Tobacco research destroyed, report says
October 15, 2009
Correction note: This Oct. 15 report by The Canadian Press erroneously states that university researchers published a paper alleging Imperial Tobacco Canada destroyed seven million pages of research that included decades worth of studies on the effects of smoking. In fact, the researchers said they looked at 60 reports that were among seven million pages of documents from British American Tobacco and its subsidiaries (which would include Imperial Tobacco) that were released by a United States court, and that the 60 reports had been among documents destroyed.
MONTREAL–Imperial Tobacco Canada destroyed seven million pages of research that included decades' worth of studies that indicated the devastating effects of smoking, a new medical journal article alleges.
The University of Waterloo researchers examined 60 scientific studies conducted between 1967 and 1984, and published their findings in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
They said one of the studies showed tobacco company researchers exposing hamsters to cigarette smoke, and concluding they developed cancerous lesions as a result. They also said the studies showed second-hand smoke was worse than first-hand smoke.
The researchers said the documents were destroyed in Canada in 1992 at the request of Imperial's British head office, but copies remained stored at British American Tobacco headquarters in England.
The studies were ordered destroyed to avoid "exposing the company to liability or embarrassment," says the article published Wednesday.
"(These documents are) a unique source of evidence on addiction, nicotine product design, and often they far outstrip what we've done outside the industry," said Dr. David Hammond, who led the University of Waterloo analysis.
Imperial Tobacco was not available for comment, but spokesmen have said in the past no original documents were destroyed.
The province of Ontario recently filed a $50 billion lawsuit against a dozen Canadian firms for smoking-related health costs.
The Canadian Press
Toronto Star
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