The New Era Black Lung Lie

Y’see, this campaign was released a few days ago – just in time for the typical “New Year Resolution” shenanigans – and of course, the accompanying video received rather a lot of attention.

The imagery above, and the accompanying video, bring back stark memories of the “black lung” propaganda; images of which can still be seen on cigarette packs as part of the gore-porn that adorns them.

You know, this one:

Except for one, teeny tiny, fatal flaw. Smokers lungs do not look like that.

Dr. Victor Buhler, Pathologist at St. Joseph Hospital in Kansas City

According to the press release:

“Devastating harms” eh? Except that the lung, along with a few other organs in the human body, are remarkable at self-healing; given time. One cigarette every hour or so will not demonstrably provide devastating harm. That isn’t to say that smoking is entirely harmless, because it isn’t. But don’t let an inconvenient fact get in the way of a good scare story:

Donor lungs from heavy smokers appear safe for transplantation

Smokers lungs being used for transplant. From a biological point of view, being able to use lungs that have been exposed to the various constituent parts of cigarette smoke is a good thing. Remember, the lung is a remarkable self-cleaning organ.

Unlike the ridiculous experiment in the video. Smokers lungs aren’t made from cotton wool; which as anyone can tell you is a highly absorbent material, so will suck in anything.

But this is how Public Health England et al operate. Exaggerated propaganda to scare smokers into doing what they want them to do. I’ve said it before, vaping is not a stick to beat smokers with, yet that is exactly what PHE are doing. Again.

Of course, that’s the whole point isn’t it? Yet another taxpayer funded campaign to bully, stigmatize and shock smokers into quitting. I highly doubt that this campaign will have the kind of effect that PHE want, and a majority of smokers will treat this campaign – and PHE – with utter, and deserved contempt.

It is rather sad that so many smokers don’t believe that vaping is a reduced risk, and to correct that perception among the populace is a laudable goal. Yet there’s a right way, and a wrong way to do so. The video, and accompanying campaign is more propaganda than a means to educate.