Special event: Why government should leave smokers alone
Wednesday, May 14, 2014 at 11:30 
Another date for your diary.
I am delighted to announce that on Wednesday June 11 Forest and Buckingham University Press will host a drinks reception and a talk by John Staddon, author of Unlucky Strike, Private Health and the Science, Law and Politics of Smoking.
John is Professor Emeritus at Duke University in America. He's also an Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of York and has published more than 200 research papers and six books.
Here's a synopsis of Unlucky Strike:
Smoking has been controversial ever since tobacco came to Europe in the 16th century. Fifty years ago almost everyone smoked. Fifty years before that smokers were in the doghouse – cigarettes were illegal in several US states early in the 20th century.
Smoking has always been a ready source of revenue. It has also been a source of health problems, real and imagined. The mixture of pleasure, money and health risk means that smoking is rarely treated fairly by politicians, health professionals or the public.
Now, tough anti-smoking laws are almost universal. Yet smoking has no public cost. It puts individual smokers at risk. It does not put the public purse at risk.
Prompted by this surprising discovery John Staddon looked further into the facts. The more he looked the weaker the case against smoking as a public health issue became. The case against environmental tobacco smoke, in particular, is exceedingly weak.
So if smoking has no public cost and the medical case for third party harm is weak, why are smokers victimised in so many ways? Unlucky Strike tries to find out – and the answer is not pretty.
As an added bonus Unlucky Strike features original illustrations by David Hockney.
Venue for 'Why government should leave smokers alone' is the Institute of Economic Affairs in Westminster.
The event will feature drinks, a talk, and an opportunity to buy signed copies of the book.
To attend RSVP events@forestonline.org or call Nicky on 01223 370156.
Click here to download the flyer (above).
Reader Comments (5)
Sorry to seem pedantic, but where actually is this event?
Best wishes
Michael Peel
Michael, it's at the Institute of Economic Affairs, 2 Lord North Street, London SW1.
Wow - it sounds fascinating and about time this issue was discussed in a mature way by grown ups. Brilliant.
So, why are smokers victimised in so many ways - or do we have to buy the book to find out?
Thank you, Simon.