The CDC and Cohorts bend the truth. Again.

It isn’t particularly uncommon for government agencies to bend the truth. What is thoroughly disingenuous is how they decide to bend the truth. If you’ve been paying attention, you’ll have noticed a bit of a trend. Wherever the use of e-cigarettes is prevalent, the overall combustible use declines. It is kind of hard to see how one equals the other, but that is exactly what the CDC have done.

Of course, in this instance they mean anything tobacco related. You will of course know that the FDA is planning to regulate e-cigarettes just like tobacco and they are even going so far as calling them tobacco products. Which is easy enough as the definition of a tobacco product in the US is – any product derived from tobacco, which of course would include nicotine. After all it is a derivative of tobacco – probably the single best source of nicotine on the planet. Technically it is a correct definition, but it does get a little bit silly when it also applies to the component parts of an e-cigarette.

Again, the definitions for “tobacco product user” in the US could be considered, quite frankly to be wonky. As I’ve mentioned many times on this blog, to be a “current user” of any “tobacco product” you only need to have used said product once in the last 30 days. That then qualifies you to be a “current user” which is frankly ridiculous. I last had a cigar back in May 2015, and no doubt I’ll have one or two more over the course of 2016 and I would consider myself to be a “current user” of cigars – though from the US’s point of view I would be classed as an “ever user”. Confusing isn’t it?

I’ve covered this before, the US is, shall we say a little befuddling with how they represent statistics. Mostly they fudge them around until they get the kind of result they are looking for, mostly to stir up some media attention in an effort to push forward some inane piece of legislation that only serves to be, quite frankly, puritanical nannying.

Ya see, CFTFK is one of these insidious organisations that just loves the sound of its own press releases, and of course the sweet taste of cash from the trough, all for (wait for it) the “benefit of public health” :

Unless I’m mistaken (which happens) the usual tobacco products (cigarettes, cigars, ryo and so forth) do currently have regulation by the FDA – it’s not the kind of regulation that these public health troughers want, but it is regulation nonetheless.

CFTFK makes a big song and dance out of teens vaping, all while yelling “The Cheeldren™” loudly and often to any and all who are listening. They insist on “strict regulation prohibition”  because they don’t like it. They think that vaping is smoking. The CDC and FDA think that vapour products are tobacco.

The vast majority of the press release is all about the vaping prevalence rates, with only two (count ’em) sentences on the rate of actual smoking. Which, judging by the percentage rates (if you can actually believe them), they are actually having similar success to the UK, although the UK is still streets ahead.

But then, it’s never ever been about health. It’s always been about prohibition. Control. It’s about time the proles revolted.