Marin Ledun “To Hell with Their Souls”

—His proposed law has caused a certain amount of emotion both right and left wing, amongst believers and disbelievers, amongst the able bodied and the handicapped. The anti abortionists feel threatened. The pro-abortionists threaten to walk out of the assembly . You know a lot of people in the assembly mister Bartels. You and your parlementary supporters are concerned with subjects concerning public health. You could spread the good word amongst them.
—What do I stand to gain from this.
Another embarrassed laugh.
—The minister expected your question. He let it be known that he finds the latest events concerning health warnings on cigarette packets ineffective, senseless and scandalous. He assures you of his total support in this affair.

Now here is a wide sweeping book taking on the tobacco lobby in France from the mid 1980’s on. From the first chapters concerning systematic stealing of lorries full of ammonia which one day goes wrong with the thieves ruthlessly covering their tracks as the soon to be lobbyist shows his true self in executing one of the drivers in front of his black ops man thus cementing a partnership that will last for decades.

We learn of the multiple chemical products used in tobacco production, hence the ammonia. But above all the book handles the insidious corruption surrounding the lobby, as in the opening quote as Bernard Kouchner, then health minister trades leniency in the tobacco repression against votes.

From formula 1 overt advertising to less overt advertising through the 80’s and 90’s including call girls to entrap politicians we follow the seedy, cynical, anything for profit industry, fighting it’s rearguard action up to and including organising, through Balkan countries the smuggling of their own tobacco products as contraband to shore up the market as taxes increase.

This is all handled in a tense thriller, just how far will they be prepared to go? See the title!

Is there anything there that isn’t public knowledge? Perhaps not, but by laying it all there end to end in front of us it shouldn’t make us very proud to have let this happen.

First published in French by Gallimard in 2023 as ‘Leur Âme au Diable’

*** my translation

The quotes as read in French before translation

—Son projet de loi suscite l’émotion à droite comme à gauche, chez les croyants et les non-croyants, les valides et les handicapés. Les anti-IVG se sentent menacés. Les partisans de l’avortement menacent sur les bancs de l’Assemblée. Vous connaissez du monde dans l’hémicycle, monsieur Bartels. Vous et vos soutiens parlementaires êtes sensibles aux questions se santé publique. Vous pourriez dispenser la bonne parole dans vos rangs.
—Qu’est-ce que j’y gagne?
Nouveau rire gêné.
—Monsieur le ministre a anticipé votre question. Il a laissé entendre qu’il jugeait les dernières péripéties concernant les avertissements sanitaires sur le paquets de cigarettes inefficaces, ineptes et scandaleuses. Il vous assure de son soutien total dans cette affaire.