Haven't you noticed that with all the anti-smoking blather that arrives nearly every day, there has not been a single actual peer-reviewed scientific report containing disclosure of test methods, subjects, analysis, or any other information that competent persons might use to assess whether the "testing" that's reported actually was done, or if the "conclusions" stated have any validity - for about 5 or 10 years.

All that's published is "The CDC reports that anyone on the planet who smokes a cigarette will make you die."

Alternated with "The DOH reports that anyone on the planet who smokes a cigarette will make you die yesterday."

The absence of any examination of conflicting interpretations is an ABSOLUTE proof of politics rather than science.

"The abject failure of ... scholarship in the Office of ... analysis of ... suggests that what mattered was not that the reasoning was sound, or that the research was comprehensive, but that it delivered what the Bush administration wanted," Whitehouse said.

Ok, so the statement by Sen Whitehouse was on a different subject, and he is a Democrat, but the conclusion can be safely applied to anything published by any US Federal Agency or based on any "research" sponsered by any US Federal funding within approximately the last decade.

March 9 2006 Congress passed a law: Justice Department officials must give reports to Congress by certain dates on how the FBI is using the USA Patriot Act to search homes and secretly seize papers.
Bush's signing statement: The president can order Justice Department officials to withhold any information from Congress if he decides it could impair national security or executive branch operations.

Dec. 30 2006, Congress passed a law: When requested, scientific information ''prepared by government researchers and scientists shall be transmitted [to Congress] uncensored and without delay."
Bush's signing statement: The president can tell researchers to withhold any information from Congress if he decides its disclosure could impair foreign relations, national security, or the workings of the executive branch.

Aug. 8 2006 Congress passed a law: The Department of Energy, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its contractors may not fire or otherwise punish an employee whistle-blower who tells Congress about possible wrongdoing.
Bush's signing statement: The president or his appointees will determine whether employees of the Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission can give information to Congress.

Scientific credibility for ANYTHING BEARING A US FEDERAL ASSOCIATION has been at ZERO (or lower) since the current administration took its place. No comment on other kinds of (mis)information people seem to accept.

Just as it doesn't seem to matter to anti-smokers, it likely won't matter to anti-drinkers. If Bush¹ (as surrogate for Cheney?) gives permission to hate something, the hatred will blossom.

¹ It should be noted though that both the anti-smoking and anti-drinking campaigns, and particularly the villification of "second hand effects," do have origins in UN and NATO "committees" that may predate the US decision that they're fine ideas for keeping the ignorant occupied.

John