One of the most important figures in the anti-smoking movement in this century has joined the Board of Directors of NJoy. Richard Camona, who was the surgeon general under President George W. Bush for four years, will be an advisor to the company on regulatory and public health issues, as well as research into electronic cigarettes.

Camona, during his time as surgeon general, was a vocal supporter of banning all tobacco products, and issued an important report on the effects of second hand smoke. He is said to be one of the most influential figures in the spread of smokin bans throughout the United States during the 2000s.

Camona tells the Associated Press that he may end up being the company’s biggest critic, but also that if the science behind e-cigarettes supports the use of ecigs as a smoking withdrawal device that reduces harm to users, he would support such a method.

Interestingly, when he testified before Congress in 2003, he criticized the suggestions that there might be safer tobacco smoking alternatives. Carmona is on the faculty of the Uniersity of Arizona as a public health professor and is president of a health and wellness institute in Tucson.