Brad Rodu on the Great American Smokeout, ACS & Tobacco Harm Reduction

[Tom09]

Column by Brad Rodu on occasion of the Great American Smokeout: Smoke-free tobacco has few risks (Cincinnati.com)

Today is the American Cancer Society’s 36th annual Great American Smokeout, but after 35 years, we might expect to see better results. There are still 45 million smokers in the U.S., and 440,000 smoking-related deaths every year, according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
[...]
The Smokeout could be “Great” if the ACS and other public health institutions were more honest with smokers. For years, these organizations have perpetuated the myth that the only way smokers can save themselves is to quit tobacco. tobacco abstinence has proven not only unachievable for the vast majority of smokers, but also unnecessary.
[...]
It’s time to tell smokers the truth. The ACS grudgingly acknowledges on its website that “(smokeless tobacco) is less lethal than smoking cigarettes.” The organization’s chief epidemiologist served on a review panel for a National Cancer Institute study that concluded “… (smokeless) products pose a substantially lower risk to the user than do conventional cigarettes.” Still, the ACS objects to smoke-free product substitution by smokers.
[...]
Tobacco harm reduction can also work in the U.S., if the ACS and other health organizations start telling smokers the truth about safer cigarette substitutes. The ACS message for this year’s Smokeout is “Help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.” That’s the basic theme of tobacco harm reduction: If you’ve tried and failed to stop smoking, make the switch to any smoke-free tobacco product and enjoy a healthier, longer life.

ACSH statement on a similar theme

 

[Bill Godshall]

Rodu's column is excellent. Unfortunately, several folks (including electricman) have posted comments criticizing Rodu and claiming all tobacco is deadly and evil.

I registered to post a comment (more than an hour ago), but still haven't received an e-mail confirmation (and my registration may not have gone through). It would help if some other folks posted comments in support of Rodu and his truthful statements.

 

[rothenbj]

Site seems to be having issues.

 

[sqirl1]

Rodu's column is excellent. Unfortunately, several folks (including electricman) have posted comments criticizing Rodu and claiming all tobacco is deadly and evil.

I registered to post a comment (more than an hour ago), but still haven't received an e-mail confirmation (and my registration may not have gone through). It would help if some other folks posted comments in support of Rodu and his truthful statements.

damn those trolls have been really active lately, wonder why?

 

[Luisa]

Rodu's column is excellent. Unfortunately, several folks (including electricman) have posted comments criticizing Rodu and claiming all tobacco is deadly and evil.

I registered to post a comment (more than an hour ago), but still haven't received an e-mail confirmation (and my registration may not have gone through). It would help if some other folks posted comments in support of Rodu and his truthful statements.

My comment has still not been posted either. They show 29 comments,but only 16 or 17 are showing.

 

[Crumpet]

We need to demand that the ANTZ posters show concrete medical evidence proving that smokeless is not less risky.

 

[jtpjc]

We need to demand that the ANTZ posters show concrete medical evidence proving that smokeless is not less risky.

I'm not sure I would use those ANTZ. After all, we don't know what's in them.