Portal:Tobacco/Selected biography

Geoffrey C. Bible was an Australian-born President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Philip Morris from 1997-2002

While testifying in Florida's lawsuit against the tobacco industry in 1997, Mr. Bible admitted that cigarettes were addictive and "might have" killed more than 100,000 smokers. He also said under oath that when scientists prove that cigarettes caused lung cancer, he would order the company's plants to stop production immediately. Following are the key portions of Mr. Bible's testimony:

Mr. Motley [plaintiff's attorney]: Would Philip Morris agree that a single American citizen who smoked their products for 30 or more years has ever died of a disease caused in part by smoking cigarettes? Mr. Bible: I think there's a fair chance that one would have, yes. Might have. Mr. Motley: How about a thousand? Mr. Bible: Might have. Mr. Motley: A hundred thousand? Mr. Bible: Might have.

Asked what he would do with his manufacturing plants if scientists proved "that cigarettes were a cause of lung cancer," Mr. Bible said he would "shut it down instantly." 

View Geoffrey Bible address to employees from the UCSF Tobacco Industry Videos collection. He speaks about litigation and regulatory actions facing Philip Morris. In the face of attacks in the media and in the courts, he emphasizes that the company is "right," and that its ethical positions and willingness to fight will enable it to prevail over the "other side."

For more reading on Geoffrey C. Bible, see the Deposition of GEOFFREY C. BIBLE, August 21, 1997, FLORIDA v. AMERICAN TOBACCO CO or search the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library:

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