Seems as if good old Phillip Morris (the big cigarette company from Richmond) has decided to cough up (get it?) 25 million to UVA. The money will get used for the Schools of Medicine and Commerce.

Is this so Phillip Morris can do a cost benefit analysis of selling cigarettes in this day and age where smoking is slowly decreasing in most of the United States and kids are getting fatter? If Virginia cranks up cigarette production will third world countries buy?

It was also stated that the “money will also be used to expand their (UVA) relationship with Phillip Morris USA on recruitment and leadership development.”

Does that mean that if you come to UVA Phillip Morris will provide you with free cigarettes for four years? Leadership of cigarettes?

I seem to recall just the other day when UVA decided to pass on twenty two million that was geared towards theater. I guess smoking is a higher priority. Puff. Puff. I guess I’ve inhaled so much second hand smoke that I just can’t believe UVA took money from a company that helps to kill thousands every single day of the year.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 12th, 2007 at 7:29 pm and is filed under Charlottesville. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.