Scientology/Hubbard and Smoking
Expert: Laurie Hamilton - 8/8/2006
QuestionI recently discovered a Hubbard quote from the "Auditor Effect on Meter" lecture he gave July 19th, 1961:
"Well, there are societies in England that are having an awfully good time fighting the cigarette. They can't do anything else, so they fight cigarettes. And they say that the cigarette causes lung cancer. And they've -- you've been hearing something of this, I'm sure. Yeah. Not smoking enough will cause lung cancer. Not smoking enough will cause lung cancer! If anybody is getting a cancerous activity in the lung, the probabilities are that it's radiation dosage coupled with the fact that he smokes. And what it does is start to run out the radiation dosage, don't you see. But I'd say that would be better than not running out any of the radiation dosage at all and the number of lung cancer cases which exist, of course, that don't smoke are just forgotten about by these societies, but they are very numerous.
Anyway, there's nicotinic acid in that cigarette. Inevitably, on inhalation of tobacco, you will get some of this phenomena of face flush, but in view of the fact that a cigarette isn't pushing its smoke over the outside of the body but on the inside, of course, you run it out internally."
You can listen to this quote and hear it in L. Ron Hubbard's own voice here:
http://www.xenu.net/archive/multimedia.html
LRH's lecture seems to suggest that he does not believe that smoking is dangerous. More specifically, that smoking does not cause lung cancer and that the opposite is true: smoking less can lead to cancer. This claim goes against the research and knowledge of medical professionals across the globe and contradicts both the FDA and Surgeon General.
While I understand that smoking cigarettes in the 1960's was more accepted, it still seems to be an outrageous claim to not only go against the latest health findings, but to proclaim the opposite with no scientific support.
I believe that is indisputable and worthy to note that LRH had a great influence over his followers. It could then be a concern that so many are imitating his behavior and putting themselves at risk for a number of medical complications including, but not limited to emphazema, lung cancer, throat cancer, and tongue cancer as well as exposing everyone in their presence to these dangers. It is particularly worrisome since it is documented that former Scientologists have commented on the quote above. They explain that a large number of Sea Org and staff members are chain smokers, emulating Hubbard's own addiction.
I understand from a previous response that Scientology is "Ron's work" and that there is nothing criminal or morally wrong with smoking, as long as you are of legal age. However, nicotine is a substance that has not only been proven to be addictive but also carcinogenic. Is it true that Scientologists today still follow LRH's teaching that smoking improves one's health and are encouraged to mimic his addiction? Or, is there an overall acceptance that their leader was misinformed? If so, are there programs to denounce the addiction and teach about its dangerous and often deadly properties?
AnswerMy best information is that Ron quit smoking in the late 70's (and quit saying it was harmless in the late 60's).
Most Scientologists I know today (including Sea Org members) do not smoke, even if they did in the 60's and 70's.
Scientology does not promote or decry smoking.
Nicotine does not cause cancer. The tars and other hydrocarbons in cigarettes, as best we understand, do. Nicotine is, however, addictive.
No, we do not fight smoking. We do not permit it indoors in most (maybe all) of our churches, so staffers who want to do it have to take a break and go outside. But whether people smoke or not is outside the purview of Scientology.
"Nicotinic acid" is also known as niacin. Niacin (B3) is actually a precursor to nicotine in plants, and tobacco may have some B3 in it. I'm not sure. However, niacin does seem to help restore health in radiation-damaged tissues. Why, I don't know. Nicotine and niacin also have similar effect as to capillary relaxation and increased blood flow (which is why smoking makes people more alert in spite of the carbon monoxide). So, whether Ron had something there as to the beneficial effect of some PART of cigarette smoke, I don't think any Scientologists smoke today because he said that in the 50's.