Chapter 13: Breeding a One-Fanged Rattler Summary

Studies in the early 1970s showed that smokers could be broken into types. It was also shown that many smokers became dependant incredibly soon and found it very hard to quit. Helmut Wakeham at Philip Morris looked to genetics (as opposed to addiction) to show that some people were just predisposed to smoking. Studies involving nicotine's affect on the brain showed increased activity after a smoke. It was also noted in a 1972 study that tar and nicotine quotas were ineffective, because people simply smoked more to compensate. A Philip Morris psychologist declared that cigarettes were merely an efficient nicotine dispensing tool. Industry claims that smoking was a weight suppressant were shown to be misleading. On average, smokers did weigh seven pounds less than non-smokers, but this was due to nicotine's effect of raising metabolism. Claims...