Bad Science Is Always Bad Science*

Subrosa has unearthed an important video which tends to suggest that tobacco control have finally jumped the shark with their laughable nonsense.

Below we see Professor John B. Davies of Strathclyde University expressing deep disquiet at the methods being used to denormalise smoking. He uses words such as 'absurd', 'immoral' and 'deceitful' while describing negligible relative risk conclusions of bad epidemiological science and their subsequent use in 'social marketing' by politicians.

Have a watch, it's only four minutes, and you can sense the exasperation in his words.

Now, if you've been conditioned to believe that everyone who expresses a contrary view to anti-smoking nutters must be a tobacco-funded stooge, you'll no doubt be questioning his provenance. So I had a look. Yep, he's a Prof at Stathclyde.

In the area of public health, CASP (John being a part) has undertaken work for the Scottish Executive, the Chief Scientist's Office, numerous health boards and trusts, the Department of Employment, the WHO, the Social Work Services Directorate and many other organisations. The topics researched include alcohol and smoking, illicit drug use, health education, suicide, depression and prison work.

John Davies is also a member of the special Health Board, Quality Improvement Scotland, the NHS 24 Review Group and a number of other health-related committees.

Not a crank, then.

Well, how could he be? He's also a member of Health Scotland's Qualitative Bar Study.

Ah, but he could be a tobacco industry plant, yes? Those clever bastards get everywhere, huh? Well, fortunately, I don't have to much research on that because ASH gave us a comprehensive report earlier this year detailing everyone who had so much as looked at the brickwork of a cigarette company. I've searched it and Prof Davies ain't there. Though I'm sure they'll be slinging unsubstantiated shit at him very soon for his insolence.

This is the problem when you build an empire based on lies. Just when you think you're unassailable, you push too far and the whole thing comes crashing down around you.

The junk 'science' behind anti-smoker bullying is being deconstructed day by day, it's only politicians who haven't noticed it yet.

* Unless you're a member of the Bad Science forum, of course, in which case some bad science is fine.