As students at Meharry Medical College, we are proud to be a part of a legacy of integrity that is centered on improving the health of underserved communities. For 143 years our institution has prioritized research aimed at eliminating health disparities. Now it seems that the next generation of Big Tobacco wants in on our legacy.
In a precarious deal, Meharry Medical College accepted $7.5 million from JUUL Labs, Inc. to conduct a longitudinal study on the long-term effects of e-cigarettes. It goes without saying that this presents an egregious conflict of interest.
Tobacco giant Altria, maker of the nation’s #1 cigarette brand Marlboro, owns a third of JUUL, and we know that tobacco-related research funded by the tobacco industry rarely tells the whole truth. For that reason, the scientific community does not deem such research credible. But there is more at stake here then the credibility of our research. The health of our people is at stake.
The short-term effects of e-cigarettes are now on the national stage for anyone to observe. When the battle against cigarettes was almost won, nicotine addiction rates among teens skyrocketed as if
overnight, thanks to JUUL. E-cigarettes have also duped smokers who want to quit into becoming dual users.
For every adult who manages to quit by using an e-cigarette, 81 teens start vaping. And now, with at least 6 recorded deaths related to e-cigarette use, even President Trump has recognized that something isn’t right here. These shocking rates are on the rise among the general population, but e-cigarette use is still relatively low among African-Americans. But we have a feeling that JUUL knows just what to do about that.
The tobacco industry has a long history of using their dollars to develop relationships with Black institutions to buy their silence and increase sales in Black communities. They have a legacy of using flavors including wintergreen, peppermint, and menthol to draw and addict our people. And they have a long history of using their dollars to fight any effort to remove flavors from cigar products most prevalent among African Americans like Swisher Sweets and Black ‘n Mild.
We know enough about their deadly legacy to reject this partnership. Plainly, any association with the number-one killer of African Americans undermines Meharry’s mission to improve minority health. It taints our legacy.
Meharry’s administration has contended that this partnership is a unique opportunity for us to have a
seat at the table and be a part of decisions that involve us. Well, as students of Meharry Medical College we are willing to stand on top of that table to say that not all money is good money.
We are not—and have never been—so desperate. We trust that Meharry’s leaders will eventually become more transparent as this partnership solidifies. But let us be clear: We do not trust JUUL, and we will fight for ourselves.
The legacy we must leave as students is one that holds our cherished school accountable and one that keeps the tobacco industry out of our community. Our legacy is serving the underserved. Our heritage is “the worship of God through service to mankind.” Let us not imbrue our legacy. And let’s continue to be good stewards of our community’s trust and our community’s health.
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