Oh Look, The RIAA's Still Filing Lawsuits > Isn't lying to Congress actionable?

Isn't lying to Congress actionable?

I watched the Seven Dwarves (the heads of the seven tobacco companies) testifying before congress and I don't recall them saying that cigarettes don't cause cancer, rather they testified that they didn't believe that cigarettes are addicting.

Technically, that's not a lie. The statement "Cigarettes are addicting" is an empirical statement that everyone who smokes a single cigarette will instantly become addicted and that's clearly not true. Most folks who smoke over a period of time (how long and how many cigarettes depends on the individual) do seem to get addicted (or at least strongly habituated) that smoking pretty much seems to be a stupid thing to do, but not everyone who smokes becomes addicted, so Big Tobacco's statement of record wasn't a lie.

Semantics, maybe, but semantics is what the legal system revolves around.

reply to Bit
Has anyone ever told the truth to congressional committee? Lying is a fact of life in that area. Truth is something strange.

reply to Desdinova

said by Desdinova:

I watched the Seven Dwarves (the heads of the seven tobacco companies) testifying before congress and I don't recall them saying that cigarettes don't cause cancer, rather they testified that they didn't believe that cigarettes are addicting.

Technically, that's not a lie. The statement "Cigarettes are addicting" is an empirical statement that everyone who smokes a single cigarette will instantly become addicted and that's clearly not true. Most folks who smoke over a period of time (how long and how many cigarettes depends on the individual) do seem to get addicted (or at least strongly habituated) that smoking pretty much seems to be a stupid thing to do, but not everyone who smokes becomes addicted, so Big Tobacco's statement of record wasn't a lie.

Semantics, maybe, but semantics is what the legal system revolves around.

Well, narcotics do not get me high. My main side effect with Darvon is that it acts as an antiaphrodisiac, but then most people are not going to be frisky after having a stinky tooth pulled.

There are some smokers for whom nicotine is merely a recreational substance, but then there are others for whom it is a religion and a Mind Control Drug.

reply to anon99
Weeeellll...in all fairness George smoked cigars which (traditionally) are not inhaled and don't seem to be nearly as harmful as cigarettes (different part of the tobacco plant, is cured differently, used differently, etc.). They're also lousy nicotine-delivery systems.

And no, I'm not bashing cigars! I usually smoke a minimum of four Churchill's (8" with a 60 ring gauge) a week and have done so for for thirty-four years now (plus I smoke a pipe). Never had any health-related issues (and I doubt I will as cigar smokers seem to last pretty long. In fact, according to Surgeon General's report 1163, pipe smokers live an average of two years longer than non-smokers...but I suspect that has more to do with reduced stress levels than anything magical about a pipe. You just never seem to see hyperactive pipe smokers... ).