Bbc Accused Of Gross Exaggeration

[amnite]

http://www.pr-inside.com/bbc-accused-of-gr...in-r1453218.htm

2009-08-25 22:56:52 - One of the world's leading scientific experts on shisha smoking has criticised the BBC and the Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre for "misrepresentation" and "gross exaggeration" in a news story that claimed that hookah smoking can be "450 times more dangerous" than cigarette smoking.

Dr Kamal Chaouachi, a tobacco expert who teaches at Paris IX University, has written to the BBC to complain about a news story and radio programme the corporation produced on August 24 2009.

The BBC had been given research by the Department of Health which purported to show that shisha use could result in carbon monoxide levels 400 to 450

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times greater than that seen in cigarette smokers.

The BBC stands accused of relying on research which has been neither peer-reviewed nor published. The Department of Health and the Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre stand accused of issuing 'science by press release.'

The new report runs contrary to decades of research into shisha smoking and questions have been asked about why it was passed to a BBC radio station rather than published in a scientific journal.

In an interview with Christopher Snowdon, Dr Chaouachi said: "There are numerous studies on this issue and there is absolutely nothing new in this scare-mongering report. The bottom line is that shisha smokers actually experience the same carbon monoxide exposure as cigarette or cigar smokers do."

"Besides, their exposure is, unlike cigarette smokers who generally smoke every day, not chronic. For the great majority of them, they indulge in their habit only 1 to 3 times a week. Even in the case of a daily exposure, keep in mind that the carbon monoxide is quickly washed out from the body because its half life is only about 3 to 4 hours."

"Carbon monoxide is only one chemical out of thousands in cigarettes, so one cannot compare. But even if we look only at that chemical, shisha is not "worse" than cigarette smoking. The BBC should apologise."

The claim that shisha smoking is as bad, or worse, that cigarette smoking has now gone around the globe as a result of the BBC's report.

"In the ideal world of public health, overstating the dangers of shisha will persuade its users to cease using tobacco products," said Christopher Snowdon, who has recently published a book about the anti-smoking movement.

"In the real world, claims that shisha can be up to 450 "more dangerous" than cigarettes is more likely to encourage users to switch to cigarettes. It is the kind of unintended (but hardly unforeseen) consequence that has dogged the anti-smoking movement efforts for decades."


Sorry if anyone has already posted this!!

[Giant Ninja Robot]

good, glad someone called the assholes out.

[Zinite]

Usually the BBC is pretty good about checking sources (compared to American news anyways). It just sounds like they didn't do their homework, and they relied on out of date/not peer reviewed studies.

[Giant Ninja Robot]

agree, I love alot of BBC articles (thee programming is way better than American TV as well) and listen to there programming on NPR a bit.

That being said....HOW does it make sense to make an absurd claim with no real substantial background checks into the information? It's done ALL the time all over but it still confounds me.

[ColibriDon]

Woo! I'm glad someone called them out on it. I'm over the anti-smoking movement, have been for a very long time.

[momatik]

Usually the BBC is pretty good about checking sources (compared to American news anyways). It just sounds like they didn't do their homework, and they relied on out of date/not peer reviewed studies.

This is why I gave them the benefit of the doubt.

[iloveTOBACCOfreeHOOKAH]

I've heard that before though.. like one bowl is the equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. But on the other hand one bowl is rarely smoked to one person, and one bowl is rarely smoked EVERY day, unlike people who smoke cigarettes who smoke habitually.

Its not like its a big mystery this stuff isn't good for you, your lungs aren't meant to be filled with very tasty smoke, but I've never 'jozed' for a bowl of hookah or went through any withdrawal. I can believe this stuff is worse then cigarettes (450X sounds a bit much...) if you smoke hookah as much as people smoke cigarettes.

[amnite]

I've heard that before though.. like one bowl is the equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. But on the other hand one bowl is rarely smoked to one person, and one bowl is rarely smoked EVERY day, unlike people who smoke cigarettes who smoke habitually.

Its not like its a big mystery this stuff isn't good for you, your lungs aren't meant to be filled with very tasty smoke, but I've never 'jozed' for a bowl of hookah or went through any withdrawal. I can believe this stuff is worse then cigarettes (450X sounds a bit much...) if you smoke hookah as much as people smoke cigarettes.

450X doesn't sound a bit too much, its wayyyyy over the top! In fact shisha shouldn't be compared to cigarettes until theres conclusive valid research. Edited September 4, 2009 by amnite

[K1024]

I've heard that before though.. like one bowl is the equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. But on the other hand one bowl is rarely smoked to one person, and one bowl is rarely smoked EVERY day, unlike people who smoke cigarettes who smoke habitually.

Its not like its a big mystery this stuff isn't good for you, your lungs aren't meant to be filled with very tasty smoke, but I've never 'jozed' for a bowl of hookah or went through any withdrawal. I can believe this stuff is worse then cigarettes (450X sounds a bit much...) if you smoke hookah as much as people smoke cigarettes.

actually the WHO say that a bowl of shisha is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes...but after reading their "study" i was disgusted. instead of comparing the chemical make up of the smoke they just compared the volume of smoke entering peoples lungs.

the anti cigarette movement is so full of liars its not funny. so is m.a.d. and yet they think that their so righteous and have nothing but our health in mind...

[Chiefin]

Glad someone is calling bullshit. The article was underwhelming though...could have been a great forum to retort the claims.

I wish a combative report would be issued to break down the comparisons between the two. There are so many factors that go into the argument, especially from the hookah side: coals (natural vs. quicklite), dye, is the shisha being burned?.. etc.

For me, this video tells all:
400 Cigarettes

I'm pretty sure (and this makes me want to hurl just thinking about it), if I left water in my vase for 6 months, it still wouldn't look that bad. Edited September 4, 2009 by Chiefin

[Zinite]

I've heard that before though.. like one bowl is the equivalent to one pack of cigarettes. But on the other hand one bowl is rarely smoked to one person, and one bowl is rarely smoked EVERY day, unlike people who smoke cigarettes who smoke habitually.

Its not like its a big mystery this stuff isn't good for you, your lungs aren't meant to be filled with very tasty smoke, but I've never 'jozed' for a bowl of hookah or went through any withdrawal. I can believe this stuff is worse then cigarettes (450X sounds a bit much...) if you smoke hookah as much as people smoke cigarettes.

actually the WHO say that a bowl of shisha is equivalent to smoking 100 cigarettes...but after reading their "study" i was disgusted. instead of comparing the chemical make up of the smoke they just compared the volume of smoke entering peoples lungs.

the anti cigarette movement is so full of liars its not funny. so is m.a.d. and yet they think that their so righteous and have nothing but our health in mind...

CAREFUL! EVERY DAY YOU INHALE 1000 CIGARETTES WORTH OF OXYGEN AND NITROGEN! BEWARE!!!!!

[Karot]

Don't forget about argon, that shit will kill you. Stop breathing, its bad for you.