ASI acting as "mouthpiece for the tobacco industry" says ASH
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 8:18 They can't help themselves. Anyone who contradicts the tobacco control industry must be a stooge of Big Tobacco.
Responding to the ASI report on plain packaging (see previous post), Deborah Arnott, chief executive of ASH, says:
“The Adam Smith Institute, by publishing this report, is acting as the mouthpiece for the tobacco industry, as it has done on many previous occasions. It should come as no great surprise that the Institute takes a pro-tobacco line but it should be more transparent about its association with Big Tobacco.”
According to ASH:
The Adam Smith Institute, which describes itself as “the UK’s leading libertarian think tank”, has close ties with the tobacco industry.
"Close ties"? "Many previous occasions"?
ASH offers just two items of evidence. The first - the minutes of a tobacco industry meeting - is dated September 8, 1992. It appears to suggest that 20 years ago the companies funded "a two-phased Adam Smith Institute project on a counter-defence of the traditional values of European individual freedom". Shocking, truly shocking. Not.
The second barely qualifies as evidence. It's merely an allegation that:
According to an internal Philip Morris International memo, the Institute would conduct training for journalists on free market principles that would be “ideologically consistent with [Philip Morris’] issues and interests”.
And with that a world famous think tank, founded in 1977 (35 years ago), to be dismissed as a "mouthpiece for the tobacco industry". It would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.
Curiously the Department of Health has also responded to the ASI report by issuing this statement by public health minister Anne Milton:
"We know there is not one simple answer to reducing smoking rates - that is why plain packaging is one part of a range of initiatives we are looking at.
"We are looking at whether the plain packaging of tobacco could be effective in reducing in particular the number of young people who take up smoking plus also to help adult smokers to quit.
"Anyone with views on the idea is encouraged to take part in the consultation when it is published."
OK, it's pretty bland but why would the DoH feel the need to issue any response to the ASI report unless they perceive it to be a threat to their grand plan?
Surely Milton and her cronies should be adopting a studiously neutral role prior to the consultation?
Oh, silly me, I forgot. Anne Milton and Deborah Arnott are close professional buddies (Minister's links with ASH questioned). In fact, if it wasn't for this picture some might think they are one and the same person.
Simon Clark
The ASI says: "We commissioned this report ourselves because it reflects our free market, libertarian principles. Indeed, the Adam Smith Institute does not do commissioned research.
"However, there are a couple of tobacco companies that have corporate subscriptions at the Institute. The revenue from this – while welcome – is not terribly significant. It amounted to less than three percent of our 2011 income.
"Moreover, neither of these companies has played any role whatsoever in the production or editing of this report. We take our independence very seriously."
See also Chris Snowdon's version of events.
Reader Comments (5)
Desperate stuff from Debs and co. It is quite nasty of ASH to say that anyone who agrees with tobacco companies is a stooge of them.
For those of you not aware there is a contact site for business and professional people called LinkedIn. Dr. Anna Gilmore's mates down at the University of Bath regularly have a peek at my profile in the vain attempt to get some dirt.
That's rich coming from ASH ,funded by Pfizer and the taxpayer so the NHS buys the nicotene replacement that in most case is ineffectual anyhow.
The taxpayer who smokes has to fund their own demonisation.
Just ghastly.
A health minister in the hands of a Pharmaceutical lobby group.
Corruption?
Definitely.
Can you validate this statement ASH?
'The Adam Smith Institute, which describes itself as “the UK’s leading libertarian think tank”, has close ties with the tobacco industry'.
This is the sort of statement that they shouldn't be allowed to get away with. Forest and commenters of this site and many others have quite rightly said many times, that if you make this kind of statement then you must provide proof.
After all - if you have it then it can't be that difficult can it?
For example, we know that ASH are sponsored by Pharmaceutical companies because ASH display their logos on various literature that they use to promote themselves for the variety of events they hold.
Providing requisite proof is essential to putting any case or opinion of this kind forward which depends on truthfulness - and the truth is important isn't it?
In the meantime, isn't it about time MP's got back to the business of running the country and trying to sort out the dire financial mess the country is in and concern themselves with helping to get the economy up and running again?
What legal activities adults get up to is their own business and NO-ONE ELSES - least of all governments!
Just stop being nannies and get on with what you were elected to do and what you are paid to do!
The Cameron brigade just another load of two faced lying b........ds. God!!! How i despise politicians.