Circulating throughout the media over the weekend was an article that implied The Post is connected to the tobacco industry.
Previously, The Post had published a piece on school vaping policies, vaping misinformation, and the shortsightedness of the Australian government in tackling the vaping crisis. The Post included an interview with Dr Colin Mendelsohn.
In the article published over the weekend, the journalist carefully neglected to mention that Dr Colin Mendelsohn is not simply a “pro-vaping campaigner” — he is a clinician, tobacco researcher, and Founding Chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association with 40 years experience.
The core of his work, and the heart of The Post’s article, revolves around using vapes as an alternative to smoking cigarettes, as Dr Mendelsohn claims they are less harmful.
The Post quoted Dr Mendelsohn: ‘We need to allow people to switch to something safer as a harm reduction when other treatments don’t work.’
The Post is not pro-vaping, or anti-vaping. The Post is an independent, hyperlocal newsmagazine. The way independent media operates (and perhaps the organisation that published the sensational, misleading article can take note) is that we are free to publish any viewpoint.
We make no apologies for the article featuring Dr Colin Mendelsohn, and we stand by its publication. Just as we’re certain the journalist stands by their article about a Nationals member’s comments that the government should legalise and regulate vaping.