Tobacco Control Images

In memory of Richard Gourlain (January 9, 1999)

Richard Gourlain Jan 2d 1999,
The members of the Gourlain family were the first in France to file a lawsuit of tobacco victims against a tobacco company, SEITA that became ALTADIS after its privatization (later sold to Imperial Tobacco). The lawsuit was filed in December 1996. Richard died on January 9, 1999, seven days after his wife Lucette shot the video. He was 49 years old. On November 20, 2003, the French Supreme Court exonerated the tobacco company from any responsibility.

Tobacco is a drug (22 mai 1993)

Le tabac est une drogue (22 mai 1993), this full page ad was the back-cover for Libération and Le Monde on May 22, 1993. The goal was to raise the awareness about the health dangers of tobacco smoking but also to convince the press they could get health ads to replace tobacco ads if they were supporting adequate budgets for tobacco prevention. The press did not buy this argument and the French government never increased significantly the tobacco prevention budgets. The cost for the two ads was about $60K each.