An Unlikely Ally in the War on Nicotine

Jacob Sullum found an interesting article written by a prominent anti-smoker. In looking through Dr. Michael Siegel’s blog, he seems to be combating the War on Tobacco Smokers on two distinct fronts: Challenging bogus scientific claims and accusing his allies of being outright prohibitionists. Here’s a sample clip:

I’ll also be honest about something else. When I used to hear smokers’ rights groups claim that the anti-smoking movement was really about prohibition, I thought it was complete crap. But within the past few months, I’m starting to see that there is an element of truth to those claims. There is a faction within the tobacco control movement that I believe is motivated primarily by a hate for smokers and nothing short of prohibition will ever satisfy this element. But since anyone who suggests that perhaps we’re going down the wrong path will be censored or attacked, this element will never truly be challenged. And most scary, this element now seems to be the driving force, or a major driving force, within the movement. I think, therefore, that it is not inaccurate to state that the anti-smoking movement is now on a path towards advocating prohibition.

He’s not afraid to take on his allies:

It is one thing to make a mistake. But it is another thing to continue spreading false information when you know it to be false.

If this is what is occurring, then the anti-smoking movement is going to quickly lose its credibility and ruin its reputation because it will become clear that we don’t care about the accuracy of our public communications, only about the agenda that we are promoting.

Even though Siegel may be one of “the enemy”, it’s truly refreshing to see one of the opposition acting with a sense of honor.