Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids Still Hiding the Truth About FDA Tobacco Legislation; Honesty is Just Not Possible from this Organization

In an email sent to its constituents this morning, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids once again deceived them by distorting the truth. In the email, the Campaign implied that Big Tobacco (which includes Philip Morris) is opposed to the FDA tobacco legislation and is using its massive lobbying resources to oppose the bill. This is dishonest, as the truth is that Philip Morris strongly supports the bill and is using its massive lobbying resources to promote passage of the legislation.

The email states: "As you know, last Wednesday the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1108 with overwhelming support. Your Representative, X, voted YES to grant the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products! Click here to say thank you! Tobacco companies spent a lot of time and money trying to persuade members of Congress to protect their profits, but Representative X had the courage to do what was right."

The Rest of the Story

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids is being dishonest, and it knows it. It is not truthful to state that the tobacco companies spent a lot of time and money trying to persuade members of Congress to protect their profits by voting against the legislation. The truth is that Philip Morris - the largest tobacco company by far (it holds half of all domestic cigarette market share) - spent a lot of time and money trying to persuade members of Congress to support the legislation.

Regardless of how one feels about the merits of the FDA tobacco legislation, I would hope that we could all agree that public health groups should not be telling untruths to the public in order to promote their position on the legislation.

Ironically, one of the primary purposes of the legislation - as acknowledged by the Campaign itself - is to end the dishonesty and deception by the tobacco companies. The tactic that the Campaign is using to end this dishonesty and deception is to run a campaign of dishonesty and deception.

The unethical behavior of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids just never ceases. I'm beginning to think that this organization is not capable of being honest.

It's a shame, because it really taints the honesty and integrity of the entire tobacco control movement.