Tobacco giantslayer supports Irish ban

THE insider who blew the whistle on the tobacco industry has come out in favour of the Irish smoking ban.

Jeffrey Wigand, the subject of the 1999 Hollywood film the Insider, said he believed the ban would save lives. “Ireland has shown an enormous leadership role in making every place smoke-free, including the pubs,” he said.

Mr Wigand, 60, was hired in 1989 by the US tobacco giant, Brown & Williamson (B&W) on a $300,000 salary to develop safer cigarettes. However, the project was dropped and he was fired in 1993.