In just a moment, four corners with a study of the multinational companies
who run the world's tobacco industry.
And then, 45 minutes from now, live from the National Tally Room here in Canberra,
an uninterrupted telecast of the count of today's election.
The polling booths have just closed in eastern Australia,
and the first figures will be on the boards within the hour.
Hope you'll join us.
The universal commodity tobacco.
Tonight, the inside story of how, where, and with what weapons
the tobacco industry is fighting to retain its markets.
Good evening. It seems fashionable these days for people to give up smoking
in the interests of their health and also out of consideration for other people.
In fact, the present social pressures against smoking are about as strong
as those which, less than a decade ago, prompted thousands of young people
to take up the habit.
In those days, cigarettes were marketed as a sign of sex appeal, sophistication, and success.
Nowadays, smoking is a dirty habit and strongly linked with cancer and coronary heart disease.
Where does this leave the tobacco companies?
They are, after all, among the more powerful corporations in the Western world.
Yet today, it seems, we only see their names sponsoring big sporting events.
The cynics may say the companies push this sponsorship to get around bans
on cigarette advertising and to enhance their own image.
For the tobacco companies, the Western nations, including Australia,
are a dying market, perhaps even a lost cause.
They're switching their attention now to the Third World,
and their efforts in undeveloped countries have given them a new gold mine.
This British report is presented by Bob Hill.