Newly uncovered documents reveal a shocking pattern of manipulation by state health officials in their efforts to ban flavored tobacco products. According to the evidence, officials traveled to towns, carefully scripting public hearings to sway opinion in their favor, and even recruited teenage witnesses to testify against flavored tobacco. The officials' goal was to present a united front against flavored tobacco, and each successful ban was touted as a major victory. The revelations raise serious questions about the legitimacy of these bans and the tactics used to implement them, sparking concerns about the erosion of individual freedoms and the potential for government overreach.
State health officials scouted towns, scripted hearings, recruited teen witnesses, and celebrated each ban as a "win."
