I love data-informed opinions and arguments. So, I was fascinated when NPR told me that some academics quietly take side gigs in which they use data to help tobacco companies.
Specifically, tobacco companies argue that, over time, people have become more and more aware of the risks associated with smoking. As such, Big Tobacco argues that they should not be held responsible for the harm caused by smoking.
From NPR:
I went down the rabbit hole to find the original data and more information on Gallups position, and this is what I found:
So, while American's had heard about the potential connection between cancer and smoking, not everyone believed that this was true (41%), and many people weren't sure about the link (29%).
How to use in class:
-Data used in court.
-Data is used by historians.
More here: http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/stuff_for_blog/Ethics-of-Consulting-for-the-Tobacco-Industry.pdf
Specifically, tobacco companies argue that, over time, people have become more and more aware of the risks associated with smoking. As such, Big Tobacco argues that they should not be held responsible for the harm caused by smoking.
From NPR:
I went down the rabbit hole to find the original data and more information on Gallups position, and this is what I found:
 |
| https://news.gallup.com/poll/1717/tobacco-smoking.aspx |
How to use in class:
-Data used in court.
-Data is used by historians.
More here: http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/stuff_for_blog/Ethics-of-Consulting-for-the-Tobacco-Industry.pdf
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