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AJPH First Look, published online ahead of print Jul 16, 2008
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September 2008, Vol 98, No. 9 | American Journal of Public Health 1643-1650
© 2008 American Public Health Association
DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2007.130963

FRAMING HEALTH MATTERS

Waking a Sleeping Giant: The Tobacco Industry’s Response to the Polonium-210 Issue

Monique E. Muggli, MPH, Jon O. Ebbert, MD, Channing Robertson, PhD and Richard D. Hurt, MD

Monique E. Muggli is with the Nicotine Research Program, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN. Jon O. Ebbert and Richard D. Hurt are with the Nicotine Dependence Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Channing Robertson is with the Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Richard D. Hurt, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Nicotine Dependence Center, 200 1st Street SW, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905 (e-mail: rhurt{at}mayo.edu).

The major tobacco manufacturers discovered that polonium was part of tobacco and tobacco smoke more than 40 years ago and attempted, but failed, to remove this radioactive substance from their products. Internal tobacco industry documents reveal that the companies suppressed publication of their own internal research to avoid heightening the public’s awareness of radioactivity in cigarettes. Tobacco companies continue to minimize their knowledge about polonium-210 in cigarettes in smoking and health litigation. Cigarette packs should carry a radiation-exposure warning label.






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