mychoice.ca dumped by tobacco industry
This letter appeared, with no response, on mychoice.ca:
LETTER FROM IMPERIAL TOBACCO
Dear Arminda,
As you know, Imperial Tobacco Canada has advised MyChoice / MonChoix that regretfully it will be unable to continue its support of the organization in 2009. The growth of illicit trade in Canada, which now tops 40% in Quebec and Ontario, has forced the company to refocus its strategic objectives. Imperial Tobacco Canada has been very pleased with the success of MyChoice over the last four years. In 2004, Imperial Tobacco Canada and the other members of the Canadian Tobacco Manufacturers’ Council (CTMC) provided financial support for MyChoice to become a reality in Ontario. In 2005, the CTMC assisted MonChoix in Québec to become active. In 2008, Imperial Tobacco Canada decided to continue its financial support of these organizations when the other members of the CTMC dropped out.
Imperial Tobacco Canada has watched with pride as MyChoice and MonChoix grew from a concept to a virtual organization with over 50,000 members. With you as its president, MyChoice / MonChoix has become a rational and clear voice for the rights of smokers with governments and the Canadian media. It is our hope that you will be able to continue your valuable work representing the views of smokers.
Imperial Tobacco Canada hopes that MyChoice / MonChoix will continue to articulate the opinions and views of smokers to the greater society and we wish you and the organization good luck in all your future endeavours.
Thank you.
Imperial Tobacco Canada
No response from Ms. Mota.
Mychoice gets no credibility from the media because they are nothing more than a front for Big Tobacco, so now they are going to pretend they are no longer funded by tobacco companies. Why do you think that letter appeared on their website?
So now they will follow the model employed by Big Tobacco shills around the world. Set up a website where you advance all the usual tobacco industry arguments and rhetoric, include a link to a PayPal account, and wait for those anonymous “donations” to roll in. You see this all over the internet now, it’s become a sort of cottage industry.
http://www.geocities.com/corporate_opposition
And while we’re on the subject of “mychoice” — tobacco is considered one of the most addictive products on earth, 9 out of 10 smokers start as children or teenagers, and tobacco companies are known to spike nicotine levels in cigarettes to make them more addictive so kids get hooked faster. In what sense, then, does this represent a “choice”?