First Advisor

Robert Strongin

Date of Award

Summer 8-9-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Environmental Science and University Honors

Department

Environmental Science

Language

English

Subjects

Agnotology, Tobacco, E-cigarette, Industry

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which the e-cigarette industry follows in the footsteps of the tobacco industry's attempts to disrupt science and cause controversy. Four tactics are described that the tobacco industry uses to disrupt science: funding research that is designed to show results that support their position, criticizing and suppressing research that goes against their position, changing risk assessment and scientific research standards to fit their aims, and spreading data created by their interest groups to politicians and the nonacademic press. Evidence is found to show that both the tobacco industry and e-cigarette industry use these tactics. It is found that the e-cigarette industry attempts to change the scientific standard and spreads interest group data to the public and to politicians in a more subtle manner compared to the tobacco industry. The e-cigarette industry causing confusion and controversy in the scientific field could result in lower scientific standards and a decrease in the health of the public.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/43673

Download

Share

COinS