Freedom to Choose and the Electronic Cigarette

In a recent interview with James Dunworth of the Smoker's Angel Magazine, Freedom to Choose spoke out about smoker's rights, thirdhand smoke and of course the electronic cigarette.

The electronic cigarette, said spokesperson David Atherton, was probably the best way for anti-smoking groups to get the prevalence of smoking down.

As such, he found it difficult to understand why some American anti-smoking groups were against the electronic cigarette.

He did point to a recent quote by Bill Godshall about these anti-smoking groups.

Bill Godshall has recently accused the anti-smoking groups of being so cynical about the electronic cigarette that they would prefer smokers to die rather than one new person take up smoking.

David said he was shocked at the statement, adding:

"Even I would never have dared to suggest that!"

Opposing the Electronic Cigarette

Freedom to Choose's own position on the e-cigarette was more complex.

Although David said he could see why committed smokers felt e-cigarette users were "letting down the side", he felt personally that an organisation dedicated to choice should not dictate what people chose to smoke.

That was not, however, the position of the Freedom to Choose. David told us that the organisation was opposed to the electronic cigarette, later clarifying that the organisation viewed electronic cigarettes as an "object of coercion."

Requests for a clarification of this position have not yet been met!