Waking a sleeping giant: The tobacco industry's response to the polonium-210 issue

Monique E. Muggli; Jon O. Ebbert; Channing Robertson; Richard D. Hurt

doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.130963

Waking a sleeping giant: The tobacco industry's response to the polonium-210 issue

Monique E. Muggli, Jon O. Ebbert, Channing Robertson, Richard D. Hurt

Primary Care Internal Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

31 Scopus citations

Abstract

The major tobacco manufacturers discovered that polonium was part of tobacco and tobacco smoke more than 40 years ago and attempted, but failed, to remove this radioactive substance from their products. Internal tobacco industry documents reveal that the companies suppressed publication of their own internal research to avoid heightening the public's awareness of radioactivity in cigarettes. Tobacco companies continue to minimize their knowledge about polonium-210 in cigarettes in smoking and health litigation. Cigarette packs should carry a radiation-exposure warning label.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1643-1650
Number of pages	8
Journal	American journal of public health
Volume	98
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.130963
State	Published - Sep 1 2008

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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10.2105/AJPH.2007.130963

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Waking a sleeping giant: The tobacco industry's response to the polonium-210 issue

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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