Dr. Jeffrey Wigand to Speak on Exposing Corporate Tobacco
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2000
Kathleen McPartland
530-898-4260
Dr. Jeffrey Wigand to Speak on Exposing Corporate Tobacco
Jeffrey Wigand, the real life subject of the acclaimed movie, “The Insider,” will speak at California State University, Chico on Thursday, Feb.17.
Dr. Wigand will deliver a speech that is free and open to the public in Harlen Adams Theatre on the California State University, Chico campus at 7:00 p.m. He will also appear at a public and free forum from 8:30-10 a.m. at the Enloe Hospital Center, West 5th Avenue and the Esplanade, and a lecture on the Butte College campus, 11-noon, in PE 112.
Wigand, a scientist and former vice president of research and development for the Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company, was hired in 1988 to help develop a safer cigarette. His career came to an abrupt halt five years later when he took issue with the company’s policy to continue using a controversial pipe additive.
“The Insider,” directed by Michael Mann and starring Al Pacino, was named Best Picture of the Year by L.A. Film Critics and is due to receive several Academy Award nominations.
In 1994, Dr. Wigand began to make public his knowledge of cigarette design and marketing strategies with the Food and Drug Administration and other federal and state officials. He made that decision after watching top tobacco executives testify before Congress. “I watched them raise their right hands and swear to Congress that each did not believe that nicotine was addictive and that smoking was not related to health issues…I confronted the realization that I was not that far removed from the men on my screen,” said Wigand.
Wigand’s willingness to step forward and expose the truth about what the tobacco industry knew about the dangers of smoking and health put his family at risk and made him a key witness in ground-breaking tobacco litigation. In 1995, Wigand appeared on 60 Minutes and became a national figure.
Dr. Wigand is currently president and founder of SMOKE-FREE KIDS, a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing childhood use of tobacco products.
The North Valley Region Tobacco Prevention Center is responsible for funding Wigand’s visit to Butte County. The School of Nursing and the Department of Health and Community services at CSU, Chico are co-sponsoring the event.
For more information and a complete schedule, call Butte County Department of Health, 530-538-2075 or 897-4140.
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