From November 25 to 27, tobacco control practitioners from Canada will gather in Ottawa for the 8th National Conference on Tobacco or Health. While the conference purports to promote an objective consideration of research evidence in tobacco control, the truth is that the conference organizers have already sold out the scientific integrity of the conference by accepting its sponsorship by Big Pharma. Specifically, Johnson & Johnson, Inc. will be a major sponsor of the conference. Johnson & Johnson's products include Nicorette - a nicotine replacement drug, in the form of gum or lozenges.
The Rest of the Story
The mystery as to why so many anti-smoking groups oppose electronic cigarettes becomes a little less mysterious.
Today's story illustrates the entrenched financial position of Big Pharma in the tobacco control movement. By accepting these sponsorships as the financial backbone for the movement, we have corrupted our science and become beholden to the pharmaceutical companies.
Therefore, it is no surprise that our groups are unable to support a product that is the most "worrisome" competitor to the sales of nicotine replacement products, even though it is saving many lives.
No wonder the ideology is triumphing over the science. No wonder that anti-smoking groups don't seem to care about the scientific evidence.
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