Health groups pushing for American universities to go tobacco-free

The American College Health Association released new guidelines on Monday urging colleges and universities to adopt policies barring all tobacco use indoors and outdoors on their campuses.

To learn more about these recommendations, click here.

Tobacco industry funding at the University of Alberta (Canada's Tobacco U)

For the past two years, E-BUTT has conducted extensive research on the financial relationship between the tobacco industry and the University of Alberta. By filing dozens of Freedom of Information Requests (FOIP), E-BUTT, obtained hundreds of pages of information outlining tobacco industry consultants in the Faculty of Medicine, tobacco industry donations and scholarship programs, university tobacco industry holdings, and faculty members conducting research for the tobacco industry.

The University of Alberta Information and Privacy Office (IPO) did not release information pertaining to several requests which asked the university to divulge any potential relationships between influential university faculty and/or administrators and the tobacco industry. Instead, the university IPO requested E-BUTT pay them over $3500 so they could initiate a search of the documents. The fee provided E-BUTT with no guarantee they would be provided with any information if it was found.

Please note the names of the U of A faculty and administrators mentioned in the FOIP requests does not imply they have ever had any involvement with the tobacco industry, either financially or otherwise. Their names were included as persons of interest, some of whom were known to have taken tobacco industry funding, and others who were in departmental or faculty positions that would have provided them with an intimate knowledge of any potential tobacco industry funding if it did exist.

Chronology of events at University of Alberta

E-BUTT's University of Alberta FOIP report

Destroyed documents link tobacco use to detrimental effects on health

According to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, it was determined that "sensitive documents" destroyed by Imperial Tobacco Canada actually contained scientific evidence of the carcinogenicity, toxicity, and biological activity of cigarettes and second-hand smoke, as well as the addictive properties of nicotine. The documents were ordered destroyed by the parent of Imperial Tobacco Canada in 1992. However, copies remained at British American Tobacco, which were then released as part of a court disclosure.

Here is a link to the full article.

The destruction of these "sensitive documents" by Imperial Tobacco Canada is yet another example of misrepresentation of scientific research linking tobacco usage to detrimental health. The lack of both accountability and transparency of Big Tobacco in disclosing the truly dangerous nature of their products is a serious cause for concern not only among health care professionals, but also for discerning members of the public who value truth and integrity.