Articles by Wesley J. Smith

Visit Wesley J. Smith's blog Secondhand Smoke.


Award-winning author and lawyer Wesley J. Smith is a Senior Fellow at the Discovery Institute, an attorney for the International Task Force on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, and a special consultant for the Center for Bioethics and Culture. In May 2004, the National Journal named him one of the nation's top expert thinkers in bioengineering for his work in bioethics.

Smith left the full-time practice of law in 1985 to pursue a career in writing and public advocacy. He has authored or co-authored eleven books. He formerly collaborated with Ralph Nader, co-authoring four books with the consumer advocate: Winning the Insurance Game (1990), The Frugal Shopper (1991), Collision Course: The Truth About Airline Safety (1993) and No Contest: Corporate Lawyers and the Perversion of Justice in America (1996). He also co-authored Power Over Pain with Eric M. Chevlen, M.D. This book is a consumer's guide to obtaining good pain control.

His book Forced Exit: The Slippery Slope from Assisted Suicide to Legalized Murder (1997) is a broad-based criticism of the assisted suicide/euthanasia movement, and has become a classic in anti-euthanasia advocacy. Forced Exit was first published in 1997, then released in revised paperback in 2003. It was updated again in 2006 and published by Encounter Books under the new title Forced Exit: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and the New Duty to Die.

Smith's book Culture of Death: The Assault on Medical Ethics in America is a warning about the dangers of the modern bioethics movement, and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Books of the Year and Best Health Book of the Year for 2001 (Independent Publisher Book Awards). In Consumer's Guide to a Brave New World (2005), Smith explores the morality, science, and business aspects of human cloning, stem cell research, and genetic engineering. He is currently writing a book about the ideology and dangers of the radical animal rights/liberation movement.

Smith's writing and opinion columns focus on topics including assisted suicide, bioethics, the morality of human cloning, the dangers of animal liberation, legal ethics, and public affairs, and have appeared nationally and internationally in Newsweek, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, The Weekly Standard, National Review, First Things, The Age (Australia), Western Journal of Medicine, and the American Journal of Bioethics. Smith has also been published numerous times in regional publications including the San Francisco Chronicle, Seattle Times, Dallas Morning News, Rocky Mountain News, Detroit News, Orange County Register, New York Post, and others. He is also a frequent source for journalists reporting on issues about which Smith advocates.

Smith's blog "Secondhand Smoke," which defends the unique moral value and importance of human life, is read by thousands of readers each week from all around the world. His bi-weekly podcast commentary, "Brave New Bioethics," presents his views on bioethical issues to a wide internet audience.

Throughout his career in public advocacy, Smith has appeared on thousands of television and radio talk/interview programs, including such national programs as ABC Nightline, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, CNN Crossfire, CNN World Report, the CBS Evening News, Coast to Coast, the Dennis Prager syndicated radio show, the Mike Gallagher syndicated radio show, the Tony Snow radio show, Afternoons with Al Kresta, EWTN, CSPAN-Book TV, Fox News, and CNN Talk Back Live. He has appeared internationally on Voice of America, CNN International, and programs originating in Great Britain (BBC), Australia (ABC), Canada (CBC), New Zealand, Germany, China, and Mexico.

Smith is often called upon by members of legislative and executive branches of government to advise on issues within his fields of expertise. He has testified as an expert witness in front of federal and state legislative committees, and has counseled government leaders internationally about matters of mutual concern.

Smith is an international lecturer and public speaker, appearing frequently at political, university, medical, legal, disability rights, bioethics, religious, and community gatherings throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, and Australia.

Smith lives in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife Debra J. Saunders, who is a syndicated political columnist.