Dr. Jeffrey Wigand

...

In 1993, Brown & Williamson sued Dr. Wigand and suspended his health insurance claiming he violated his confidentiality agreement by appearing on 60 Minutes, and they also claimed he leaked confidential information to the government. They accused Wigand (their former VP) of theft, fraud, breach of contract and other several other offenses. In 1997 the lawsuit was dismissed as part of a condition of the historic settlement between the Attorneys General of 40 States and the tobacco industry.

Life after he “blew the whistle” on the tobacco company was not easy for Dr. Wigand. After a failed marriage and a long period of unemployment, he found a new career and passion in life which was teaching. He also helped to start a “Smoke-Free Kids” slogan and campaign to help teach children about the harmful effects of cigarettes and to help to prevent future smokers.

Although it is debatable whether or not Dr. Wigand was correct in his breach of contract with his former employee, he appears to have had the right intentions when he blew the whistle on Brown & Williamson. Dr. Wigand believed that the potential to save the lives of millions of people by teaching them about the effects of the chemicals in cigarettes would far outweigh the consequences he would face by breaking his agreement to remain silent.

Works Cited

DeGeorge, Richard T. Business Ethics. 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 2010. Print.

"Jeffrey Wigand: The Whistle-Blower." Fast Company. 30 Apr. 2002. Web. 3 May 2015.

Bio.com. A&E Networks Television. Web. 3 May 2015.