'The Insider' chronicles smokers' addictions, shows off a victim's brain

By Tamber Weston

February 4, 2005 | Philip Morris has been telling Congress for more than 40 years that people smoke because "nicotine tastes good." But a former research scientist of the company is telling a different story.

"Nicotine has no taste," reports Victor DeNoble.

As part of Utah State University's Kick Butts Week, DeNoble addressed students Wednesday in the Taggart Student Center's Ballroom. He told of his history with the company and his findings from the secret lab at Philip Morris.

"People smoke because their brains have changed," notes DeNoble. "When they don't smoke, they don't feel good."

Philip Morris hired DeNoble to create a safer cigarette -- one that would continue to addict smokers without causing heart problems and killing them.

During development, DeNoble experimented with the effects of drugs (including nicotine) on the brains of rats. Though DeNoble was told repeatedly to stop his research on the brain and focus on the heart, he continued his study of the effects of nicotine on the brain.

As part of his research, DeNoble went to a hospital and found a 63-year-old man dying from smoking-related heart problems. DeNoble asked the man for his brain.

"He said, 'You're very strange,'" recalls DeNoble. When the man died, his wife called DeNoble. DeNoble went the hospital and extracted the man's brain.

After examining the brain, DeNoble concluded that it had changed the same in the same manner as his rats' brains and a heroin-addict monkey's brain, even though the man hadn't smoked in more than two years. DeNoble said it can take anywhere from five to 10 years to reverse this change.

As proof of his story, DeNoble brought the man's and the monkey's brains with him to USU and while wearing a latex glove, carried each around the room to give the audience a closer look.

During his brain research DeNoble and his partner created a cigarette that reduced cancerous effects by 80 percent. DeNoble said that at first his bosses were thrilled but after consulting with the company's lawyers, told DeNoble that his safer cigarette would never be produced.

"'We've been lying to the government for 30 years. If we make your cigarette, the government will know we lied and we'll be liable,'" is the excuse DeNoble said he received. "We can't save lives," they said, "not even one.

Philip Morris fired DeNoble and shut down his lab.

"[Philip Morris] made two mistakes when they fired me," said DeNoble. "They had never fired anyone before. . . they sent me back to my lab." While in the lab DeNoble filled boxes with top secret documents and had his partner (who was also fired) pull a van around to the loading dock. In the frenzy of the situation, DeNoble broke off one of his desk drawers, he didn't know what to do with it so he threw it in one of the boxes and covered it up with more documents.

The second mistake Philip Morris made, said DeNoble, was to call a company meeting to tell all employees that DeNoble and his partner had been fired and no one was to ask any questions about it.

Later one of those employees contacted DeNoble to tell him the company had hired private investigator to follow him.

Before firing DeNoble, Philip Morris reminded him of the secrecy contract he signed when he joined the company. The contract said that if DeNoble contacted authorities his testimony was worth nothing in court. But DeNoble was determined.

He contacted a lawyer who took the documents and then told DeNoble they had been stolen. In truth, he had returned them to Philip Morris; he was one of their lawyers.

Just when he thought all was lost, DeNoble discovered that his wife had kept some slides (photos) from the desk drawer in the boxes. DeNoble sent one of those slides to the FBI with the FBI as the return address from a neighboring state, hoping that the FBI would then contact him.

DeNoble said he sent the slide with nothing more than his fingerprint on it, on Monday and the FBI contacted him on Thursday. He refused to talk to them so they took him into custody and into a Supreme Count where he told his story.

DeNoble said former President Clinton has been the only president to speak out against the tobacco industry. So DeNoble felt his best chance of making a difference was to tell what he knew, to a Supreme Court justice during Clinton's administration.

After testifying the court and FBI sent him home "to wait."

Fearing for their lives, DeNoble and his family packed up to leave that night. While packing DeNoble received a phone call.

The man on the other end asked if he was speaking to Victor DeNoble, the scientist. DeNoble told him yes and ask whom he was speaking to.

"The president," was the response. DeNoble inquired what exactly the man was the president of. He finally realized that it was President Clinton, who told DeNoble he had a car and escorts waiting for him and his family outside his house.

After this experience DeNoble became an essential witness against the tobacco industry in lawsuits that yielded massive settlements. Now, after congressional hearings in 1994, DeNoble is able to discuss the events that led to his dismissal from Philip Morris. He has appeared on 60 Minutes, Dateline and Good Morning America.

DeNoble is portrayed by Russell Crow in the film The Insider.

DeNoble said that to this day he is still followed by private investigators from Philip Morris. And how does he know this? Because he has CIA agents who follow them.

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