News Review 6th September
This is the week that was….
Once again a week dominated by the fall-out and propaganda from the highly significant PHE announcement, increasingly desperate attempts to discredit or give counter-narratives appeared in many sources worldwide. Monday was a major holiday in the UK so no news was published for that day (giving the editor a well deserved break!)
Tuesday September 1st
Jacob Sullum expertly ripped to shreds a ridiculous scaremongering article in the Inquisitr, further dialogue ensued with the clueless author later in the week http://reason.com/blog/2015/09/01/4-reasons-this-article-about-e-cigarette
As linked in Sullum’s article Dr M Siegel also took up the cudgels http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/08/anti-smoking-groups-campaign-of.html
A good summary of the 95% debate is shown here by Mawsley https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2015-09-01_95-backlash.html many other excellent commentaries exist on this subject eg via Carl Phillips and Janine Paynter see https://janinepaynter.wordpress.com/2015/08/29/e-cigarettes-are-less-harmful-the-95-subjective-ranking/
PHE tried to communicate the relative risk of e-cigarettes compared to cigarettes, how else could they effectively have achieved this, words can be misinterpreted, but giving a precise figure of 95% has obviously attracted some criticism …..a conundrum! But the key message from PHE should not be dismissed, as it is an honest attempt to give the general public some genuine advice and guidance, has hopefully filled the vacuum,as opposed to the scaremongering nonsense previously served up in the media.
Wednesday September 2nd
The ever excellent Sullum continues his ‘debate’ with the clueless journalist http://reason.com/blog/2015/09/02/we-dont-need-decades-of-research-to-know
An update from Vince Van Heerden http://reason.com/blog/2015/09/02/we-dont-need-decades-of-research-to-know ,If you are unaware of this tragic case in Western Australia I strongly suggest you familiarise yourself with it asap. This is an example of where over-zealous regulators apply bizarre interpretations of what are already draconian laws.
Thursday September 3rd
Clutching at straws is the caption!
This blog from Dick Puddlecote could have very easily have been updated as the remainder of the week unfolded http://dickpuddlecote.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/anatomy-of-charlatan.html Capewell produced a disingenuous response (with McKee) in the Lancet (more later) and continued his one way propaganda campaign on Twitter, significantly, even his echo-chamber of followers rarely retweet his nonsensical links.
Analysis from Dr Siegel http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/as-e-cigarettes-re-normalize-smoking.html regarding smoking rates and ‘normalisation of not- smoking’
Friday September 4th
Friday, once more, seemed to provide a raft of news as in previous weeks
Dr Farsalinos responded here to a disgusting announcement by fake Public Health ‘watchdog’ CEH here http://www.ecigarette-research.org/research/index.php/whats-new/whatsnew-2015/225-ceh
The CEH press release was faithfully covered in the increasingly anti e-cig Guardian by Sarah Bosely (also contained in recent comments was an entry by arch critic Simon Chapman) http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/sep/02/e-cigarette-manufacturers-california-health-watchdog
Fergus Mason also highlights the disingenuous Simon Capewell,following on from his and McKee’s latest poor correspondence to the Lancet, for some further balance read the latest latest Lancet correspondence from Profs. Polosa and Britton regarding the PHE announcement and the dire ad-hom attacks produced on some..http://ecigsplaza.co.uk/ecigs-news/does-being-opposed-to-vaping-drive-you-mad/
Overall impressions of the week are similar to the previous week, the increasingly marginalised elements contained in Public Health such as Capewell, Ashton & Co at FPH are squealing louder and louder whilst those genuinely engaged in Public Health embrace the concept of Smoking Harm Reduction.
The arguments advanced become weaker, lacking anything substantive whatsoever in scientific terms, hopefully increasing numbers of colleagues see through ad-homs, flawed rhetoric and challenge the noisier element.
There are rumours that FPH (Faculty of Public Health) may attend the House of Commons APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) relating to e-cigs, an open debate as opposed to propaganda would indeed be welcomed if the attendance occurs.
