but not to express your disagreement with others. That is unprofessional behavior." This is a strange interpretation of academic freedom, free speech, and scientific integrity. By the way, I don't begrudge ANR's disagreement, as it may exist, with my opinions regarding the scientific evidence related to the short-term effects of smoking bans on heart attacks. I would have been happy to discuss with ANR the scientific evidence and its strength, as well as the analytic and statistical issues involved with the scientific interpretation of these studies. However, ANR's note was not simply a statement of scientific disagreement. It was an accusation of unprofessional behavior on my part. In other words, it was an attack on my personal character and integrity. As I have noted before, this is a common tactic in the anti-smoking movement for dealing with dissent. Rather than deal substantively with the scientific issues, you attack the dissenter, trying to discredit him personally. This is also a tactic that I observed tobacco companies using in years past. This is mildly ironic, as it was my disagreement with and discomfort with this very tactic that led to my resigning from the ANR Board of Directors in the first place. I now see that they haven't come very far since that time. This story simply reinforces (and demonstrates) the argument I made in my commentary: "This is not science, it is politics. ANR has ceased being a science- or policy-based organization and has entered the political realm. ... It's sad