Question:
Hi,
I work for a company in Israel that is owned by Altria, a public traded company that sells cigarettes wine and e-cigarettes.
Is their an issur in working for such a company? I work in operations of the part of the business that builds and maintains websites that sell e-cigarettes.
Answer:
It appears that there is no issur involved with working for a company that sells e-cigarettes. According to the doctors that I have consulted, e-cigarettes are not dangerous, (as of current medical knowledge), and are much safer than regular cigarettes. (Not that it is recommended or smart for anyone to start smoking them, however from a halachic standpoint it is not considered putting one’s life in danger). Therefore the sale of cigarettes is not considered selling someone a dangerous product and helping him violate u’smartem m’od l’nafshoseichem.
What about if the company also sells cigarettes? Not just e-cigarettes. The mother companies main business is cigarettes but they are trying to sell less harmful products like e-cigarettes. It’s a company of 20,000 employees and 100,000 contractors. The company in Israel is only 200 and it offers any of the mother companies development, marketing and customer service.
Thanks
What the mother company does is not going to make the job that he is doing lifnei iver.
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