He says they lied.

I met Dr. Victor DeNoble, a former scientist for Phillip Morris, a tobacco manufacturer, earlier today. He had been around Middle Georgia talking to school children about the dangers of smoking and nicotine.


He says he was fired from the company after inventing a cigarette with an addictive compound, but without the heart risks caused by nicotine. He spoke about his role in debunking the testimony of tobacco company executives before a congressional committee in 1994. He was a great story-teller and the way he explained what he went through with respect to his pre-collegiate experience and his professional life was truly memorable. His talk led me to believe that the tobacco companies tried to get people hooked, try to get people to get hooked early in life, and will lie to maintain the facade that tobacco products endanger the quality of life people who use them. I'm glad I never smoked... Never got hooked.