Stirling University versus Philip Morris: more links

Yesterday there were yet more stories in the Independent on the tussle between tobacco and the powers that be.


Tobacco giants tell Whitehall to hand over its secret minutes: discusses tobacco companies' search for evidence supporting anti-tobacco legislation. Considering that much recent legislation is manifestly unreasonable, requiring the government to show justification for it seems fair.

If data cannot be safely made public, FOI shouldn't apply: this one is written by Maurice Frankel, director of the UK Campaign for Freedom of Information.  He reckons that disclosure will make the information available to tobacco companies, and this will imperil similar projects in the future. There must be a wider public interest at stake, however, than protecting data from scrutiny by outside observers. (Does Professor Hastings really believe that his insights and work will significantly improve Philip Morris' success in the youth market?) There may be issues on which it is better not to reveal data, but if this represents a dangerous release of data I would suggest FOI isn't a very robust concept.

Reports from the Scottish press include the Scotsman (including a statement from the Information Commission) and the Record, which gives an embarrassingly emotive account of the issues (perhaps Professor Hastings should seek employment with Philip Morris as he seems to have all the insights they need?). We learn that there are 13,500 deaths a year from smoking (no reduction on 2004), and that the academics are quite right to withhold the information.

Finally from Frank Davis' blog, a response to the initial 'Exclusive' on Thursday from Stephen Connor on this issue, which reported how Professor Linda Bauld of Stirling University, also involved in the study, has received abusive communications at home. Can't find much to disagree with here.

Finally: hold the front page! more revelations from Simon Clark at Forest.