History repeating itself

[Territoo]

I know I've been rather quiet lately, but I've been following the posts. I've been researching for an article I'm going to write on the history of health effects of tobacco. I came across this article, and was amazed at some of the similarities between smoking in the Nazi era and today.

Commentary: Schairer and Schoniger's forgotten tobacco epidemiology and the Nazi quest for racial purity -- Proctor 30 (1): 31 -- International Journal of Epidemiology

In particular the following quotes caught my attention.

"Cigarettes were given to soldiers in the First World War, creating an entirely new generation of addicts; national governments also found in tobacco a marvellous source of income, since sales were easily regulated and effectively taxed."

(Sounds a lot like our government today.)

"Astel was also a rabid anti-tobacco activist, who quickly made a name for himself on the Jena campus by snatching cigarettes from the mouths of smoking students. "

"[Karl Astel's Institute for Tobacco Hazards Research] purchased and distributed 2000 copies of Hans FK Günther's 8-page Trinken, Rauchen, Gattenwahl (Drinking, Smoking, and Spousal Choice) along with 15 copies of Lickint's Tabak und Organismus (at 50 RM each), hundreds of reprints from Reine Luft (Pure Air), the most important anti-tobacco journal of the era, and 3000 copies of Emil Skramlik's compilation of Goethe's views on tobacco. Skramlik also received at least 15 000 RM to produce an anti-tobacco film (Genussmittel Tabak)—"

(Reminds me of Banzhaf and ASH.)

"The authors ... called for a total smoking ban for women, consistent with the Nazi slogan ‘Die deutsche Frau raucht nicht!’ (The German woman does not smoke!). "

(The world's first smoking ban!)

The Nazi government enacted numerous legal sanctions limiting tobacco use. Tobacco was banned in theatres and cinemas, and on buses and in many public buildings. Astel implemented the nation's first (modern) university tobacco ban, and smoking was barred in post offices, military hospitals, and all Nazi party offices.

(It escalated then too!)

"...the power of tobacco manufacturers at this time should not be underestimated. The industry had strong friends in the ministries of economics and finance, both of which were clearly afraid of interrupting the steady flow of cash from tobacco taxes..."

(How do you say Phillip-Morris in German?)

"The subjects were required to appear for 2 days in Keiser's surgical clinic at the University of Jena; one day they were fed nicotine, the other they were not. The men were then X-rayed to determine effects on the stomach. Human experiments were also carried out on prisoners, and there was a fair amount of animal experimentation. "

(Well, we did ask for some scientific studies.)

[ladysolitary85]

Territoo, first I gotta say I love your avatar

second, you posted a lot of points

thirdly, you should speak up more often. I'm sure the forum misses you

[Sun Vaporer]

Good Job Territoo--but I would expect no less from the Doc


Sun

[beckah54]

The comparisons are rather chilling to tell you the truth.

[MrEDJay]

Of course history repeats itself.

Look up "Time Wave Zero" by Terrence McKenna.
There is a fascinating radio interview with him on Youtube, I believe its like 8 parts maybe....or it could be 3 I forget, I've listened to a lot of his Interviews/Lectures. All of which are extremely entertaining and informative.

But seriously, "Time Wave Zero"...Look it up, you won't regret it, and i'm sure it would be actually very beneficial to your report as I am sure that not too many people have heard of this truth.

[Stubby]

Territoo:

If you're doing research you may want to read this "A report by the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians, October 2007". I've just skimmed it for now but will be a weekend read.

http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/pubs/cont...cdb21d9291.pdf

It might be right up you're ally for the article.

[taz3cat]

Territoo, I can't wait for you to finish the report on this. History does repeat itself, but usually it is not striking (as in differences) and so recently (less than 100 years is recent in history).