There was an article on the front page of The Wall Street Journal Wednesday entitled Philip Morris Readies for Global Tobacco Blitz (click here to read article).  For smokers, the news is nothing but good.  The Philip Morris Company is positioning itself globally to expand their markets, develop and launch new products and give smokers more of what they are asking for.  Plenty of smoke.

They're coming up with all kinds of groovy products tailored to the tastes and desires of smokers around the globe.  If you are a smoker, your right to smoke seems certain for years to come.  And as noted in my last rant, I believe, indeed it is your right.  However, I do not believe it is your right to my healthcare dollar.

I want to talk about the article a bit.  First of all, I believe that the WSJ fully intended the article to shock, dismay, raise awareness, and create buzz.  Guilty as charged as it did all of those things to/for me.

This was not an article about health, wellness, HSAs, Consumer Directed Health, the dangers of smoking or anything like that.   In my opinion though, it was a journalistic slam dunk because it painted a vivid and rather insidious picture, without or coming close to taking sides.  It was truly a great read.  But as a non-smoker, the message to me was clear. 

Philip Morris International is poised to spin out of NY based Altria Group Inc. as a standalone entity based outside of the US.  This is strategic move intended to do a number of things, including getting the international operations out from under its nightmare of US regulations and public relations challenges.  I recommend reading the article, however if you want the sound bite, here goes.  The PMI move will facilitate the company's ability to cram more tar, nicotine, fabulous flavors in to shorter stronger more powerful, well packaged, potent and addicting sticks (pardon the editorializing injected into the description).  They have even cooked up this battery operated gizmo that actually eliminates most of the smoke during the inhalation process making it more "eco-friendly," I suppose.  So far the gizmo has been a flop.  No surprise…. Smokers actually prefer smoke.

The clear message through the smoke is that there is plenty of global demand, plenty of global supply and players in the market who are willing to go literally to the ends of the earth to leverage and or exploit it.  At this point in world history the opposition to smoking is really more of a hurdle than a roadblock.

As stated before, I really have no problem with people smoking, just so long as they are not invading my space with it, are not throwing their butts out the car window, and are not making me pay for their healthcare.

For a different spin on the smoking industry in the U.S.  check out the movie, Thank You For Smoking, which takes a humorous look at the industry from the perspective of a tobacco lobbyist.  It's quite good actually. 

Thanks for reading this far and don't forget….Smoking chills.