In the documentary, "A Billion Lives", the former spokesman for Winston says he was told by tobacco executives (who did not smoke) that smoking is for "the poor, the black, the young, and the stupid".
This reminds me of the line from The Godfather when the New York mob families are getting into the drug trade, discussing the distastefulness of the business, "In my city, we would keep the traffic in the dark people - the colored. They're animals anyway, so let them lose their souls."
It's much easier to profit of someone else's suffering if you convince yourself of their inhumanity or otherness.
would add to that, perhaps, "and for foreigners". Tobacco sales in developing countries are huge. China alone keeps them in so much profit that almost don't care what happens in America.
Years ago my mother had me buy her a carton. She does not smoke, but was traveling to the 3rd world, and used them as currency; American cigarettes were like gold. Need to hail a taxi? Hold up a pack of American cigarettes.
