British American Tobacco: Front Groups
The tobacco industry has a long history of using PR techniques to avoid regulation and undermine opposition. By looking at just one company -- British American Tobacco (BAT) -- and its involvement in funding front groups the huge extent of this manipulation is evident. Tobacco companies have used front groups for decades, often working in cooperation with each other to maximise results. In 1998, as a result of litigation, tobacco companies were required to open up their records for public access, which has allowed researchers to uncover information on the inner workings of the tobacco industry. With the use of these documents several instances of BAT-funded front groups have been found, showing the lengths to which the industry is willing to go to protect its interests.
