Civil liberties up in smoke: ASH's response
Monday, July 4, 2011 at 13:46 Four weeks ago we launched the 2011 Voices of Freedom series of debates with a discussion entitled 'Civil liberties up in smoke: what are smokers' rights in a free society?'.
Guest speakers included journalist Peter Hitchens (who is anti-smoking), Dan Hamilton, director of Big Brother Watch, and Simon Davies, director and co-founder of the well-respected privacy advocacy group Privacy International. (I invited Deborah Arnott of ASH to speak as well but Debs declined to reply to my email.)
We distributed to members of the audience advance copies of a report by PI's Simon Davies that bore the same name as the event itself – Civil Liberties: Up In Smoke.
The printed report was not released to anyone else (although a pdf was available to download on this blog) because we wanted to find the right moment in a very busy month. Last Tuesday, in advance of the fourth anniversary of the smoking ban in England, we mailed copies of the report to a wide range of journalists with a press release embargoed for today.
This morning we backed this up by emailing the press release to over 500 media contacts. ASH (bless 'em) have responded by issuing the following 'Note to News Editors':
Civil Liberties: Up in Smoke a report by Privacy International
We understand that a report published by the human rights “watchdog” organisation Privacy International has been released today. Please note that this is a tobacco industry funded report published over a month ago in association with the tobacco manufacturers front group, FOREST.
The implication that I draw from this is that we have been economic with the truth about Forest's involvement or how the report was funded. In fact, we made sure that it is there in black and white for all to see.
On the title page of the report it states, very clearly, 'Supported by Forest'.
On the next page it reads:
First published in Great Britain in 2011 by Privacy International ... in association with Forest'.
Simon Davies then begins his introduction by writing:
This paper has been prepared by a team led by Simon Davies of Privacy International at the request of Forest, the UK smokers' rights group. Forest has also contributed to the cost of the research, for which we are grateful.
At the bottom of the press release, in a 'Note to editors', it reads, very clearly:
Civil Liberties: Up In Smoke has been prepared by Privacy International, a leading privacy advocacy group, at the request of Forest, the UK smokers’ rights organisation. Forest has also contributed to the research costs.
How open and transparent is that?!!!
Clearly, ASH will stop at nothing to block discussion of smokers' rights in a free society. It's up to free-thinking journalists and fellow bloggers to make sure they don't succeed.
If you would like to review or comment on Civil Liberties: Up In Smoke you can download the report from the Forest website. Or read the press release for a summary.
PS. ASH's 'note' has been issued by research manager Amanda Sandford. Amenda's email address is Amanda.Sandford@ash.org.uk, should you, er, wish to comment.
Simon Clark
Glad to see not everyone is falling for ASH's spoiling tactics:
Report documents 'persecution' of smokers (Politics.co.uk)
Smokers face increasing discrimination, claims Forest funded report (Retail Times)
Meanwhile a friendly journalist who received Amanda's note writes: "This press notice was brought to you by a DoH front group, ASH."
Quite.
Reader Comments (18)
Free thinking journalists? Where? It seems to me that this breed is either dead or retired. Most of them were smokers.
Call me naive, but I have yet to grasp ASH's "paid by tobacco" companies line. It seems entirely logical a tobacco company will initiate research themselves. I guess the ASH bubble mentality is that they think it is good enough, not with me anyway.
Nor me dave - The Govt has been stealing money from my pocket on tobacco sales from the age of 11 to give to ASH which has been quite happy to accept former child smokers' money to ensure their persecution as adults. Bunch of hypocrites comes to mind.
I have just read a report that in the Netherlands the majority (52%) of bars have returned the ashtrays, which gives the ASH lie that there is no desire to return to smoking places.
http://daveatherton.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/a-majority-of-dutch-bars-return-the-ashtrays/
It's worth remembering what the Nurses Reform Trust said last year. I don't suppose that's a "Tobacco front group" is it?
http://www.nursesforreformblog.com/2011/03/09/a-bridge-too-far-why-banning-tobacco-displays-means-the-coalition-is-sleep-walking-into-a-sea-of-illicit-tobacco-criminality-and-more-smokers/
This morning Leg-iron linked to a Mail (sorry) report of the numbers who die at the hands of Big Pharma - real deaths at the hands of ASH's paymasters. I look forward to reminding ASH.
I'm struggling to find a home at the moment. Having privately rented the lovely home I live in for nearly 20 years, the landlord has decided to selli it. I enquired with an agency yesterday to find a new flat that allows smoking and was told that none of their flats allow smoking. I asked if there'd be any objection to smoking through an open window, and they said this would not be allowed either.
I've just lost my (non-smoking) Mum, and am in no position to quit smoking at the moment. I'm at a total loss.
I'm also of a mind that many of these anti-smoking zealots are driven by the loss of a parent to cancer. I'd just like to say that I too lost a parent early to cancer - and have suffered greatly for that loss. BUT, having seen my other parent live a much longer life only to see them slowly lose all sense of self and dignity through dementia, I can honestly say that the latter was by far the greater hell. I've had a lot of heartbreak in my life, and a lot of losses to cancer (among smokers and non-smokers) but nothing compares to the impact of dementia on my parent and the family. It has been a devastation like no other.
So, to the anti smokers... by all means keep fighting the fruitless battle to avoid all disease and death. They will get you one way or the other, but you won't see that until you grow up and face reality. Control freakishness won't save you in the end. There is a more powerful force at work than you, and that is the fact that we are all born to die - each and every one of us. Everyone in history has, in case you haven't noticed.
What society needs more than anything is to help the dying, to give greater dignity to the elderly and the dying, to ensure that palliative care and pain relief is top notch. To accept that dying is a part of life, and not something to blame and berate people for, nor to hide away so the rest of us can carry on as if it doesn't really happen. To come to terms with reality and not keep thinking that we can somehow escape the inevitable if we throw enough money at it and do the 'right' things.
No-one could have been more health-conscious than the parent I just lost. They were totally paranoid about anything that might cause them ill-health - and they were incredibly fit and strong in old age, right up to the point that dementia suddenly hit them. Did they have a happy life? No. Their obsession with longevity and health made them quite neurotic. Constantly worrying. My other parent had a shorter life, but the life they did have was a calm and happy one. They were even joking and trying to make me laugh the day before they died.
You'd do well to learn to live each day at a time, and to let others do the same as they see fit.
Noodlebug, 22% of adults smoke. The proportion of smokers among renters is going to be higher because of the different social class demographic. This means that many people in flats smoke. If you can't find a flat which allows smoking, then people are smoking in these no smoking flats.
Look at all flats. Don't mention smoking. First, choose a place which has no common heating or ventilation ducts. Look at the layout. How many doors between the living room and the exit. Is there a common balcony divided by a screen? That is bad if you want to open the doors onto your balcony. Buy one of those devices with an ashtray in the bottom and a small fan which sucks the smoke through a perfumed filter. If the landlord wants to inspect the flat, he has to give you 24 hours noticed. If you change your clothes and eat a meal after your last cigarette, open the windows then light perfumed candles he won't know you've been smoking. If he suspects, yet thinks you are a good tennant, he may not mind. It's probably an insurance issue.
Oh dear Noodlebug, I really do feel for you, but please don't be such a accepter of everything people try to lay on you. Ignore the Nazi bastards! Live your life as you want to live it, not as others try to dictate. They cannot smell tobacco through a wall.
I have stayed in many apartments in Spain, usually owned by either Brits or Germans, that stipulate "No Smoking". You know what I do? - completely ignore them! OK so there aren't any ashtrays, but there are saucers, which I use and wash afterwards.
If someone asks you whether you have been smoking or not, simply say no. Tell them that is your cooking they can smell, that you always use plenty of herbs. Your landlord cannot force his way into your flat you know, he has to make an appointment.
Please take a note out of my book Noodlebug - you'll be a lot happier person for it, I promise you!
Dave, it was good to meet you last wednesday we had a little chat, however reference to Holland me and my wife was in Amsterdam a few mounths ago we went into many bars there was only one bar we couldn't smoke in and that was because the owner decided to stay smoke free and everyone was happy but he had the (CHOICE). Generally all the restaurants where non smoking but a couple of them did have ashtrays on the tables, and a few bars which did eating areas had a separate smoking room. And one thing I did notice if you hire
a venue for a private function smoking is permitted because it's private and I did see a sign in the hotel we stayed in downstairs where functions take place " No Smoking untill after all food had be served" although it was in Dutch it wasn't to hard to understand. And I've saved the best till last, ASH are totally wrong, all the bars we went into were least 80% full and everyone seemed happy.
Can I draw everyone,s attention to this article . John Hemming MP. Why I,m calling for a review of the smoking ban. Comments welcomed.
http://www.libdemvoice.org/john-hemming-mp-why-im-calling-for-a-review-of-the-smoking-ban-24635.html
Hi Gary and nice to meet you too.
Talking of charlatans who play the tobacco card, not many of you would now that after the Enstrom/Kabat report of 2003, John Seffrin and Michael Thun of the American Cancer Society (ACS) ran a dirty tricks campaign to have Dr. Enstrom removed from the University of California. You will see in the letter on my blog after failing to get Dr. Enstrom on a "professional misconduct" charge, then play the tobacco card. I have full access to the correspondence and will be publishing them over the next week or two. BTW they are in the public domain.
These people are a disgrace.
http://daveatherton.wordpress.com/2011/07/05/the-american-cancer-society-let-it-all-hang-out/
This video destroys the myth created by ASH that smoking bans are beneficial to businesses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA4ZZ8PLK1A
Have just watched that video, Ed. That is what you might call real evidence.
ASH come up with contradictions in their statements. They say that the ban has not harmed the hospitality trade in general because (they say) 5% more 'on trade' licences were issued after the ban. They actually claim that this shows that pubs have not been harmed by the smoking ban. They also claim that this shows that the recession has not harmed the hospitality trade, including pubs. But then they go on to say that it is the recession has harmed pubs and not the smoking ban! What they say contradicts itself. Thus, their 'evidence' is contradictory, and yet they repeat it time and time again. I do not know how they get away with it.
They have been contradicting themselves for ages, and few people have noticed.
Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions Jon and Peter. I wish I could be so bold, but the persecution of smokers has already made me feel like such a scumbag for partaking in a habit that I love and can't leave - and that has often been the only thing that kept me going through some hard times, that I now have terrible problems with self-esteem and anxiety. I already feel as though I have to look over my shoulder all the time, and am trying to conquer this downardly-imposed sense of inferiority with my own inner resources.
It's not in my nature to be dishonest, and to deceive a landlord in that way would cause me greater anxiety still. I don't blame people for doing that - it's a ridiculous situation and none of us deserve to be treated this way. We have done nothing illegal or wrong. But to pretend to be what I am not, and to obtain something by deceit is just something I can't do.
One last word on the subject Noodlebug. The people who are ruining your life are being deceitful to you, by lying about the harm you are supposedly causing. It is NOT deceitful to want to live a normal life!
I can't argue with that Peter. It's a great point.
Noodlebug, I can totally empathise with how you feel. Once the onset of the ban was announced I went into a deep depression. Depression is something I have coped with all my life, until 2006, using smoking as 'medication' (and it is a fact that smoking can help with mild depression). With the announcement of the total ban I went into a rapid downward spiral that nearly cost me my marriage of, at that time, just 18 months. This is my second marriage, my first husband died of lung cancer and caffeine and nicotine were the only things that got me through that trauma and enabled me to cope with bringing up my then 13 year old daughter.
I was lucky in that on referral to a psychiatrist I was allocated an excellent one who, none the less, often despaired of not having the resources to help me and others in the most appropriate ways. Now, I am finally on the lowest dose of medication and learning to cope with the ban, whilst still not accepting anything that ASH et al throw at us.
There is no short answer or miracle cure for your low esteem and, I believe, depression caused by this unjust law. In fact, at the time I was referred to the local psychiatric team they were struggling due to a 50% or more increase in referrals, mostly brought about because of the smoking ban.
I got as low as attempting to take my own life on several occasions, but through the help of the psychiatrist and an online (registration only) group called Depression Alliance (nothing to do with smoking or bans, but full of people who for whatever reason also suffer with low esteem and other social difficulties) try to help each other which in itself is theropeutic. There is also a quarterly magazine from Depression Alliance and some areas have their own groups.
I know this will not help your search for new accommodation, but it might just help you as a person to cope a little better with life just now. You can google Depression Alliance and all the information is there for you to make your own decision as to whether or not this might help you.
All the best with your search for appropriate accommodation. I do totally understand how you feel about deceiving people and whilst I would have no trouble with the thought of carrying on and smoking anyway, I would, like you, feel so stressed by doing so it would make my life a total misery.
Take care. Lyn