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

2008/07/17 by Monique E Muggli, Jon O. Ebbert, Channing R. Robertson +1 · 2 citations
Engineering · Social Sciences · Environmental Science · #Nuclear and radioactivity studies #Risk Perception and Management #Radioactive contamination and transfer

paper · doi:10.2105/ajph.2007.130963

openalex publication_date 2008/07/17 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/04

Abstract

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.

Citations

• Implications of the Tobacco Industry Documents for Public Health and Policy
• Radioactivity in Cigarette Smoke

Cited by

• Beliefs About the Health Effects of “Thirdhand” Smoke and Home Smoking Bans
• Polonium [wikipedia]

Related

• The big idea: polonium, radon and cigarettes
• Invisible smoke: third-party endorsement and the resurrection of heat-not-burn tobacco products
• “Keep it a secret”: Leaked Documents Suggest Philip Morris International, and Its Japanese Affiliate, Continue to Exploit Science for Profit
• Statement of Continued Commitment to the Issue of Tobacco Industry Money
• Attempts to undermine global public health: observations from the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control’s COP10