Freedom2Choose: Smoking Bans Have No Effect On Heart Attacks

April 10, 2009 - PRLog -- The latest scientific study emerging from the United States of America is expected to send shock-waves throughout the tobacco control industry and governments alike.

The comprehensive study, now published as NBER Working Paper 14790, was conducted by respected scientific researchers from the RAND Corporation based at the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University.

The in-depth study, spanning a total of 14 years, confirms that after implementation of smoking bans, heart attack admissions and mortality remain constant, indicating that smoking bans have no effect on either. It also explains how previous attempts to prove that smoking bans were successful in producing positive effects, were biased.

The Working Paper concludes, “We find no evidence that legislated US smoking bans were associated with short-term reductions in hospital admissions for acute myocardial infarction or other diseases in the elderly, children or working-age adults.”

The Working Paper also details why comparisons of small samples used previously, i.e. the Helena and Pueblo studies, which are regularly referred to by tobacco control, are misleading.

Michael Siegel, a professional within the field of tobacco control, states, “the conclusions of anti-smoking researchers and groups that heart attacks drop immediately upon passage of smoking bans appear to be wrong.”

“When I first questioned the validity of the conclusions of the Helena and Pueblo studies I was attacked by many of my colleagues.  Now, it has become quite clear that my scepticism was well-placed to begin with.  The most definite study to date has refuted the findings of these studies.”

Pro-choice group Freedom2choose are aware that the UK Government took an extremely cautious approach and imposed a blanket smoking ban aimed at protecting the workforce.

Andy Davis, chairman of the group states, “This is the clearest evidence to date that they (the UK government) were too cautious.  The study, the largest of its kind, demonstrates that bans have no effect on heart attacks or any other disease.  It proves that the tobacco control industry was too quick to jump to rash conclusions for their own convenience, and have lost scientific credibility as a result.”

“We now have the opportunity to make a real impact on people’s lives and help British businesses that have suffered as a result of the draconian ban, based on solid, scientific fact.”

Freedom To Choose in Scotland is currently challenging the validity of the consultation that has recently closed on 'Achieving smoke-free mental health services in Scotland'.  

The consultation document includes the claim that the smoking ban in Scotland caused a 17% reduction in heart attacks:2 a position the Scottish government robustly defends even though it contradicts Scottish routine discharge figures issued by the NHS statistics division.3

Michael Siegel concludes “You cannot allow advocacy concerns and goals – no matter how noble they may be – to interfere with the process of objective scientific evaluation.  That is exactly what has occurred in tobacco control.”

Reference:

1   NBER Working Paper 14790 - http://www.tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.com/
2   Tables AC1–AC5 and notes - http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/5767.html
3   Pell study  - http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/359/5/482

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