Oops! US Vice President-Elect Mike Pence Says Smoking Doesn't Kill You

Science and media say smoking kills; however, Donald Trump's US Vice President-Elect Mike Pance doesn't think so. In an article published in 2000, Pence said "smoking doesn't kill."

The op-ed article published on Buzzfeed shows the then-Indiana governer calling for a "quick reality check" on the "hysteria" of the public and media with regards to the health effects of smoking.

"Time for a quick reality check. Despite the hysteria from the political class and the media, smoking doesn't kill. In fact, 2 out of every three smokers does not die from a smoking related illness and 9 out of ten smokers do not contract lung cancer," wrote Pence.

IFL Science refutes Pence's 2000 claim, saying that despite the different belief of the new Vice President of the US, more and more studies have popped up revealing how deadly smoking is. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 40 million Americans succumb to the habit of smoking cigarattesm and about 13.3 million (one out of three smokers) die from it.

This claim from the running mate of Trump adds to the list of doubts on how Trump's presidency will approach science, health and the environment. Along with Pence's "smoking does not kill" statement, President-elect Trump is a self-proclaimed climate change skeptic, tagging it as a Chinese hoax.

"This is terrifying for science, research, education, and the future of our planet. I guess it's time for me to go back to Europe," said Maria Escudero Escribano, a postdoctoral scholar studying electrochemistry and and sustainable energy conversation at Stanford University, via Business Insider.