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FREEDOM – UP IN SMOKE - II

By Terry Gray

This is a continuation of last week’s article, Freedom - Up In Smoke?  The two following links are the proposed ordinance as submitted by the Board of Health and the proposed ordinance as written by Councilman Doug Hawkins.  The following article is based on information taken from the Board of Health document, and I’ve inserted these key points for refutation.

Board of Health Proposal

Metro Council Proposal

I just received a copy of  “AN ORDINANCE CREATING A NEW SECTION___________ OF THE LOUISVILLE/JEFFERSON COUNTY METRO CODE OF ORDINANCES BANNING SMOKING IN CERTAIN PUBLIC PLACES.”  It was submitted by the Louisville and Jefferson county Board of Health.

The proposal quotes the Surgeon General of the United States.  Below are some of the data from the reports as stated by the Board of Health.

BOARD OF HEALTH

According to a 1992 report by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), exposure to tobacco smoke in the environment can cause lung cancer in adult nonsmokers. Environmental tobacco smoke is responsible for approximately 3,000 lung cancer deaths annually among adult nonsmokers.

First of all, the study is 11 years old, but that’s okay. From the website, The EPA Report on Second Hand Smoke (SHS) - The Facts:

The famous EPA report was released in December 1992.  The report claimed that Second Hand Smoke causes 3,000 deaths a year.  The EPA had already announced the results but couldn’t come up with 3,000 deaths.  So they doubled their margin of error.  They had already ignored half of the data collected because it didn’t agree with their target result.

BOARD OF HEALTH

In 1997, the California EPA concluded that environmental tobacco smoke causes coronary heart disease and death in nonsmokers.  Scientific studies have estimated that environmental tobacco smoke accounts for as many as 35,000-62,000 deaths from coronary heart disease annually in the United States.

This study is 5 years old, but that’s okay too.  From the website: FORCES - Cal EPA - Fact or Fiction.

According to this article, there has never been a death certificate issued for second hand smoke.

BOARD OF HEALTH

The EPA report also concluded that environmental tobacco smoke causes serious respiratory problems in children, such as greater number of and severity of asthma attacks and of lower respiratory tract infections.

Also from:  FORCES - Cal EPA - Fact or Fiction.

The website found this statistic strange in that a study conducted last year showed that asthma has increased about 11% in children living in Los Angeles.  How can this be when “smoking rates have dropped so dramatically and it is almost impossible to smoke indoors?”

BOARD OF HEALTH

Studies of smoke free restaurant laws from around the country (including California, Colorado, New York, and Massachusetts) have demonstrated that there is no negative impact on restaurant sales or employment from these laws.

Frankly, I’ve found no legitimate studies that tell the story one way or another.  All the websites that I’ve found have said there is no negative impact on bars and restaurants by banning smoking.  However, who knows what kind of “studies” that these anti-smoking coalitions conducted?  I do know that the data gleaned from government studies that indicate any increase in revenue or zero growth by bars and restaurants in areas affected by smoking bans fail to take into account increases in population.

BOARD OF HEALTH

According to the Americans for Nonsmokers Rights Foundation, as of 2002, over 1500 communities throughout the U.S. have adopted some type of partial or complete smoke free restaurant or bar law.

So with Louisville being a “World Class City” we must do it too?  We’ve got a bunch of “Big-Fry Wannabies” in this town that drool at the very thought of big town status. 

BOARD OF HEALTH

The 1986 Surgeon General's Report concludes separation of people and tobacco smoke within the same air space may reduce but does not eliminate exposure to ETS.

Hmm, I wonder why we have an area here called Smoke Town.  Non-smokers have a choice between going into a “smoking” restaurant or not.  There are over 300 voluntary smoke-free establishments to choose from in Jefferson County.  People that breathe our regular, plain old, outdoor air have no choice.

BOARD OF HEALTH

Approximately three fourths (75%) of Jefferson County adults do not smoke.

Yeah, well ninety-eight percent of our automobiles pass the V.E.T. and they are still subject to testing.  When do you people think we might get around to using “majority rules” consistently?

Besides, I’ve spoken to many of the 75% of non-smokers, many of them on our petition against your smoking ban, and they think the proposed ordinance is a direct slap in the face to property owners.

Let me also point out that all studies conducted by the Board of Health are subject to skepticism, especially when given the fact that they cull data from an EPA report that is infamous for its errors and utter deceit.

In my personal opinion, these smoke-free coalitions and other groups attempting to force their ideas, ideals, attitudes, and morals on us are nothing but traitors.  Our country is based on a rule book called the Constitution and these stabs at usurping our rights are an attack on that rule book and as such is an attack on the United States of America.  The founders and members of these organizations should be tried as traitors and hanged on Main Street.  Second hand smoke would be a welcomed option at that point as any breath would be sweet.

(See also http://www.jeffersonreview.com/articles/2003/082503/ballot.htm)

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