Action on Smoking and Health Has Critical New Information on Health Risks of Tobacco Smoke; But Will Only Share it If You Pay

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), a Washington, D.C.-based anti-smoking organization, claims to have critical new information on the constituents of, and health risks of tobacco smoke that it says could be important for the public, both smokers and nonsmokers.

Here is what ASH says: "According to information released by the British government, cigarettes contain: a paint stripper, a toilet cleaner, a lighter fuel, the chemical in mothballs, a poison used in gas chambers, a rocket fuel, and many other deadly poisons. This information, now being disclosed for the first time, could help persuade smokers to quit. It can also serve as a wakeup call to nonsmokers that breathing drifting tobacco smoke can hurt them.

So, please learn all about this list of chemicals which has been revealed. Show the list to both smokers and nonsmokers. Now available, in an easily downloadable form, is the complete list, provided as a public service by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)."

The Rest of the Story

Here's the catch: In order to obtain this critical health information that ASH is providing "as a public service," you have to pay them $25 and sign up as a member of their organization.

Not much of a public service after all, is it?

Actually, I find this irresponsible of a public health group. If you have new information that potentially affects people's lives - that shows constituents and health effects of tobacco smoke - then you should release that information to the public. I feel that is your obligation and duty.

To hide that information from the public, only to use it as a ploy to try to obtain money for your group, is irresponsible.

Is this really the way the anti-smoking movement wants its groups to operate?

(Thanks to Josh for the tip.)