Action on Smoking And Health ASH Gets Congratulated For Making People Smoke

Oct. 4, 2009 - PRLog -- Electronic Cigarette users finally take a stance. Well, at least one did.

In a recent PRLog press release entitled "Kudos to the FDA ... bravo ASH, Cancer Research agencies, Federal Governments et al ..." that was recently published, it praised the work of ASH and a public thank you to point out the dangers of the electronic cigarette. This press release was posted on the Action on Smoking and Health website as being a congratulations for Professor John Banzhaf and the work of ASH in their recent fight.

However there is a big problem. The press release is totally bogus.

On it's face value, it is quite humorous and oozing of sarcasm. In reality, this is alarming.

Since it's conception in 2004, electronic cigarettes have been used by millions of users worldwide as a way to stop tobacco smoking. And for many, it has been very effective. to date, there has not been one single injury or death related to electronic cigarettes. However, there will be over 400,000 tobacco related deaths this year in smoking real cigarettes.

And the FDA report regarding the electronic cigarette actually proves that they are far safer than real cigarettes. While the FDA report does detect nitrosamines, most of nitrosamines that were actually searched for (what are in cigarettes) were not even detected, and the ones that were detected were already found in a lab report issued by Health New Zealand last year in a report issued on October 2008. The Health New Zealand lab report concluded that the levels found were well below levels deemed hazardous, and pronounced that the e-cig is safe, so this is nothing new. The FDA, on the other hand, only mentions that “carconigens in the form of nitrosamines were detected", leaving the public to form their own conclusions..

In regards to the levels of Diethylene Glycol found, it was detected in minute trace amounts and in only one cartridge of several cartridges manufactured. It has also been determined that to get Diethylene Glycol poisoning, a 145 pound individule would have to vape over 5,000 cartridges in one day to achieve a toxic level.

But like the ASH "congratulations", they fail to read these tidbits as well.

As this reporter has stated time and time again, ASH is not the most accurate source for information regarding public health, and this recent stunt further underscores this. The recent bogus press release is just proof that as an organization, ASH does not study facts accurately, only looks for what it sees in it's narrow eyes, dismissed cold hard scientific facts, and many times uses misleading information to alarm the public about health hazards that simply do not exist.

As an organization that is supposed to be an organization that promotes the health of the American public, this is more of a  health hazard. If a single individual can dupe a large organization like this, imagine what you don't know about what type of information you are receiving from it.

To quote a portion of the press release:

"I myself, would like to send a special thank you to professor John Banzhaf III for stepping in as quickly, efficiently and effectively as he did. Without his tireless efforts with regards to this product, the electronic cigarette might still be readily available to the millions of people worldwide that had in their ignorance, embraced this product, using it as a way to avoid all the yummy by-products produced by the tobacco products."

"With the boycott and ban, now safely in place, many of the smoking consumers around the world have once again returned to their beloved tobacco products ... thus ensuring the tobacco manufacturers stranglehold in the marketplace ... please excuse the pun."

"Once again ... I thank you all for your valiant efforts to protect the smoking consumer. "

Yes, thank you ASH for promoting smoking.

The American public should not rely their health on a lawyer who cannot even study a simple press release long enough before realizing what it was about.  And certainly not from a lawyer who, with the "sue the bastards" mentality, does not believe in personal responsibility.

Yes, I was taken aback at first by the bogus press release. But it was because I clicked on a link that was supposed to be from a reputable health organization source with knowledgeable sources and I acted accordingly. But with further examination of the press release, I found that ASH doesn't even proof read what they link to. I skimmed it trusting the source and didn't see it at it's face value originally. I then re-read the article later and saw that it was a farce. That is the problem with Professor John Banzhaf and his one man band organization ASH. They do not "proof read" anything. If it boosts Banzhafs ego, it's published. Yes, I almost fell for it. I can imagine just how much damage this lawyer can do with mistruths and misinformation on an unsuspecting public. And he plays with your health for money and ego. It is very dangerous.

The basic bottom line is, ASH and Professor John H. Banzhaf III, blinded by his "Sue The Bastards" mindset, can't see the truth, and that is a clear and present danger in the health of Americans. Not from Big Macs or Electronic Cigarettes, but from ego.

The bogus press release should be an embarassment to ASH. Not only  because it proves beyond any doubt that they do no research on their own to substantiate their own claims, but, the news article they link to, has Google ads pitching electronic cigarettes. Now that is irony in the pure sence of the word.

This reporter thinks that John Banzhaf should step aside from his post. He may have made some strides back in the 1960, but in the 21st century, he can't even read a simple sarcastic press release correctly. From many this reporter interviewed, most people feel he is more of a liability to ASH than an asset. This latest farce only proves that all the more.

I mean, come on John,

"In tests performed by reputable research facilities in Canada, New Zealand and other locations, it clearly shows that electronic cigarettes contain Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamine levels of approximately 8.2, whereas Marlboro for example, contain a hearty 11,190 level of these same Nitrosamines. Test results have also shown that the tobacco variety of cigarette the consumer has been enjoying for decades now, also contain approximately 60 other known Carcinogens ... all of which have been left out of this “so called” electronic cigarette."

A chimp could have seen through this. But that's right. You're a lawyer, not a chimp. I suppose chimpanzees would have better reading comprehension. Retire already.

This type of malarky is more dangerous for the public health. Not Electronic Cigarettes.

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Moonport Productions Pressroom - Freelance news organization believing in freedom of the press. We expose the lies and deceits that the American people are forced fed each and every day.