A June 14, 2005 article by Jeanne Whalen in the Wall Street Journal describes an ad campaign by the Lung Cancer Alliance designed to draw attention to lung cancer sufferers who were never smokers -- a strange and possibly misleading tactic given that virtually all lung cancer is attributable to smoking; the article mentions ACSH president Dr. Elizabeth Whelan:
Elizabeth Whelan, head of the American Council on Science and Health, a nonprofit group that aims to eradicate smoking, says she was "upset" by the ad. "I think we should give legitimate attention to the disease whether people smoke or don't smoke," she says.
The Lung Cancer Alliance says it aims to challenge people's negative stereotypes of lung cancer -- not make smokers look worse. The group is planning more ads and a tour of lung-cancer hospitals across the U.S., where it will arrange for doctors to speak about the latest treatment options.
See also: Rivka Weiser's HealthFactsAndFears article on the Lung Cancer Alliance ads.
