By Cici Yu, Freelance Health Journalism Travel Scholarship Recipient
In a lightning talk at Health Journalism 2024, senior reporter María Pérez of The Examination revealed how big tobacco companies are investing in new nicotine products, claiming they are part of the solution to the smoking epidemic they once fueled.
“They say they are less harmful, safer alternatives for smokers who don’t want to quit or cannot quit,” Pérez said. The problem, she noted, is that science does not fully understand these products.”
A recent article written by Pérez uncovered that multinational tobacco company Philip Morris International has poured millions into a nonprofit called Smoke-Free World that funds a sprawling network of pro-vaping groups in Latin America, trying to shape public policy to favor less stringent regulations.
Pérez said her investigation into the tobacco industry’s money flow began after a member of an anti-smoking advocacy group disclosed that they had received funding from the industry.
This led to further scrutiny of various organizations and their websites, which were often interconnected and funded by Philip Morris International, Pérez explained.
“So I went to the incorporated records in Colombia, which is where the organization was set up. And I found out that the company that made the website was owned by the president of the group,” Pérez said. “That kind of started to tell me that there was money flowing.”
During her investigation, Pérez also monitored social media feeds and websites to track changes in disclosure practices and affiliations. She also analyzed video content to piece together the financial flows and influence exerted by the tobacco industry on these groups.
In her lightning talk, Pérez highlighted that collaborating with local media can simplify reporting efforts locally and extend reach to a broader audience. She also recommended leveraging public records, deepening understanding of the science behind tobacco products and their associated debates, and utilizing online meeting tools like Zoom to interview sources.
Cici Yu is an audio journalist based in Boston, MA. She is a Freelance Health Journalism Travel Scholarship Fellow.
