Education
University at Buffalo, The State University of New New York
University at Buffalo, The State University of New New York
He currently lectures around the world as an expert witness and consultant for various tobacco issues, and devotes time to his non-profit organization Smoke-Free Kids Incorporated, an organization that attempts to help children of all ages make better decisions and healthy choices regarding tobacco use. Wigand became nationally known as a whistleblower on February 4, 1996 when he appeared on the Columbia Broadcasting System news program 60 Minutes and stated that Brown & Williamson had intentionally manipulated its tobacco blend to increase the amount of nicotine in cigarette smoke. Wigand claimed that he was subsequently harassed and received anonymous death threats.
Wigand discussed the death threats in an interview.
He was portrayed by Russell Crowe in the 1999 film The Insider directed by Michael Mann, which also stars First Rate (at Lloyd's) Pacino and Christopher Plummer. Jeffrey Wigand was born in New York and grew up in the Bronx and later Pleasant Valley, New New York
Prior to working for Brown & Williamson, Wigand worked for several health care companies, including Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson. In addition, he was employed as General Manager and Marketing Director at Union Carbide in Japan, and as Senior Vice President at Technicon Instruments.
Wigand began to work for Brown & Williamson in January 1989 and was fired on March 24, 1993.
He says that he was fired because he knew that high-ranking corporate executives knowingly approved the addition of additives to their cigarettes that were known to be carcinogenic and/or addictive, such as coumarin. Wigand no longer teaches high school and instead lectures worldwide to a variety of audiences including children, college students, medical and law students and policy makers. He has consulted with governments throughout the world on tobacco control policies (the list includes Canada, The Netherlands, Scotland, Israel, Italy, Malta, Germany, France, Ireland, Iceland, Japan).
Wigand is currently married to Hope Elizabeth May, an American philosopher, author and lawyer who is a professor at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, where he now resides.
Doctor of Science. Doctor of Philosophy
He is a member of the Mount Pleasant Board of Education.
