Government Hires Tobacco’s ‘Insider’

The Canadian government said it has hired Jeffrey Wigand, the man who blew the whistle on the U.S. tobacco industry and inspired the movie “The Insider,” as a special health consultant on national tobacco policies. Wigand is a former vice president and head of research for U.S. tobacco company Brown & Williamson, a unit of British American Tobacco. “The Insider” is based in part on his struggle several years ago to reveal the inside workings of the industry. In a campaign tour of Canada, Wigand has accused Canadian cigarette makers of failing for years to disclose to consumers reports on nicotine technology, cigarette design and development, and smoking and health issues. “We want him to work with us to develop a more efficient strategy against tobacco,” Health Minister Allan Rock said.