Clearing The Air

ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) the over zealous anti-tobacco group is under fire from at least one pro-smoking ban advocate

ASH is making some pretty outrageous claims these days to villify secondhand smoke. You can read more on Dr. Siegel's website.

So this interested me enough to investigate more about ASH.

From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF has large financial ties to Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson) website, ASH is listed as a member organization of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids. And the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids was:

..... in effect, the planning stage for the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, a new 501(c)(3) organization started by RWJF to reduce smoking ....... In January 1996, the Foundation's Board of Trustees authorized $20 million to create the Center. The AMA received a $489,890 three-month bridge grant (ID# 028989) to support the actual establishment of the Center. The Center itself received the balance of the authorization ($19.51 million) in grant ID# 029600. This grant was renewed with a $50 million grant (ID# 035929) running through March 2004. .......... The Center continues to use the name, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, as the umbrella for its activities.

So it sounds to me as though ASH is part of the marketing department for Nicoderm and pharmaceutical nicotine giant Johnson & Johnson Company. I would suggest any information by this organization, regarding smoking bans, should be viewed as HIGHLY dubious at best.

posted by marcus aurelius @ 11:42 PM