What was the big deal?

The reason why he was so important was because he was part of the upper echelon of big tobacco. He had unique insight into the science and marketing of cigarettes as it relates to addiction. He was able to explain how big tobacco was very aware that it was not just a product but a drug which could be regulated by the fda. His deposition enabled the government run health care system to recoup money.

I'm not very old, but I still vividly remember a time when it was considered controversial to say that tobacco was harmful. If you believed it before the Wigard interview, you were a conspiracy theorist, because nobody of significant status was on the record. Until Wigand. That's precisely why this is such an angry and sorrowful movie: a tiny, tiny amount of progress came at tremendous cost. And the revelation made light of the fact that multiple industries - sciences, finances, media - were too afraid to say anything is a shameful and depressing one. Literally thousands of people needed to look the other way for decades in order for this to happen, and it only took one guy with a backbone to make it end. Just think of how many industries need a whistleblower like Wigand, but don't have one.

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It isn't that complicated. It was the perjury of the big tobacco executives before Congress, and Wigand stated as much during his taped interview. The executives were full aware of the health risks and other effects of the products, although denying it at a Congressional hearing, under oath. Wigand was fully intent on honoring his severance contract (to retain his benefits), until he and his family were threatened.

Contrary to many replies here, it wasn't that long ago when many, if not most people were completely ignorant about the real health risks of tobacco, including me. Not that it would have mattered, at the time. I started smoking when I was young, at a time there was still tobacco product advertising on television and billboards, and even doctors advertised their "favorite brand". "Safer cigarette" advertisement was everywhere, and the Surgeon General's warning wasn't on any label, yet.



-Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid.

hmmm.. may be I didn't get your question right. But here is what I think:

- I am from India & no insider would even think about saying something like that EVER let alone have trial about it and fine tobacco companies.
- Nobody would suggest or try to help you but we will produce ugly advertisement that falls just one step short of suggesting that smokers should be ostracized (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8H1aMosvOw) or even beaten up and we are perfectly fine with it.
- In the movie Russel Crowe's character confirms nicotine has physiological response (https://www.getyarn.io/yarn-clip/4d923865-c365-4d74-b74f-f5626717c2c1). That is true which means it's the same kind of problem as alcoholism. Perhaps worse because society like I live in, alcoholism is socially not acceptable but smoking is.
- A heavy smoker will tell you it's not the early end of life he worried about but quality of everyday life - the dehydration, the loss of energy, slight change in priorities (because it takes only 5 minutes)
- Finally, because as a smoker who smokes about 30 cigarettes a day, and cannot quit because may be I have genetic predisposition to addition (I believe they did find a gene that really has that effect) or because cigarettes can be right there beside me on the table and nobody really wants to help, (scaring people is not helping and since it's a drug we need actual therapeutic approach) and assume that I just like to smoke away my life because I enjoy it while nothing could be further from the truth.

In light of all this, the character or actual person saying that it's a problem is a BIG deal. And even after that, these big tobacco people, while they they rationalize their existence on top of carcasses that they produced, all supposedly most advanced civilization could only do was to fine them. Nothing more. I am sure they could have paid 100 times more and still would not have flinched.

Maybe one day we will be courageous enough to eradicate tobacco and really help people get rid of this habit. But until then, yes, this has to be a big deal.

He caught big tobacco in a big lie that they had told to Congress under oath. In order to get someone to stop criminal activity in the U.S. you have to take them to court and prove your case. Wigand's testimony proved the government's case that the tobacco companies had perjured themselves. In the end it cost the tobaccco companies 200 billion dollars, forcing them to drastically raise their prices and every year less and less people use tobacco products.

Well I guess it was a big deal to him.

What was the big deal?! They were putting cancerous poison on cigarettes to make them more addictive, ffs! Read the Wiki for the company, the basic stuff is there.