I don’t think the CDC intentionally lies about it - they just don’t know. CDC has turned into a standard bloated government agency over time. Actual Microbiology is generally contracted out and “Public Health Professionals” are in charge and bringing in more and more of their lot.
Tell the sheep not to smoke and then collect your 6 figure salaries (and don’t miss the next big conference in Vail...everybody who is anybody is going to be there).
Your statement regarding telling sheep not to smoke reminded me of an incident about 7 years ago.
In the town next to me, the public health department was screaming that they did not have enough money, and that more taxes were needed. They threatened to close down some departments if they did not get increased funding.
They planned to lay off the people who collected dead animals lying in the streets, but yet they wanted to keep the people who ran the smoking cessation programs.
It was so ridiculous.