The unstoppable march of the tobacco giants
How the industry ruthlessly exploits the developing world - its young, poor and uneducated
When countries in these emerging markets try to clamp down on tobacco, the battle often ends up in the court room. In Uruguay, for example, the government had been leading the way under President Tabaré Ramón Vázquez Rosas, a former oncologist. In 2006 it became the first in the region to ban smoking in public places and now it wants 80 per cent of every pack of cigarettes to be taken up with health warnings.
In response, Philip Morris has sued the government. It is thought that the company will demand at least $2bn in damages if Uruguay loses.
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