The wealth of positive support, information, research, and acceptance within medical and scientific circles has at last reached the point where we can, and should, be making full use of it. The forum policy of not putting quotes from Doctors etc on our websites is no longer the sensible option. Why should we hide all of the information we now have available to move our cause forward when we should be giving every website visitor as much positive reinforcement as possible in an open and honest manner.
In 1980 a symbolic wall was toppled in the shipyards of Gdansk. More followed and what had started as a ripple of discontent amongst oppressed workers became an unstoppable force of change that was epitomised by the toppling of a real wall in Berlin some nine years later. The courage of one man's convictions in stepping up to the plate inspired ten million Polish workers to follow. Another brave man was instigating change from within, Gorbachev, and he and Lech Walesa received the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts. Eastern Europe broke free from its shackles.
That might be far removed from Smoking Harm Reduction, but it demonstrates how the will of the people, if they are prepared to stick their heads above the parapets, can force popular change, even when opposed by oppressive regimes prepared to use whatever means to undermine them. We have lots of good people working hard to educate and enlighten and ample evidence to argue for harm reduction, now is a good time for Peristroika and Glasnost (restructuring and openness). It is easier to bring about popular change with the support of the people than to change the minds of faceless bureaucrats, but those people need to be very well-informed if we want their backing.
Cheers
John
