American Lung Association Suppresses Harm Reduction Information

WHO LET THE VAPES OUT? –

Oct. 2, 2023 – Its hypocrisy concerns—as many of us, unfortunately, have also come to expect—tobacco harm reduction. The website of the American Lung Association (ALA) is peppered with false and debunkedinformation designed to exaggerate or invent risks of vaping. While there is no combustion or smoke from vaping, the ALA has the audacity to tell people that “switching to vaping (e-cigarettes) is not quitting smoking.”

But not satisfied with that, the ALA now wants the United States Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) to lie, too.

“Remove language that references informing adults about the relative risk of tobacco products.”

Recently, the ALA submitted comments on the CTP’s five-year Strategic Plan. The CTP’s “Strategic Goal #4” is to “ Improve Public Health by Enhancing Knowledge and Understanding of CTP Tobacco Product Regulation and the Risks Associated with Tobacco Product Use.”

The ALA “strongly recommends” that the CTP “Remove language from the description for this goal that references informing adults about the relative risk of tobacco products.”

That’s right: The American Lung Association wants to suppress the information that some “tobacco products”—the term is used here to refer to all consumer nicotine products—are safer than others.

We’re not talking about minor differences, either. Vapes and other harm reduction options are vastly safer than cigarettes, to the point where, for someone who smokes, switching is very likely to save their life.

But the ALA doesn’t think people deserve to know that.