Who's telling the truth?

General

Who's telling the truth?

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Anonymous 06-20-2006, 3:33 AM
My name is David Polovin and I am an legal practitioner in Cape Town, South Africa.  I represent a large international company in South Africa, which is a manufacturer and distributor of tobacco products including Swedish snus. 

I recently observed a presentation delivered by the Department of Health ('DOH') to a parliamentary committee that is busy considering certain proposed (harsh) amendments to the tobacco control laws.  The presenter repeated the mantra that 'tobacco is deadly in any form' including specifically snus and went on to claim inter alia that:

1. The DOH is "deeply concerned" about snus, but "much work still has to be done".
2. We do not believe snus is any less harmful.
3. Recent studies and reports, including specifically research from Sweden, show that it causes pancreatic and oral cancer.
4. Snus is banned completely in some EU countries.  It should be stopped altogether, but we believe much more work needs to be done [I assume she means research work].  The matter is receiving great attention.
5. The DOH is against the promotion of less harmful tobacco products as an aid to quit smoking.  That is consistent with its policy that tobacco is deadly in any form or guise.
6. The truth must be told about smokeless products.  More work on this issue must still be done.  No one is saying it is a harmless product.  The industry admits it is not harmless, merely less harmful.  There are other methods of quitting.
7. From Sweden itself came reports only last year that it causes pancreatic and oral cancer.

In a short while the parliamentary committee will invite public comment.  Members of the tobacco industry will have a limited opportunity to address the committee.  I would like to recommend to my client that it needs to bring an expert to address the committee and disabuse the members of the misinformation adumbrated above.  Could you perhaps make recommendations about who I could approach in that connection on the assumption that my client supports the idea?

I take this opportunity to compliment you on the information and advice published on your web site which is courageous, insightful and may be really meaningful at resisting the onslaught of the anti tobacco zealots concerning particularly smokeless tobacco products.
I would like to stay in touch in case you are planning on a newsletter anytime.

All the very best and looking forward to reading much more published by you and your colleagues.

Regards,
David Polovin