Short, white and deadly

Cigarettes of course—let's name but cannot hope to shame the barefaced effrontery of the tobacco industry before getting on to this month's papers. Nick Hopkinson and colleagues have named and shamed the Public Relations companies working with the Tobacco Industry to oppose plain packaging of cigarettes (Lancet 2013;381:445), and also their other clients (who include the Department of Health). As suggested, is not now the time to boycott all those who take tobacco money in any context? We for one would move our custom to supermarkets who would take the principled decision not to sell tobacco products. And special black marks to Penelope Cruz and The Metro for the publicity photograph of her with a cigarette between her lips (14th February). Tabloid-thinking trumps evidence in Government; long after our Tobacco themed issue (November 2011) highlighted the connection between depictions of smoking in films and children taking up smoking, politicians still do not take action. …