Ontario legislator introduces bill to ban sale of snus, Sweanor points out benefits of snus and harm reduction

[Bill Godshall]

Smokeless Tobacco
Smoking Cessation Aid or Health Risk?
CTVNEWS: David Sweanor versus France Gelinas

CTV News | News Video - Top National News Headlines - News Videos

A Canadian debate over the merits of banning snus and tobacco harm reduction.

France Gelinas is the Ontario legislator who introduced a bill to ban snus, and David Sweanor used to be legislative director for the Non Smokers Rights Association of Canada and has been advocating tobacco harm reduction products and policies for the past 15 years.

By any objective measure, Sweanor won the debate hands down.

[CapitalPuff]

Ms. Gelinas seemed to do what they all do... Jump on the pharma train and assume that nicotine dependence is the problem... Maybe it was just me, but she sure didn't sound all that credible. Mr. Sweanor hardly had to say a word.

Thanks for the link!

[DC2]

I think I speak for almost everyone here when I say that people like her make me want to scream.

Effective non-tobacco products already on the market?
Really? Where?

It seems apparent that this is a battle of truth vs money and zealotry.
And if truth wants to win, then truth needs to step out of the shadows and make itself known.

And how do we do that?
We all do that, every day, a little bit at a time.

And that means YOU.

[Fiamma]

In two words, ideological zealot.

[Bill Godshall]

An even more impressive debate victory for Sweanor over Gelinas.

I don't think Gelinas realizes that every time she talks about this issue, more people will support tobacco harm reduction and reject abstinence-only prohibitionism.

David Sweanor versus France Gelinas
Jerry Agar Podcast June 28, 2012 (segment starts at 1:05)
NEWSTALK 1010 - IN-DEPTH RADIO :: Jerry Agar Podcast :: Jerry Agar

[TennDave]

Bill, checked your link out and all I see are folks on a roller coaster

Edit: Never mind- I found it...

I loved the two who called in w/ their comments!!

I'm copied just the section of that program that pertains to our topic and saved it in MP3- if anyone wants it PM me w/ your email address and I'll send it to you.

[CJsKee]

Dave -- can ya just post the link or point me in the right direction? All I see is the roller coaster (makes my tumbley rumbley

[Kurt]

Gelina is an complete incoherent idiot that says things that do not make any sense at all. They have an "herbal mixture that delivers nicotine"?? Did others hear that too? The doctor that called in made her look like a total ...... She has no arguments, she has fear based talking points meant to appeal to people's emotions. There has never been a study that shows that flavored tobacco appeals to kids. Kids smoke Marlboros. And the rational for snus is simply it is tobacco, and tobacco is bad, mmkay. She was really stumbling when she had to explain why the host's severely ill father should not be allowed snus after it was made very clear that pharma products did not work at all, as is the case for over 90% of people that use them. That was when Gelina just started blathering and sputtering. She had nothing and she knew it.

Here is the thing I see. She is bought or threatened or her job is on the line. She, like so many other public figures, must only state the talking points big pharma or big gov't tells them to say. Where is the debate to ban normal everyday cigarettes, which is what kids smoke? I don't think you will ever see that. As has been pointed out, taxes on cigs pay for a whole lotta stuff. Big pharma loves it that people can't quit on their nic products...more future customers for their cancer money conveyer belt. More tobacco tax for the gov't coffers.

I say let her keep blathering away! Even the uneducated would come away from that show wondering where they can buy snus!

My first response when I heard this show, as well as the other one Bill posted, was to pop a snus. And I hadn't had any in a LONG time. Mmmm, snus goooood!

[TennDave]

Dave -- can ya just post the link or point me in the right direction? All I see is the roller coaster (makes my tumbley rumbley

I don't think that works...I could upload it somewhere but I don't have a place to do that w/ an MP3 file. If you try to link directly to that particular show on the initial link that Bill posted, you still come up with the general website. I also only saw the roller coaster at first. Scroll below that and then click next for the second page.... The show from 6/28 is on the second page, I believe. You can click on it and download it- that's easier to navigate to 1 hour 5 minutes to hear the pertinent parts.

[Spazmelda]

You can download the Jerry agar show on iTunes. Look for the correct date, and fast forward to the correct time point.

I'm so glad the host called her on the misrepresentation of the percentage of Swedish population that smokes vs. those that use tobacco ( which she also said in the video, but nobody corrected). Do you think she knew that and was misstating it on purpose, or is she just an idiot?

Also, "it's not part of our culture, it's not part of our culture, it's not part of our culture". What kind of lame ass argument is that? You know what IS part of your culture? Cigarettes and associated diseases. Yeah, extreme logic fail.