The Marlboro Man’s Best Friend
14th September 2018
Kevin Williamson looks at the FDA and government cronyism.
If we had an affordable, easy-to-use device that eliminated 90 percent of the health problems associated with HIV or cervical cancer in exchange for relatively minor risks and side effects, we would consider it monstrous to withhold that product from the market. If we take seriously the idea that cigarette addiction is a disease, one that should be combatted with public-health measures, then we should consider withholding effective assistance fundamentally unethical — even if it is not effective for everyone, and even if there are some undesirable associated effects.
As a public-health tradeoff, vaping is a good deal. It is an obviously good deal.
Ah, but a good deal for whom?