Murray H. Bring, a senior Philip Morris lawyer, said the industry had nothing to apologize for. “We know that we are manufacturing a lawful product,” Bring said. “We also know that we are honorable and honest people.” Geoffrey Bible, a senior Philip Morris executive, cautioned against banning cigarettes, using words not likely to end up in a McKinsey slide:

What do you think smokers would do if they didn’t smoke? You get some pleasure from it, and you get some other beneficial things, such as stress relief. Nobody knows what you’d turn to if you didn’t smoke. Maybe you’d beat your wife. Maybe you’d drive cars fast. Who knows what the hell you’d do.