Watch CBS News

"Addiction Incorporated" tells story of tobacco whistleblower

Charles Evans Jr. and Dr. Victor DeNoble sat down with CBS' Kaylee Hartung on "Hotsheet Live" to discuss their new film, "Addiction Incorporated."

The film tells the story of DeNoble, a former scientist at Philip Morris Research Center, who was the first whistleblower within the tobacco industry to communicate in an official capacity that cigarettes are addictive.

"As a scientist the worst thing you could do is not to be able to communicate your findings to other scientists," said DeNoble.

Despite DeNoble's confidentiality agreement, he testified in the 1994 Subcommittee on Health and Environment congressional hearings with seven heads of major tobacco companies.

In his directorial debut, Evans tells the "story of a man who wants to do good through science," he said. Evans noted that he used the tobacco industry's relationship with DeNoble as the backdrop for the telling of his story.

"The film is important to understand just because the tobacco industry is subject to regulations, does not mean they are regulated. It means they are subject to it, and they are going to fight this all the way," DeNoble said. "We want the film to invigorate people to say look this isn't over, it's not going away."

DeNoble continues to tout his message, talking about the risks of tobacco to about 300,000 elementary and middle school students a year. "They know the hazards of tobacco, what they don't know is that nicotine is a drug that changes the way their brain works," said DeNoble. "It's exciting, it's rewarding and it's making a difference and that's what's important."

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.