Velvet Glove Iron Fist A History of Anti-Smoking

velvetgloveironfist.com ^ | Christopher Snowdon

[Eric Blair 2084]

Velvet Glove Iron Fist
A History of Anti-Smoking

by Christopher Snowdon

The book

Welcome. Thanks for visiting and please stay a while. Velvet Glove, Iron Fist is the first comprehensive history of the anti-smoking movement. This book has not yet been published but several chapters are available here free of charge (these are chapters three, ten, eleven and thirteen). Or you might prefer to start with the introduction.

In the news

05.08.08:Velvet Glove author obtains data from Wales showing that heart attack incidence rose after the Welsh smoking ban. Politician accused of wilfully misleading the public. See original article and this from Dr Michael Siegel, plus this from (the excellent) Reason magazine.

31.07.08: Ten months after it hit the headlines, the Scottish heart attack study has finally been published. Initial suspicions have been confirmed. Read more here.

06.07.08: The British Medical Association sets 2035 as a "realistic" date for wiping out smoking in the UK, according to the BBC.

28.06.08: ASH (USA) supports banning smoking in the home "even if no nonsmokers' health is being put at risk". Tobacco control expert Dr Michael Siegel criticises the measure here.

More news in the archive

What's new?

A selection of articles about recent events or subjects too obscure to fit into the book:

In the first five months of the Welsh smoking ban, heart attacks incidence was higher than in the previous year. No one would claim that this was related to the ban. So why, when incidence goes down, do some people attribute it to the legislation?

Cartman takes on the anti-smokers

South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone talk about why they wrote an episode attacking the anti-smoking movement.

Twisted liberty

What would the great libertarian John Stuart Mill have made of the modern anti-smoking crusade?

Myths and Reality (revisited)

In October 2007, the anti-smoking pressure group Action on Smoking and Health released a press release which dismissed claims that pubs and bingo halls would see a drop in trade as a result of the smoking ban as 'myths'. This article examines how credible ASH's position is six months on. This topic is revisited here.

Publish and Be Damned looks at the claim that heart attacks fell dramatically in Scotland following the smoking ban. Updated here: Scottish Heart Miracle Unspun.

For those who might be interested, I have compiled a full, annotated list of every passive smoking study ever conducted involving women married to smokers. 64 studies are assessed in total, most of which can be downloaded in full here or here

What they're saying about Velvet Glove

"Prepare to learn a lot, and much in the nature of revelations, from a dedicated researcher and lucid prose stylist."

"Highly provocative and consistently entertaining"

"I think this is a remarkable book. It deserves to reach a wide audience."

"An absorbing read, I have just finished the history of tobacco section and was educated in an enjoyable way, I will certainly be buying this book when it is published."

"Mr. Snowdon's prose is lucid and dispassionate, his reporting is meticulous, and his research is awesome."

"Thanks for the preview, Chris...absorbing reading and easily understood by the layman."

"Absolutely epic piece of work, well done!"

"I just read everything and I think your book will be excellent. We just had a total smoking ban pass here in Louisville and I have been very curious about why this has happened so fast and to such an extreme. Your book answered many questions. I can't wait to read the rest."

Although parts of this book have been made available free of charge, all material on this website is subject to copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any party without prior written permission of Christopher Snowdon.

You can contact the author by e-mail at author@velvetgloveironfist.com

Thanks for visiting!

• • Home page

  • Mailing list

  • Further reading

  • About the author

  • Contact the author

• Chapters

  • Introduction*
  • One
  • Two
  • Three*
  • Four
  • Five
  • Six
  • Seven
  • Eight
  • Nine
  • Ten*
  • Eleven*
  • Twelve
  • Thirteen*
  • Fourteen

Passive smoking

• The Evidence
• The Evidence (pdf)

Other articles

• Scottish Heart Attack Miracle
• English Heart Attack Miracle
• Myths & Reality (revisited)
• Twisted Liberty
• South Park creators on smoking
• James Repace thinks of a number
• Secondhand News
• The Helena Miracle
• 10,000 deaths
• The Untouchables

Links

• Americans for Nonsmokers Rights
• An Englishman's castle
• ASH (UK)
• ASH (USA)
• Centre for History in Public Health
• The Devil's Kitchen
• Dissecting Antismokers' brains
• Filthy smokers
• Freedom2Choose
• FORCES
• Forest
• GASP
• History Today
• March of the Zealots
• Quick Hitts podcast
• The Rest of the Story
• Reason
• Spiked
• Tobacco Control

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[elkfersupper]

Bookmark for later.

[elkfersupper]

Do you treat automobiles the same way?

They are far more dangerous.

[GOP_Lady]

I’m sorry. I meant to say that I never liked the FAIR TAX. I support the flat tax.

[Nipfan]

Yes, cars are dangerous but at least they have a purpose. Smoking on the other hand? What does it accomplish beyond a lightening of the wallet?

I don’t want to start an argument and I don’t wish to take anyone’s pleasure away. As I said earlier, I just don’t want to be subjected to it myself. And, just by the way, I haven’t been brainwashed by campaigns or advertising, I have always hated cigarettes and never wanted to be anywhere near smokers.

[timm22]

I don’t want to start an argument and I don’t wish to take anyone’s pleasure away. As I said earlier, I just don’t want to be subjected to it myself.

That's fine. No one expects you to love the smell of tobacco smoke. Living in a free society includes the idea of freedom of association. If you choose to stay away from smelly smokers, no one is going to try to force you to do otherwise.

All we ask is that you extend the same courtesy to smokers. That means not calling on the government to stick its nose where it doesn't belong, such as by banning smoking on private property.

If you can agree to that, I don't think you'll get an argument from anyone...except perhaps from nanny-state-loving anti-smokers.

[timm22]

When ever I’m told that we must “promote” good health in the community I have to stop and ask just how far should we pursue this goal?

Good for you! This should be the response of every American, especially those who call themselves "conservatives."

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Don W]

Gee whiz, the fact that the level of revenue from taxes paid on tobacco products alone pays for all tobacco AND alcohol related illness is irrelvant.

Look, uninformed FRiend: smokers pay WAY more than their “fair” share, and still have ended up as social pariahs because of uninformed half-wits who swallow the social engineer’s lines completely.

Remember who the biggest anti-smoker and vegetarian animal rights activist of the 20th century was, because you and your fellow travellers are following his agenda in ways he could only imagine.

BTW, I can remember lighting up on an airplane, and being somewhat surprised that I had to sit in the back “of the bus” to do so!

[Nipfan]

“BTW, I can remember lighting up on an airplane, and being somewhat surprised that I had to sit in the back “of the bus” to do so!”

Yes, I can remember too.

[IYellAtMyTV]

Yes, cars are dangerous but at least they have a purpose. Smoking on the other hand? What does it accomplish beyond a lightening of the wallet?

It keeps us smokers from beating supercilious twits like you to a pulp.

[boop]

"I have always hated cigarettes and never wanted to be anywhere near smokers."

This is 2008. No one is "forced" to be around smoking anymore. There are nothing but non-smoking venues everywhere, even outdoors. I've never met a smoker that wanted to force someone to breathe in smoke. But there is now NO place for people who want to smoke to gather and enjoy a legal product. That is tyranny.

[libertarian27]

Thanks for posting this book link here.
Great information~ Christopher is an excellent researcher.

[beltfed308]

supercilious

Now that's a 50.00 word of the day award!

[swarthyguy]

It ain’t over yet. Impetus may be building for an national smoking ban in ALL public places (after they’ve driven us out from private places, but that’s another tale).

Now, whether put into place by Obie or Johnny, one interesting ramification will be the resultant ban in vehicles, after all they use the public roads, and as we hear ad nauseum, driving is a privilege.

Well, so was riding a horse in the old days.

Just imagine, Eric, if we had applied even half of the effort expended in this Tabak Jihad to something like, say, energy independence or encouraging science among the youts!

You think they’re gonna let you keep smoking in your car?

Think again.

[swarthyguy]

>>normally sane Conservatives

Conservatives are just mirror images of Libs.

No difference left.

Both will harness the power of the state to achieve their own ends.

Liberals are honest about it, Conservatives are not - they seek to use the state apparatus just like Libs.

More accurately, they could be defined as Statists, rather than some adherents of Locke or Mills or Burke etc.

Wait til the public health arguments of the TabakJihad are applied to more aspects of everyday life regarding energy and food, using climate change as the fulcrum.

I will have no sympathy but a lot of laughs.

Yes, one of the eventual raison d’etre for the early English colonies of Virginia was tabak.

In fact, the only plant on the cornerstone of the Capital Building in DC, IIRC.

[JamesP81]

I don't smoke. Never, never had any desire to start. Until the nanny-staters came out of the woodwork, that is. It would almost be worth it to me to take up the habit just for spite.

One of the logical consequences of living in a free society is that some people are going to say or do things that you don't like.

[fanfan]

BTTT

[Eric Blair 2084]

Wow! I just read the three chapters that were released.

SURGEON GENERAL WARNING: THIS IS REALLY SLEAZY AND VIOLATES EVERY CONCEPT OF FREEDOM AND HONESTY THAT NORMAL HUMANS HAVE. READING THIS CAUSES ANGER, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

[fanfan]

It’s all about control.

You’ve always known that.

Sit back, light a smoke, and decide how best to get your freedom back.

:-)

[Eric Blair 2084]

Unbelievable.

You’re right, they could accomplish a lot of good if they just put their talents and motivation to something worthwhile.

I have no doubt that McLiberal believes that coercing people to change their behavior is a legitimate government function.