
 

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