Inquisition at Inhalation Toxicology Journal. Editor-in-Chief Dr Donald GARDNER Agrees with Pit Bull “Peer-Reviewer” Who Calls to Burning Hookah Books

[IMPORTANT UPDATE (March 31, 2011. And the last straw of this incredible story of sordid customs is that the study has been funded by the Tobacco Industry (cigarettes) itself! Evidence:

Big Tobacco & Big Pharma Against "Oriental" Hookah Outsider ]


Background:

The Inhalation Toxicology journal has recently published a paper by the 3 $ million funded US-American University of Beirut ““waterpipe””™ antismoking team:

Marwan KATURJI, Nancy DAHER, Hiba SHEHEITLI, Rawad SALEH, Alan SHIHADEH: 

Direct measurement of toxicants inhaled by water pipe users in the natural environment using a real-time in situ sampling technique

 The first author is a figure here. The real author is Alan SHIHADEH who, for memory and a better understanding of the context, is:

-co-author of the WHO flawed report on ““waterpipe””™smoking

-member of the antismoking Big Pharma funded Globalink network

-a regular “scientific” voice to support ““waterpipe””™ smoking bans everywhere in the world (see link in “Other Relevant Readings” section).

Based on a so-called “field study”, the above antismoking authors boast of (hold your breath) “demonstrating” and presenting (hold your breath) what would be “the most robust evidence to date that water pipe smoking entails inhaling large quantities of toxicants”. They add that their results would be “consistent with a growing body of studies on narghile water pipe toxicant content and health effects, which have unanimously pointed to the hazardous nature of first- and second-hand narghile water pipe smoking".

“Real smokers” would therefore inhale (hold your breath) in a one hour hookah session: 640 mg tar, 150 mg carbon monoxide and 4.42 mg nicotine. When notified, Kamal, still believing in the independence of some titles, sent a critique to the journal in which he highlighted, point by point, the numerous flaws, biases and errors of that supposedly। The most important one is that the study didn’t involve, as expected, 100% of narghile-only users nor such smokers puffing in a natural way.

40% of the so-called volunteers were actual cigarette smokers and 20% were couples of individuals. All have been drawing as mad on the pipe to satisfy their technical observers (they k

now they were observed: some of them drew up to 400 puffs to show off or just for fun) for a full hour (named “compensation” (nicotine) in technical terms).

What is more for a so-called field study that is all about scaring “public authorities” about tar levels, not a single word can be found about glycerol, a major component of tar! Kamal is also convinced that some parts of this highly politicised paper were ghost written by members of WHO TobReg (“”peer-reviewers”” of the WHO flawed report on ““waterpipe””™ smoking) who are pushing for printing the above figures (above tar, nicotine and CO) on all elements of the ““waterpipe””  paraphernalia.

This means that the 640mg tar figure (which is highly biased) can’t be scientifically compared (as they do) with that produced by cigarette (for memory: “10 mg” is a limit printed on cigarette packs). First, the chemical composition of tar is completely different: a thing that they have been led to admit further to Kamal’s repeated critiques since the publishing of the critique of the WHO flawed report. Secondly, that figure includes that of glycerol (something around 50% of tar – depends on settings and setups). This is why the hookah smokescreen looks so different from that of cigarettes.

The first “REGULATION” (remember this word related to WHO TobReg political objectives) trick (as others you are now familiar with this kind of scientific literature: “forgetting” to change the water...) consists therefore in keeping silent on this very important point (Kamal says: a “taboo” one). Indeed, not a word on it in a long manuscript! The objective is to let the gullible ones (*) believe that 1 hookah produces (now!) 64 times the amount of tar of one cigarette, with a new equivalence:

1 hookah = 64 cigarettes ! You’re dead!

(*) including among tobacco researchers as some of them are quite ignorant and even believe that tar is “present” in the tobacco itself before it is lit. See top blunder by Dr Anwar Nassar and his colleagues from the same US-American University of Beirut in a recent response to another critique from Kamal.

So what ? Dr Donald Gardner, Editor-in-Chief of the Inhalation Toxicology journal, immediately found Kamal’s critique to be authoritative and acceptable. He just asked Kamal the permission to submit it to the authors so they have an opportunity to respond. As an advocate of scientific debate, the former accepted.

After he received the response (understand pressures in the form of defamation: a classical weapon of the antismoking Globalink soldiers), Dr Gardner, one day later, informed Kamal of his sudden new decision not to publish his critique.

He argued in vain to justify such a flip flop. He mentioned “reports from reviewers”(plural!), exposing this huge lie by presenting later (on Kamal’s request) only one tiny “report” and a meant vague gobbledygook “post hoc (!) “critical” paragraph from himself in order to justify his anti-scientific “U-turn”. He proved he was more ignorant of the issue than the “peer-reviewer” himself! The bottom line is that this man (Editor in Chief!) isn’t aware of what he says and can contradict one day later what he has confirmed the day before! Or he’s just a coward. Thought Police! Stick’em’up!

Excellent! What did that “report” from the “peer-reviewer” said? 3 stupid short though killin’ sentences to block the critique. 2 groundless worthless attacks on the form of the critique (The “peer-reviewer”’s “guts”(sic!) didn’t digest the point-by-point structure). The third one reveals the pit-bull nature of that “peer-reviewer” (likely from the University of California, “a hive of antismoking fanaticism” according to Kamal). Kamal would have written 3 books cited in his manuscript: 

Anonymous “independent” (dix. Donald Gardner himself) pit-bull “peer-reviewer” of the Inhalation Toxicology journal said:

“the author claims no conflicts of interest, yet he cites three of his own books”!

The truth is that NOT A SINGLE BOOK was cited in the critique. What does it mean ?

1) that the “peer-reviewer’ hadn’t read the paper he was officially supposed to “review”.

2) He has voluntarily LIED (Kamal is seriously thinking of bringing a lawsuit against him)

3) This ”peer-reviewer” is actually calling to AUTODAFES (burning of books which are not clearly identified as antismoking).

CONCLUSION

This story shows that:

1) The authors (Alan SHIHADEH and his band) of the criticized article, have declined the offer to respond to each of the points. However, they co-decided that the critique should not be published. They LIED to the Editor-in-Chief when they said that they had already addressed the critiques elsewhere.

2) The anonymous “peer-reviewer” has LIED (about the existence of 3 books mentioned in the critique). He is, together with crowds of antismoking colleagues occupying the Editorial boards of biomedical journals, a modern INQUISITOR.

3) The Editor-in-Chief (Dr Donald Gardner) has LIED about the number of peer-reviewers and about his solemn promise (confirmed by twice = 2 e-mails to Kamal) that he would publish the critique (after he has accepted it) even if the authors failed to respond (what they did).

The conclusion is that we have here an excellent live example of: CORRUPTION, ““WATERPIPE””™ INQUISITION, WITCH-HUNT, ETHICAL VIOLATION, PIT-BULL “PEER-REVIEW”, PSEUDO-SCIENCE, LYSSENKOIST SCIENCE, LIES, TRICKS, PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC TERROR, DOUBLE-STANDARD, THOUGHT POLICE, PSEUDO-SCIENTIFIC REVISIONISM, CENSORSHIP.

When it comes to ““waterpipe”” smoking (because the world is, particularly since 2002, at war against the people, culture –and here, material objects (!), of the Middle East – to put it short), everything is permitted.

Even when the critique doesn’t come from Kamal (*), any researcher isn’t allowed to publish critiques of the Lyssenkoist “official” ““waterpipe””™ antismoking literature directed by Alan SHIHADEH, Thomas EISSENBEG and Wasim MAZIAK (all soldiers of the Big Pharma financed antismoking Globalink organization) and all indirectly or directly funded by Big Pharma. All other researchers (appearing as “dwarves”, from time to time) cannot but parrot their “studies”. The loop is looped and it works!

(*) A good example is given by Australian researchers who came up with “unexpected” results. The (police) warning (by Wasim Maziak) was immediate:

• Carroll T, Poder N, Perusco A. Is concern about waterpipe tobacco smoking warranted? Aust N Z J Public Health। 2008 Apr;32(2):181-2.
• Maziak W, Are premature public health statements warranted? Aust N Z J Public Health. 2008; 2008;32(5):490.

Kamal’s reaction was immediately accepted by the brave Editors in Chief of the journal who obviously didn’t appreciate Wasim Maziak’s admonishing tone:

To whom does ‘public health’ belong when it comes to ‘Waterpipe’ Smoking ? Aust N Z J Public Health 2008; 32 (6): 583. Doi: 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2008.00319.x

 The whole story is detailed in Kamal’s Letter to Dr Donald GARDNER

OTHER VERY RELEVANT READINGS

In particular, it also exposes the Globalink nexus. This document, dated Dec 13, 2010 also provides (at the end) the previous correspondence between both. It is an excellent demonstration on how a barefaced liar (supposed to be a “scientist” and a ““peer-reviewer”” with a journal supposedly respecting editorial ethics) is supported by the Editor-in-chief who in is turn can’t but lie in his turn to justify his sudden U-turn in his decision, not to mention the lies by US-AUB authors. 

Kamal has given the reasons for which he published the correspondence:

“Because my original manuscript has now been circulated among the antismoking Globalink activists, and because the Inhalation Toxicology journal has, apart from lies and misconduct, openly trodden the ethical code (COPE) it boasts of adhering to, the correspondence between Dr Donald Gardner, its Editor-in-chief and I, is being disclosed below so that everyone can check how the whole tobacco-related scientific literature peer-review system, particularly when it comes to ““waterpipe”” smoking, is corrupted”.

COPE, the Committee on Publication Ethics, is “a code of conduct for editors of biomedical journals”, “a suggested code of conduct for editors to guide them towards being fair to authors, researchers, and readers”:

• Alan SHIHADEH and Wasim MAZIAK, “scientific” “guarantees” of smoking bans: ASH (Action on Smoking and Health). ““Shisha 200 times worse than a cigarette” say Middle East experts””. 27 March 2007 (prepared by Martin Dockrell)(accessed 13 June, 2008) [based, among others, on an interview with Wasim Maziak and Alan Shihadeh]. Sub-heading: “Three leading experts from across the Middle East have warned that excluding “shisha bars” when England goes smokefree on July 1 could worsen the grave inequalities in health that already affect ethnic minorities.” (The summum of hypocrisy!)

• Globalink Undeclared Non-Financial Global Conflicts of Interest in Tobacco Smoking

• Kamal’s response to a reader’s comment who proved to be touting medicines of the pharmaceutical industry during the “Swine Flu” episode. Criminalising Dissent and its Undeclared Motives"

• Wasim MAZIAK Sells «Arab Way of Smoking» Apocalypse for Quick US Prohibitionist Intervention in Narghilistan

• Linda S. Heard. Shisha ban risks diluting Alexandria’s flavor. Online Journal (Established 1998 to provide uncensored and accurate news, analysis and commentary). Oct 6, 2010.

• The Lebanese Ban on Smoking in Hospitality Venues (Cafes, etc.):US Interventionism and Prohibition in the Name of the FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control). Knol. 2010 (Apr 14).

• Waterpipegate and Climategate: Man Made Hookah (Shisha, Narghile, ""Waterpipe"") Side-Stream Smoke and Climate Change

THE UNIVERSAL OPPOSITION TO BAD SCIENCE

This article is an example of junk science about tobacco smoking. This kind of “science” can be termed “TREIF” (non-Kosher) science in Hebrew, “HARAM” (non-Halal) science in Arabic. Indeed, “there is a saying by the Prophet which reads: “Seek science [good sound science, of course] from the cradle to the grave”. In Marxist terms, this may be termed "Bourgeois science". It can also be named “Bad Science” as a UK professor of Applied Psychology would say: “Bad Science in a good cause is just bad science”:

We peoples of the word: United we stand against  

pseudo-science and totalitarian science!

Images: courtesy of Project Censored , Daily Censored and Cine-L’affiche (see how recently in France, the pipe of the famous actor, Jacques Tati, has been hidden, further to pressures by antismoking groups. It was replaced by a yellow star (as in the good old good times of fascism...).

YOU ARE NOT ON THE HOME PAGE of the OBSERVATORY on HOOKAH OR HEALTH (Narghile, "Waterpipe"™, Health, Risks, Dangers, Diseases, Tar, Nicotine, Cancer). CLICK HERE to go there!

Narghilistan : A Hot Summer in ““Waterpipe””™ - Blitzed Lands

A new published "Knol" gives a not uninteresting account of a salvo of new studies. You're dead !

QUOTATIONS: "Last summer, we have been on a sabbatical leave in the Middle East and while the neighbouring country, Pakistan was, once again, struck by natural catastrophes (water floods), US drones (radio-controled aricrafts) have been shelling civilian populations in an endless war against Afghanistan.

"Against this tragic backdrop, ««waterpipe»» publications (only biomedical publications since “official” social and human scientists have left this field wide open to antismoking self-righteous crusades) have virtually been pouring. The objective of such a blitz is twofold [...]" >>>> continued THERE


YOU ARE NOT ON THE HOME PAGE of the OBSERVATORY on HOOKAH OR HEALTH (Narghile, "Waterpipe"™, Health, Risks, Dangers, Diseases, Tar, Nicotine, Cancer). CLICK HERE to go there!

Lebanese Narghile Tobacco Kontrol Sex Maniacs Strike Again !

In a new article published in antismoking journal Tobacco Kontrol, sex maniacs of the $ 3 million funded US American University of Beirut suggest (this is not the first time) to use that image (left) as a prevention tool...

Nakkash R, Khalil Joanna. Health warning labelling practices on narghile (shisha, hookah) waterpipe tobacco products and related accessories. Tob Control 2010 19: 235-239.

Yet, there is absolutely no scientific evidence of an effect of ««waterpipe»»™ smoking on fertility. A sterile argument indeed ! The Egyptian study (Inhorn et al.) the sex maniacs usually cite in the dark corners of their antismoking literature doesn't establish, in a way or another, the claimed effects.

RELEVANT READINGS (tightly connected)

Khalil J, Heath RL, Nakkash RT, Afifi RA. The tobacco health nexus? Health messages in narghile advertisements. Tob Control. 2009 Oct;18(5):420-1.

Narghile, Sex and the US-American Univer-City of Beirut... Tobacco Control, Prostitution and the City of Bombay...

Rima Nakkash & Joanna Khalil. Waterpipe tobacco smoking : what''s so sexy ? 137th American Public Health Association (APHA) Annual Meeting and Expo " Water and Public Health ", Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, 7-11 November 2009,

Dr Rima Nakkash, US-AUB Ambassador of Shisha Prohibition in the Arab World

Joanna in Wonderland. Anti-Fruit Smoking Activism at the US-American University of Beirut

Shrewd KNOL: The Lebanese Ban on Smoking in Hospitality Venues (Cafes, etc.):US Interventionism and Prohibition in the Name of the FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control). Knol. 2010 (Apr 14).

YOU ARE NOT ON THE HOME PAGE of the OBSERVATORY on HOOKAH OR HEALTH (Narghile, "Waterpipe"™, Health, Risks, Dangers, Diseases, Tar, Nicotine, Cancer). CLICK HERE to go there!

LEBANON: New US Interference in Home Social & Cultural Affairs in the Name of the WHO FCTC (Framework Convention for Tobacco Control)

First 190 words tapped from the Knol Hotline

"Beirut: “A smoking ban in public places is expected to take effect within a year, George Saadeh, head of the National Tobacco Control Program announced at a debate on tobacco control held at American University Beirut (AUB) Tuesday”[1] .

It was a great show indeed, reminiscent of crowds acclaiming other assaults on liberties during World War II: “AUB students, gathered to hear the keynote speaker, greeted the announcement [i.e. the Prohibition of smoking (cigarettes and narghile) in cafes, restaurants, fines for whom break the law] with overriding support”.

The Daily Star article does not mention the existence of a study behind the show at the US-American University of Beirut. It was recently published in the antismoking Tobacco Control journal and its authors are Georges Saade, Andrew Seidenberg, Vaughan Rees, Zaher Otrock and Gregory N Connolly. Its is titled “Indoor secondhand tobacco smoke emission levels in six Lebanese cities” and obviously aims to be the main "scientific evidence" to justify tobacco smoking Prohibition in Lebanon, in a scenario very similar to neighbouring Syria (see related Knol on Smoking Prohibition in Syria). Interestingly, the latter, as a model, is cited by the authors...[2]."

References (as provided from the source of the wire):

[1] Simona Sikimic. Smoking ban in public spaces expected within a year. The Daily Star, Thursday, April 08, 2010)

[2] Saade G, Seidenberg AB, Rees VW, Otrock Z, Connolly GN. Indoor secondhand tobacco smoke emission levels in six Lebanese cities. Tob Control 2010;19: 138-142.

Globalink-affiliated US Pharmaceutical-Industry funded Prohibitionist Envoys (from Harvard University) hand in hand with Globalink-affiliated US-American University of Beirut ““Waterpipe”” Prohibitionist outpost in the Middle East, measure tobacco passive smoke (“second-hand smoke”) in 28 Lebanese hospitalities during the stuffy holy Ramadan month. Then, publish biased data in antismoking Tobacco Kontrol journal

This is not all. They had the cheek to issue serious warnings whose tone sounds like those directed to Iran to dismantle its traditional Mass Entertainment Weapons

Quotations tapped from the Knol Hotline :

“The study reads from the onset: "To date, Lebanon has failed to enact comprehensive clean indoor air laws despite ratification of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) […] Despite ratification of the FCTC in 2005, both cigarette and water-pipe smoking are commonly practised in enclosed public places throughout Lebanon, leading to unsafe levels of indoor particulate pollution. Smoke-free policies are needed in Lebanon […] "

CONCLUSION

To Prohibitionist Yankees:

One thing only: Go Home, Hands Off Lebanon and Leave Lebanon in Peace !

To Lebanese Patriots:

1) Demand the withdrawal of Lebanon from the imperialist anti-democratic WHO FCTC (Framework Convention for Tobacco Control) !

2) Disseminate the corresponding historic speech

3) Resist US interference in your social and cultural affairs !

4) Demand accountability and the reimbursement of the public money granted to experts for providing the pseudo-scientific "haram"/"treif" studies against the national interest and for the direct benefit of pharmaceutical companies !

Christians, Jews and Muslims of Lebanon, Unite against "Haram" "Treif" Science !

“Haram science” and “Treif science” ? … What’s this ?

Christian sisters and brothers say to all Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Communists, Hinduists, Taoists, etc. of the world : “Don’t Be Afraid” (our Lord Jesus) !

and remember:

Seek [good, sound] science from the cradle to the grave !

Not Bad science, pseudo-science, junk science which are an insult to Religion !

RELEVANT READINGS

The Lebanese Ban on Smoking in Hospitality Venues (Cafes, etc.):US Interventionism and Prohibition in the Name of the FCTC (Framework Convention on Tobacco Control)

The Syrian Ban on Smoking in Hospitality Venues (Cafes, etc.) :The Challenge of Scientific Integrity

Prohibition Through the Hookah Looking-Glass (historical speech with a call to States to withdraw from the FCTC)

Dr Rima Nakkash, US-AUB Ambassador of Shisha Prohibition in the Arab World

Sex Maniacs in French Antismoking Organizations Abuse of Public Money

Narghile, Sex and the US-American Univer-City of Beirut... Tobacco Control, Prostitution and the City of Bombay...

Antismoking SEX MANIACS Strike Again in EGYPT : Fatimah El-Awa & WHO “Framework Convention for Tobacco Control”

Hail Iranian President and his Anti-Prohibition Stance ! Support Iran’s Right to Maintain its Traditional Mass Entertainment Weapons !

Simon Chapman’s Lost Battle of “Tobacco Control”. Wretched Intent to Mobilize Muslims & Jews Against the Tobacco Industry (Australian Pig Blood Story)

YOU ARE NOT ON THE HOME PAGE of the OBSERVATORY on HOOKAH OR HEALTH (Narghile, "Waterpipe"™, Health, Risks, Dangers, Diseases, Tar, Nicotine, Cancer). CLICK HERE to go there!

Simon Chapman’s Lost Battle of “Tobacco Control”. Wretched Intent to Mobilize Muslims & Jews Against the Tobacco Industry (Australian Pig Blood Story)

[Update Apr 22: content unchanged. Only the previous image (cover of the antismoking "Tobacco Control" journal April issue) was replaced with that of a book (left) by Gilles Chatelet [translated title: "Living and Thinking like Pigs"] which was deemed most relevant. By the way, this philosopher has nothing against those nice animals... Here's a presention of his work for the happy ones who can read French: "une réflexion sur la "Contre-Réforme néo-libérale", une démystification, l’analyse des présupposés scientistes (et ô combien " réalistes ") d’une idéologie dont la pensée n’est pas le point fort. Comment en est-on arrivé là ? [...] Châtelet propose aujourd’hui une philosophie de combat qui fasse "plus de vagues et moins de vogue". [more with Fluctuat]"

The Daily Telegraph (March 30, 2010): Cigarettes may contain pigs blood. From AAP (Australia)

In this press item extensively quoting from him, Simon Chapman pathetically scares Muslims and Jews about the “undisclosed” presence of pig element in cigarettes…

Excellent ! That animal haemoglobin may have been used here or there in some cigarette filters (although it is apparently very rare and limited to some places in Greece) to trap carbon monoxide or other harmful chemicals is not the problem here.

Some commentators have decided that it would be an April Fool's Day joke…

This isn't our opinion. We think that the timing is likely more related to a historic speech in The Hague (March 15, 2010) in which an independent non-antismoking researcher found, “further to numerous in-depth peer-reviewed critiques of biomedical publications (notably the WHO expert report)”, […] that “Prohibition based on shoddy science also collides with the holy teachings of a great religion of the world. The latter commands that good sound science should be sought from the cradle to the grave. Consequently, he invites States, particularly those for which this religion is central, to collectively withdraw from the WHO FCTC (Framework Convention for Tobacco Control) and demand accountability (International Court of Justice)”.

Of course, that shoddy science is, to a great extent, that published in “Tobacco Control”, the main world antismoking journal whose Editor-in-Chief for one decade or so has been Simon Chapman himself. See last issue (not another April Fool’s Day joke !)

This April issue contains many interesting papers offering a foretaste of the so strongly desired Prohibition. It is heralded by an editorial on Electronic cigarettes written by Jack HENNINGFIELD (USA) and Ghazi ZAATARI (US-American University of Beirut), two prominent WHO TobReg experts who stress the necessity for procrastinating another 10 years or so because ENDDs (new speak for electronic cigarettes) might be very hazardous in their opinion… Therefore, they suggest in their WHO jargon an “emerging science foundation for policy” so you folks can be impressed by the scientific nature of the procrastination… Case made !

In view of his interests in US Big Big Pharma products, Jack HENNINGFIELD’s not very enthusiastic opinion about the Chinese gadget is understandable, isn’t it ?

However, why, would you ask, is Ghazi ZAATARI’s analysis likely to be biased ? Simply because the proportion of cigarette smokers in Lebanon is so huge (around 60% of the total population). This means that the great hazard for the pharmaceutical industry is that those Eastern folks adopt the Chinese gadget instead of the nicotine inhalers, patches and gums, and Chantix… Understood ? If not, browse this site to see the similar tactics in their “scientific” war against the ““waterpipe””…

Note: Last month, in the same “Tobacco Control” antismoking journal, the One Million E-cigarette users in the USA could find a rocket science study by Thomas Eissenberg whose title is everything but unclear: “Electronic nicotine delivery devices: ineffective nicotine delivery and craving suppression after acute administration”

Interestingly, the previously mentioned independent non-antismoking researcher who went Holland to deliver his speech against Prohibition said that E-cigarettes are now under the same fire (that is, the so-called “peer-reviewed” “studies”) led by the same people who have attacked the hookah for almost one decade now.

Not sure ? Let’s see:

Jack HENNINGFIELD and Ghazi ZAATARI are the WHO TobReg experts who have ““peer-reviewed”” the infamous WHO flawed report on ““waterpipe””™ smoking.

Ghazi ZAATARI has personally selected the experts to be appointed for the task of preparing that document (source: US-American University of Beirut Bulletin dated Feb 2006, Vol7, 45)

The first "objectively" “selected” expert was Alan SHIHADEH (who is affiliated with the same institution, the US-American University of Beirut…) and the second one was Thomas EISSENBERG… What a coincidence…

The more the merrier… D’you kow what ? All these people are members of Globalink !

This is not all. The “Tobacco Control” antismoking journal is also famous for having published a “reference” (certainly it has been one for the crowds of blind or parroting researchers who cited it) review on ““waterpipe””™ authored by Wasim Maziak and co-authored, among others, by Thomas Eissenberg. As expected, the “reference” review is a great fraud and contains tremendous scientific errors:

Maziak W, Ward KD, Afifi Soweid RA, Eissenberg T. Tobacco smoking using a waterpipe: a re-emerging strain in a global epidemic. Tobacco Control 2004; 13: 327-333.

See critique of main errors THERE

Most scientific journals would have retracted such a big stain in their editorial content. “Tobacco Control” did not because antismoking ideology is superior to science.

CONCLUSION

This Autralian story about pig blood in cigarette filters is rubbish and the Observatory on Hookah or Health has decided to grant the “Haram Science” and “Treif Science” Award to Simon Chapman !

“Haram” and “Treif” ? … What’s this ?

Bad science, pseudo-science, are illicit in Religion !

RELEVANT READINGS

On Simon CHAPMAN and the world antismoking Globalink octopus (WHO, WHO TFI, WHO TobReg, Prohibition, etc.) : see “A Global Prison ?” (interview with historian of antismoking)

On his antismoking journal : Comfits of Interest, WHO TobReg, Globalink, Tobacco Control, etc. : Double Standard and/or Hypocrisy ?

On Jack HENNINGFIELD and his so big connections with Big Pharma that (poor man), he “forgets” to mention them…, see that ARTICLE:

On Ghazi ZAATARI, see Narghile, Sex and the US-American Univer-City of Beirut... Tobacco Control, Prostitution and the City of Bombay...

Read also: “E-Cigarettes, Hookah (Shisha, Narghile) and E-Hookah”. A comment on an article published in the British Medical Journal (Flouris AD, Oikonomou DN. Electronic cigarettes: miracle or menace ? BMJ. 2010 Jan 19;340:c311. doi: 10.1136/bmj.c311)

YOU ARE NOT ON THE HOME PAGE of the OBSERVATORY on HOOKAH OR HEALTH (Narghile, "Waterpipe"™, Health, Risks, Dangers, Diseases, Tar, Nicotine, Cancer). CLICK HERE to go there !

UNDP Sexy Report Reveals that Shisha Poses Threat to “Human Security in Arab States” !

Apart from many stories about rape in the Arab World (most of them as a result of the happy globalization and its wars in Iraq and Palestine), this sexy report from the United Nations Development Programme (page 154) sees narghile (shisha, hookah) smoking as a challenge to human security in Arab States:

“In addition to cigarettes, many Arab countries suffer from an epidemic of water-pipe smoking. As is well known, smoking contributes in a major way to an increase in mortality rates, the incidence of disease, and dependence on health care services. Consequently, smoking can place an additional economic burden on the family and deplete resources on the social level in general. The negative impact of smoking on development and the economy has become apparent in many developing countries, and the same is expected to happen in Arab countries as well”.

Please note the sophisticated sophism: “Water-pipe” and cigarette smoking are two forms of smoking. “As is well known”, smoking kills… “The same is expected” in Arab countries ! Hubba hubba !

But the last straw is that the above “demonstration” is supported by a carefully selected pseudo-scientific reference : the calamitous WHO flawed expert report on hookah smoking.

Kamal wrote (Sep 26, 2009) to Ms. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa, Director of the Regional Bureau of UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) for Arab States and a copy was sent to all her collaborators.

Introduction of the Letter : “My first question is : what relevant relation is there between narghile (hookah, shisha) smoking and “Human Security in Arab States”, sub-title of the UNDP report ? Unless one considers that, because of its growing popularity in the USA, narghile smoking is now considered a threat to US National Security…

Then, I wish to inform you that the WHO report, cited to support the above statement, was prepared by the staff of US funded research centres in the Arab region: namely the US-Syrian Centre for Tobacco Studies (Wasim Maziak, Thomas Eissenberg, Kenneth Ward) and the US-American University of Beirut (Alan Shihadeh). It appears that Samer Jabbour, who has participated in the elaboration of the UNDP report, is a direct colleague of these individuals, particularly through his membership in an anti-smoking global network called Globalink (*) [download Full LETTER]”.

(*) What is Globalink ? see here


The UNDP report: Arab Human Development Report published. Challenges to Human Security in Arab States. Regional Bureau for Arab States. UNDP 2009. 288 pages. See, in particular: pp 154, 164, 217. Alternate link: here and Arabic version there

RELEVANT READINGS

Tobacco Prohibition in “Free” Iraq: "We want Saddam back", said Ala al-Kanini !

One Hookah Would Equal 200 Cigarettes and European “Colonialism” (sic!) Would Now Be the Cause of the Hookah (Shisha, Narghile) Catastrophe ?

YOU ARE NOT ON THE HOME PAGE of the OBSERVATORY on HOOKAH OR HEALTH (Narghile, "Waterpipe"™, Health, Risks, Dangers, Diseases, Tar, Nicotine, Cancer). CLICK HERE to go there !

Joanna in Wonderland. Anti-Fruit Smoking Activism at the US-American University of Beirut

Just published in the anti smoking "Tobacco Control" journal : The tobacco health nexus ? Health messages in narghile advertisements

by Joanna KHALIL (JK) and her friends (Robin L HEATH, Rima T NAKKASH, Rema A AFIFI) from the US-American University of Beirut

COUNTERPUNCH

J.K. and friends said: "Research on the narghile smoke constituents suggest it is as harmful—if not more harmful—than cigarettes"

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : This is dead convincing, particularly when one of the cited sources is the unspeakable calamitous WHO flawed report (2 errors in its first 2 sentences...). What is not notified to the reader is that this report was prepared by Alan Shihadeh, and "peer-reviewed", among others, by Ghazi ZAATARI who both are colleagues of Joanna Khalil at the US-American University of Beirut.

JK and friends : "Recently, narghile smoking has become ‘‘big business’’ and a variety of marketing techniques are being used to emphasise the enjoyable facet of smoking while disregarding its detrimental health effects."

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : This is true. See our story: CNN “Social Smoke” Business Success Story by Iranian Born Hookah Entrepreneur: Ain’t a Dig at WHO Treaty on Tobacco Control (FCTC) ?

As for the "detrimental health effects", how do you want these people to rely on the poor biased "science" produced by your university ?

JK and friends : "One interesting marketing technique has been the use of health messages to market narghile products (…) For example, in one advertisement for locally manufactured tobacco, the slogan ‘‘untouched by human hands’’ was used as an indicator of ‘‘the purity’’ of the product. In addition, the product was shown to be manufactured in state-of-the-art machines (…)".

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : Joanna, my dear, you are wrong. “‘‘Untouched by human hands’’ means that the company (Eastern Company) is actually using an automatic line based on state-of-the-art machines as you rightly point out. This is all there is to it. By contrast, the narghile smoking machine of your colleagues at the US-University University of Beirut was tampered by human hands and is actually the source of the world confusion, the well known exaggerations (1 narghile session = 100, 200, …900 cigarettes, etc.):

BBC NEWS: Shisha 450 Times Worse than Cigarettes, New Research Reveals. Swine Flu Link Now Established

Because of their behaviour, they must be accountable for the 10-year delayed public health intervention.

JK and friends : "Simultaneously, two advertisements for a type of charcoal used to light the narghile charcoal embers were advertised as being ‘‘natural’’ and made of ‘‘100% coconut shell’’, smokeless, odourless and ‘‘free of chemicals.’’”

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : No, Joanna, a charcoal can’t be used to light the narghile charcoal embers. If you wanna become a narghile expert, first you must go downtown Beirut (Al-Hamra Street, for example) and ask the staff of any cafe there how the charcoal of a narghile is lit...

JK and friends : “One of these advertisements ends with the comment that not a single tree was cut down to produce the charcoal (fig 1). Narghile smoking is highlighted as safe and environmentally friendly. The brand name furthers this image by using the prefix ‘‘eco’’ thus conferring eco-friendly legitimacy on the image of narghile smoking."

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : So what ? These people are trying to do their best and certainly this new charcoal is safer and more environment-and-Earth-friendly than the quick-lighting one used in the biased smoking machine of your colleagues.

JK and friends : "Although the above two examples specifically mention the health aspect of narghile, other messages are more tacit. For instance, in an advertisement for a brand of mo’assel, the fruit flavoured narghile tobacco, what first hit your eye is the fresh watermelon, constituting the background of the ad (fig 2). Although the photograph of the narghile is shown on the left of the ad, the mouthwatering fruit is impossible to miss. This watermelon, and the other fruits that indicate the different available flavours, make narghile seem as healthy as the fruits."

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : Woaw ! What a breath-taking sociologist you and your friends are ! At least, instead of citing erroneous bibliographic sources to support these statements, why didn’t you review the existing sound literature ? From a prehistoric date, narghile has maintained a close relation (a love affair) with fruits. You would also have found that the word “narghile” itself derives from the name of an exotic fruit… Indeed, narghile users know this. They are the experts, not those appearing in the parroting media…

JK and friends : "As suggested by the specific examples above, the myth of the narghile smoking being less harmful than cigarette smoking is being exploited by a new tobacco industry.”

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : First, this tobacco industry is not new. It is very old. Then, the myth of narghile smoking being MORE harmful than cigarette smoking is being exploited by a recent anti-tobacco industry whose main operational base is the antismoking journal Tobacco Kontrol in which you got your paper published.

JK and friends : This new spin on the image of the narghile (…). In light of the current weak policy and regulatory framework for tobacco control in Lebanon, a serious commitment from health stakeholders and advocacy groups is mandatory to counter these false claims."

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : What is needed is countering the false claims and pseudo-science supposedly but actually deceivingly "peer-reviewed", pouring from biased antismoking journals like “Tobacco Control”.

The Middle East doesn’t need artificial wars. Aren’t you tired of wars there in Beirut ? Or we would be tempted to think that you defend foreign interests after UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) has recently considered in its last report (2009) that narghile smoking poses a threat to "Arab Human Development Security" (sic).

JK and friends : “Funding: This paper was supported by a generous grant from Research for International Tobacco Control, an IDRC secretariat.”

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : Yes, they are more and more ““generous”” as you would say. Why don’t you add that your RITC is linked to Big Pharmaceuticals ?

“It should noted, however, that among the advertised “Strategic Partners” of the latter [The “North American RITC (Research on International Tobacco Control; Canada)], the names of two multinational pharmaceutical companies appear after a list of world antismoking organisations: namely, Glaxo-Wellcome/Smith Kline Beecham and Merrck-Frost” (Revealed in “UK Ban on Smoking in General and on Hookah Smoking in Particular Should Not Stay” (Source: Lift the UK Ban on smoking)

JK and friends : “Competing interests: None”

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : In view of all the above, do you confirm ?

“Tobacco Control” Editors : “Provenance and peer review: Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.”

OBSERVATORY on Hookah or Health : This is news to us. By whom ? The antismoking friends of the Globalink antismoking "model village"(sic) ? The same who "peer-reviewed" the calamitous WHO report and its recycled laundered version, the Cochrane Review?

IMAGES (commented in this article and appearing above)

Source: Joanna Khalil et al 2009 (who should have requested the permission from the "pro-smoking" "new tobacco industry" in Lebanon to reproduce them in an anti-smoking biased journal)


ACCOUNTABILITY

As a new narghile expert, Joanna KHALIL is, as all others, accountable for what she says in public (here a n official publication)


CONCLUSION

As for JK and friend's call for immediate regulation in line with the the brain Formatting Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC) cooked by the same Globalink people, it is not an innocent statement. Health officials of any government will refer to this kind of "scientific" stuff to overrride their own bills and constitutions. This is also the objective of the Lisbon Treaty that any conscious citizen should reject for the same reasons.

This is a vicious circle, one of the many tricks used by antismoking organizations to maintain control over medias and governments. Also, other antismoking researchers will publish further articles citing Joanna Khalil and friends' paper. Then, they will pretend -as they have been doing with cigarette passive smoke, E-cigarette smoke, etc. - that there would be "overwhelming evidence" that narghile smoking is dangerous and must be banned. Remember the WHO slogan “Rigorous research leaves no doubt” (that tobacco second-hand smoke kills. There would be a world supranational expert consensus. You're dead and you can's utter a word of dissent.

Resist here and now !

RELEVANT ARTICLES

Narghile smoking keeps researchers in Wonderland (medical journal)

The Birth of a New Profession: Anti-Fruits Smoking Activist (Observatory)

Narghile, Sex and the US-American Univer-City of Beirut... Tobacco Control, Prostitution and the City of Bombay... (Observatory)

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