Harm Reduction

Europeans, out of some romantic rebellion against America and high technology, were shunning U.S.-grown food containing G.M.O.'s [genetically-modified organisms] even though there is no scientific evidence that these are harmful.

"...it's literally true that something like a thousand people will not die each year that would have otherwise died..."

There have been several reports lately about the odd, non-health-related projects that all that settlement money extracted from the tobacco companies went to, such as bridges, sprinkler systems, and even subsidies to tobacco farmers.

I wrote a big essay called LIBERTARIANS, SMOKING, AND INSANITY: How Ideology Affects Ideas About Freedom and Health a few months ago, suggesting that even those who d

PETA is giving children stickers that look like familiar cigarette ads but warn that cigarette companies do testing on animals. PETA says getting kids to stop smoking might be a fringe benefit but that their goal is to stop the animal testing.

"I'm OK with it, but it'll be a drag if I don't make it until the next James Bond movie comes out."

To political activists though to few scientists ACSH's constant warnings about smoking seem like a non-sequitur.

Just as the Stonewall riots of 1969 are remembered as the start of the gay rights movement, so too will July 27, 2002 be remembered as the start of New York City's smokers' rights movement.

This "e-monograph" was reprinted in Liberty magazine.