In the category of “believe it not,” tobacco giant Philip Morris Cos. Inc. is admitting publicly that tobacco is unsafe.

They are making no bones about it either.

They aren’t pulling any punches or hedging their bets or taking any shortcuts.

Using plain language they are stating simply and loudly that tobacco will addict you, give you cancer and then kill you.

According to a report on CNN, the giant tobacco producer will spend $100 million on a new advertising campaign to run commercials during sporting events and popular prime time shows like “ER” to get the message out that cigarettes can kill you.

This is a drop in the bucket compared to the $246 billion the company has been ordered to pay to 50 states over the next 25 years.

According to Philip Morris corporate web site (www.philipmorris. com/tobacco_ bus/tobacco_ issues/index.html), they believe in “the principle of adult choice.”

Of course, this is also part of the new corporate makeover.

They didn’t care about “adult choice” before. They used to deny vehemently that cigarettes were anything but good for you.

Before they were counting on the ignorance of the public, the na‹vet‚ of children and the addictive nature of nicotine to sell their product.

NOW they are all about “adult choice.”

But even with this attempt to set the record straight, they can’t help slipping in a little promotional material.

“Cigarettes are a legal product that many adults enjoy, notwithstanding the serious health issues surrounding smoking.”

Well, we can’t expect them to change too much at this point. Even while trying to look like they aren’t making money off of people’s weakness, they have to spin this the right way.

In the spirit of divine retribution, every single corporate executive who stood and swore on the Bible that he did not believe tobacco was injurious to public health should now be tried for perjury. Let that be a lesson to them.

However, we should be big about this. Change takes time.

After all, it isn’t easy to admit you’ve been killing people legally for decades while amassing a fortune to back or acquire Miller Brewing Co., Kraft Foods, Maxwell House coffee and Oscar Mayer meats.

Steven Parrish, senior vice president for corporate affairs for Philip Morris, said, “For too long we have let others define who we are.”

And, for too long, Philip Morris got away with murder.

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Iowa State Daily Editorial Board: Sara Ziegler, Greg Jerrett, Kate Kompas and Carrie Tett.