The Republicans have exploited the situation by going after a bonanza of campaign contributions from tobacco interests.

In the new position, which had been vacant for several years, he will oversee the company's global tobacco interests.

Despite their huge budget, the tobacco interests have stumbled badly in the campaign against the tax.

The study shows that tobacco interests contributed heavily to Republicans in tight races.

Bernays also first introduced the practice of using front groups in order to protect tobacco interests.

The founders discouraged participation by corporate lawyers, the insurance industry and tobacco interests, he said.

And as in the United States, big tobacco interests fight these efforts aggressively.

So far this year, tobacco interests have given $2 million to Republicans and $503,000 to Democrats.

Yet jobs did not disappear at nearly the rate the tobacco interests are now predicting they will.

The decision was hailed as a victory by both tobacco interests and anti-smoking forces.