Publications | Updated | 2 July 2007

Smoke, lies and the nanny state

Grammy award-winning musician Joe Jackson, a member of FOREST's Supporters Council, is best known for hits such as 'Is She Really Going Out With Him?', 'It's Different For Girls' and 'Steppin' Out'. In 1999 he wrote A Cure For Gravity, "a book about music thinly disguised as a memoir", and in 2000 he won a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Album for the non-orchestral Symphony No.1.

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UPDATE ... 02/07/07 ... Angered by the public smoking ban introduced in England on 1st July 2007, Joe has published an open letter to all smokers on his website. His suggestions include get educated, join a campaigning group, do not allowed yourself to be bullied, do not patronise places that forbid smoking, patronise places which make an effort to accommodate smokers, either legally outside or illegally inside. He writes:

"Smokers need to know the true facts. The more we know, the better we can fight back. Do not allow yourself to be bullied. Do not  apologise to anyone. On the contrary, explain to people why you're a victim of unjust discrimination. You are enjoying a legal pleasure with a long and honourable history, and you're contributing £10 billion a year to your country in tax revenue. Be proud.

"Bad laws deserve to be defied, flouted, protested, or circumvented in any way possible ... The smoking ban will not last forever. But the less resistance there is, the longer it will last, the more the 'antis' will crow about what a great success it is, and the more it will serve as a template for all kinds of other social engineering. Every witch hunt seems invincible until a few people have the nerve to stand up to it. Stop being so damn passive. And don't despair; after all, we (not the likes of ASH) are the Party People. Don't stop the party."

To read the full letter click here.

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UPDATE ... 25/06/07 ... Writing from Berlin where he is recording his new album, Joe sent us the following message to be read out at FOREST's Revolt In Style dinner at The Savoy Hotel, London, on Monday 25th June:

"I've been researching smoking issues and trying to fight the antismoking bullies for four years, and I'm very sorry not to be able to join you tonight. If I could, though, I would not be protesting the loss of property rights, loss of tolerance, loss of free choice, and loss of business which the smoking ban will bring about.

"I won't even be talking about so-called smokers' rights, because as long as we're portrayed as both suicides and murderers, we don't have any. The real issue is that the only possible justification for this draconian law, the alleged danger of so-called 'secondhand smoke', is so phoney it stinks to high heaven, and the 12 million of us who smoke in the UK are not going to regain any respect until we stand up and say so.
    
"Honest examination of the actual evidence shows the potential risks involved in smoking to be grossly exagerrated, and the depiction of 'secondhand smoke' as a deadly health hazard to be nothing less than a fraud. The antismoking lobby's dishonesty and its use of fearmongering and statistical junk science are simply staggering. They are getting away with it partly because they are currently rich and powerful, and partly because they are mostly being given a free ride by politicians and the media.

"It has become politically incorrect to question or challenge anyone who speaks in the name of health. As a result, public health institutions become more tyrannous every day, and if health is the new religion, the antismokers are its Spanish Inquisition. But every witch hunt collapses as soon as a few people have the nerve to start fighting back, and sooner or later the current climate of hysteria will give way to one of reason. The smoking ban is not an end, but the first step in that direction."

Joe Jackson, 24th June 2007

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BORN in England, Joe lived in New York for 20 years from 1983 to 2003, when he returned to London. A 'social smoker', Joe has researched the subject of smoking in depth and in 2004 wrote a widely-read essay, 'The Smoking Issue', which was printed and distributed by FOREST to MPs, journalists and broadcasters. Joe has also written articles on the subject for the New York Times, Daily Telegraph and Guardian, among others.

An outspoken opponent of smoking bans, Joe has given valuable support to FOREST, lending his name to countless initiatives. In 2004, for example, he wrote a letter to The Times: signatories included Bob Geldof, Stephen Fry, Lisa Stansfield and Chris Tarrant, plus FOREST supporters Antony Worrall Thompson, Ronald Harwood, Felix Dennis and Trevor Baylis.

Living and working in Berlin since January 2007, Joe has substantially updated 'The Smoking Issue' and the new version, called  'Smoke, Lies and the Nanny State', is available now. (Click HERE.) He writes:

"I've unravelled reams of statistics, met with doctors and academics, and networked with scores of other researchers and activists who are trying to get at the truth. I'm now convinced that the dangers of smoking - and particularly 'passive' smoking - are greatly exaggerated for reasons which have more to do with politics, power and profit than objective science.

"I believe the antismoking movement, especially lobby groups like ASH, has far too much money and influence. Their dishonesty and bullying tactics should be troubling even to tobacco-haters, yet the mainstream media seem mostly paralysed by political correctness and a troubling lack of scepticism towards anything done in the name of health.

"Why don't they point out there is not one documented case of 'secondhand smoke' being proven to cause death? Perhaps journalists could explain that a '25% increased risk' from 'secondhand smoke' is actually a statistically-insignificant increase on an already insignificant risk. Antismokers dodge these issues every time and now claim that the debate is over.

"The phenomenal success of the anti-smoking movement over the last seven or eight years corresponds directly to phenomenal infusions of cash from the Master Settlement Agreement between the tobacco companies and the American states, and from the World Health Organisation going into partnership with the pharmaceutical industry which wants the world's billion and a half smokers off fags and onto nicotine patches and antidepressants. 

"I was talking to my mum the other day. She can't understand so much fuss about things which to her, having grown up in the Second World War, seem so trivial. Now we're being told to be scared of infinitesimal amounts of benzene in 'secondhand smoke'. What planet am I on? Can someone beam me up?!!"

Smoke, Lies and the Nanny State is available HERE.

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Click here to download Joe Jackson's In 20-03 as an MP3 file or order the CD. The high quality MP3 file costs $0.99, the CD $3.99 plus p&p. FOREST will receive a share of the proceeds. If you do not wish to make a donation to FOREST do not order the song!!

Recent albums by Joe Jackson include Afterlife, a live album by the briefly reunited Joe Jackson Band (2004); Volume 4 (Joe Jackson Band, 2002); Symphony No 1; Joe Jackson: The Collection (2001); and Night and Day Vol 2 (2000).

Joe Jackson albums are available from record stores or online on www.joejackson.com or www.amazon.co.uk. 

Joe Jackson's A Cure For Gravity ("a book about music thinly disguised as a memoir") was published in 1999 by Public Affairs/Perseus (USA/Canada) and Anchor/Transworld). Paperback editions are currently available in both North America and the UK.

See also: Protest and survive
Is he really going out with them?
Stubbed out? Not if I can help it!