The Devil's Playbook

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In this corporate exposé, the clash between Big Tobacco and Silicon Valley leads to the vaping epidemic. Howard Willard, CEO of Philip Morris's parent company, became fixated on Juul, an e-cigarette that promised the addictive allure of tobacco without the same health risks. Meanwhile, Silicon Valley innovators Adam Bowen and James Monsees aimed to create a device to save lives and dismantle Big Tobacco, but inadvertently infused their product with the industry's marketing tactics. Juul's e-cigarette became so dominant that it ignited a public health crisis. Award-winning journalist Lauren Etter delivers a gripping narrative of greed and deception, detailing how Willard's desperation for innovation drove him to pursue Juul, despite warnings about its appeal to underage users. Juul's executives struck a lucrative deal, reaping the majority of Philip Morris's $12.8 billion investment, even as regulators and concerned parents rallied against them. This account reveals how Juul's "move fast and break things" mentality wreaked havoc on American health and how a struggling tobacco company was lured by the potential for a new generation of customers. The unforeseen outbreak of vaping-related deaths ultimately devastated Juul's value, ended Willard's career, and highlighted the human cost of the relentless pursuit of profit, while Juul's founders and investors profited immensely.