At the end of November, an extraordinary episode caused outrage: the expulsion of Karl Erik Lund from a conference on e-cigarettes held in France.
Dr. Lund is one of the world’s most prominent researchers on tobacco harm reduction. Currently with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, he has published important papers about snus and has testified on behalf of plaintiffs suing the tobacco industry.
He has received a preventative medicine award from the Norwegian Medical Association, among many other roles and accolades.
Yet on November 26, the French Cancer Research Institute (INCa) removed Lund from his position as co-chair of the conference’s scientific committee, canceled his presentation and banned him from even attending, despite the fact he was one of the organizers.
His removal from the conference appears to have been prompted after a posting on Tobacco Tactics.
His “crime”? He had answered a request for information from Knowledge Action Change (KAC), which produces the Global State of Tobacco Harm Reduction reports. That work is supported by a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (FSFW); the Foundation receives its funding from Philip Morris International (PMI). Lund had sent the authors relevant information—and links—on snus and was, consequently, noted for his small contribution.
Martin Cullip – Filter – 2023-01-19.
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