Sociology 2306: Worksheet--"Nicotine Wars"

1. When did the cigarette companies first become aware that nicotine has some of the characteristics of addiction? What evidence did this documentary use to show that the cigarette companies knew about this?

2. What about the cigarette companies' claims that they never intentionally manipulated the amounts of nicotine in their products? True or false, with what evidence?

3. When the cigarette company CEOs testified before a congressional committee, were they telling the truth? Were they intentionally lying?

4. What about their congressional allies? What were their motivations?

5. Do you see anything here you would characterize as criminal? Why or why not?

Sociology 2306: Group Project "Nicotine Wars"

1. Imagine your small group as a congressional committee with the responsibility of recommending a bill about how to deal with smoking and with the tobacco companies. What would you want to include in that bill and why? What would be your major goals, and where would you expect to encounter major opposition? Who would be affected negatively if your bill were enacted and implemented? (As usual, make a note of any major disagreements in your group.)

2. Imagine your small group as a grand jury trying to determine whether any criminal laws have been violated by the tobacco companies or their executives. After watching this video, what kinds of evidence and testimony do you hope will be presented by the Prosecuting Attorney to help in your decision-making? What crimes, if any, do you think cigarette companies and their executives may have committed?

3. Why were the tobacco companies for so many years able to win any lawsuits brought against them? What were the changes that made these companies willing to settle out of court even if it costs them billions and billions of dollars, as in the Minnesota settlement?

4. The court decision giving the FDA jurisdiction over tobacco has been overturned by a higher court, and subsequent congresses have passed no major bills affecting tobacco. How have the tobacco companies managed to modify a political situation that seemed so overwhelmingly anti-tobacco just a year or two ago?