Junk Science

On his well-known "Junk Science" website, and in numerous old-media articles, the apparently independent Steve Milloy debunks one scare-story after another. Smoking? No evidence whatsoever it's harmful and if it is it's all your own fault. Nuclear power? Perfectly safe and too cheap to meter. Mobile phones? Don't believe the scaremongers. Global Warming? No such thing and if there is it's good for you. Toxic waste? Just cook it thoroughly. On the other hand, however, organic food is lethal!

Homer Simpson and Al Bundy are two of my TV favourites, but I don't want them running the real world. According to George W. Bush, "It isn't pollution that's harming our environment, it's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it." And according to Milloy, no matter what the chemical is, it can't possibly harm you. And why not? Well, because only environmentalists and consumer advocates use junk science, whereas the chemicals are produced by Milloy's shadowy masters (see below) - companies who have never, ever, not even once, even THOUGHT of using junk science, whose sole concern has always been the truth, consumer safety, the good of the community and the environment. And who can argue with that?

(Milloy used to be an executive director of TASSC, funded by PHILIP MORRIS - the biggest tobacco company in the world - and by DOW CHEMICAL, LOUISIANA CHEMICAL ASSOCIATION, NATIONAL PEST CONTROL ASSOCIATION, LORILLARD TOBACCO, AMOCO, CHEVRON, EXXON, GENERAL MOTORS, OCCIDENTAL PETROLEUM, PROCTOR & GAMBLE and the LAWRENCE LIVERMORE NATIONAL RADIATION LABORATORY. Milloy is also an "adjunct fellow" at the CATO Institute. Major funders of CATO include NATIONAL AMMONIA CO., AMOCO, ARCO, EXXON, PROCTOR & GAMBLE, CHASE MANHATTAN BANK, FORD, TOYOTA and MONSANTO. SURPRISE SURPRISE.)

More Details

How Big Tobacco buys off politicians

Article in The Lancet , one of the world's most prestigious medical journals, on tobacco industry machinations (You have to register - free - to access their database - then search for Elisa Ong and Stanton Glantz, the authors of the report).

Sample of Lancet article :
"Tobacco industry efforts subverting International Agency for Research on Cancer's (IARC) second-hand smoke study"

...Philip Morris' communication strategy...
Develop a programme to generate support for 'Junk Science' and education on use and abuse of epidemiology, possibly through a coalition on bad science . . . . Develop a communications programme to mute/neutralise smoking bans/excessive restrictions . . .

The industry implemented these programmes before the IARC study's release. Besides the programmes that were internally conducted, PHILIP MORRIS USED THIRD-PARTY VEHICLES THAT RECRUITED OTHER PARTICIPANTS AND FUNDERS AND EXPANDED ITS 'SOUND SCIENCE' DISCUSSION TO ISSUES BEYOND SECOND-HAND SMOKE, MASKING THE INDUSTRY'S ROLE AS THE INITIATOR OR SPONSOR OF THESE PROGRAMMES.

From 1993 to 1994, PM and public relations firm APCO Associates worked to launch The Advancement of Sound Science Coalition (TASSC), a 'grassroots' organisation advocating 'sound science' in policy decision making.... Continuing the 'sound science' theme, PM expanded the promotion of 'Good Epidemiology Practices' (GEP), a guideline standardising the conduct of epidemiological research. The Chemical Manufacturers Association had originated GEP in 1991 and the idea was being pushed in Europe by chemical companies. However, PM found those guidelines inadequate, as PM's Thomas Borelli commented : '...It lacks teeth and as written it does not have enough meat to help us on ETS. However setting up our own standards is a good project for us'. It would be 'good offensive strategy'......."