Australian politician David Leyonhjelm, a Senator for New South Wales who represents the Liberal Democratic Party, has gone on the record questioning the credibility and expertise of the professor who provided what The Australian newspaper reported to be a series of “factual errors” to the parliamentary inquiry into vaping and electronic cigarettes.
By Senator Leyonhjelm’s account, the United Kingdom’s Department of Health was so “taken aback” by the Chapman’s false and misleading statements that they felt the need to set the record straight, which they did by writing to the Senate inquiry into e-cigs. They also published the findings of an expert independent review on e-cigarette safety that estimates e-cigs to be around 95 percent less harmful than conventional cigarettes.
But Chapman isn’t the only one responsible for allegedly misleading the state inquiry into vaping safety, as Leyonhjelm also cited Becky Freeman and Maurice Swanson, which, along with Chapman, were the trio allegedly responsible for misrepresenting the evidence and subsequently misleading the inquiry into vape safety.
Currently in Australia, those who are found to be in possession of nicotine outside of a cigarette can face fines of up to $45,000 as well as jail terms of up to two years. This comes as a result of liquid nicotine being illegal in the country, which may seem strange to some given that cigarettes remain perfectly legal in the country for those 18 years of age and older.
In his rebuke of the trio and the evidence that they presented to the inquiry, Leyonhjelm goes on to say that the notion of Chapman, who led the trio, accidentally misrepresenting the evidence “seems too far-fetched” and that “stretching the truth” for what he perceives to be the greater good “is not beyond the pale, especially for a man like Simon Chapman.”
He goes on to note that Chapman’s qualifications are limited to an undergraduate degree in sociology and a PhD in social medicine, the latter as it relate to the semiotics of cigarette advertising. Which, by his account, just might make him the right man to speak to “if you need to know the meaning behind an ad for Marlboro.”
“So if you need to know the meaning behind an ad for Marlboro, Dr. Chapman might just be the man for you.”
Now if it’s professional advice on health matters that you require, Senator Leyonhjelm stated that you would best to “steer well clear” of Chapman.
Chapman, for reference, is an anti-smoking advocate. Leyonhjelm on the other hand, a politician, believes that the evidence shows that vaping is not only less harmful than smoking, but that it can help smokers quit, which are both points that are backed by scientific evidence.
You can watch the entirety of Senator Leyonhjelm’s speech below.
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