Tobacco chief says don't smoke

The head of British American Tobacco, the world's second largest cigarette firm, has said smoking is bad for you and that people are better off avoiding tobacco.

The comments by BAT executive chairman Martin Broughton - who was talking about the health advice he gave his children - - are likely to be seized on by lawyers seeking billions of dollars from the company and rivals in smokingrelated lawsuits.

In an interview with The Times, Mr Broughton said his son and daughter did not smoke but he would have warned them not to when they were younger.

"I said to them 'I would advise you not to smoke. But if you want to smoke it is your affair. It is not good for you. You are better off not smoking."

Mr Broughton's comments add up to an unprecedented admission smoking is bad for you and the clearest warning yet from a tobacco chief. Cigarette companies have refused to side with the medical profession over the health threats of tobacco.

Instead they have championed smoking as a matter of personal choice while displaying on their products government advice tobacco can cause fatal diseases.

Clive Bates, director of the anti-smoking group Ash, said: "At home Mr Broughton wants to be the model father and preach healthy living to his kids, but at work the long-term health of his business depends on persuading other people's children to take up smoking to replace the four million dead smokers that leave the world market each year."

Professor Gordon McVie, joint director general of Cancer Research UK, said: "We have known for decades that tobacco is a danger to health - we now have it confirmed from Mr Broughton's own lips."

Mr Broughton said he abstains from smoking for health reasons.