Prop N: Vote no to preserve business owners’ rights
A recent letter writer (Oct. 28), regarding Prop N, claimed that second hand smoke “causes approximately 50,000 deaths annually in the United States”, this attributed to a 2006 Surgeon General report.
Oh, really? So how many of these 50 thousand deaths have “Second Hand Smoke” listed as the cause of death on their death certificate? How did the doctor signing the certificate come to that conclusion? Did the Surgeon General follow these people throughout their lives to find out if they had been exposed to second hand smoke? And how often were they exposed? Did they go to a smokey restaurant once a month, twice, or maybe once a week? And why were they sitting in the smoking section of said restaurant if they didn’t smoke? Isn’t every restaurant in Missouri required to have a non-smoking area (since 1988)?
Just because someone claims it is true doesn’t make it true. Read the Surgeon General’s full report. It is a compilation of hundreds of studies done since 1982. Not one of those studies prove conclusively that second hand smoke causes death. Most say that “the evidence is insufficient to point to any correlation between second hand smoke and illness” and were based on questioners. Death due to second hand smoke is not mentioned once. But the Surgeon General did issue a report saying that in his opinion second hand smoke could be harmful.
Is this sufficient cause to take away the rights of private business owner regarding a legal substance? Are we the people going to start taking away right due to rumor or myth? Every restaurant in Missouri has a no-smoking section. And many restaurant owners are choosing to go entirely non-smoking. The choice should be theirs. If you don’t like their choice, go to a different place to eat.
K.W. Hawes
Frontenac
1. Non-smoking sections are a joke…the smoke/carcinogens are still in the air.
2. If there is the slightest chance that second hand smokes might be a factor in someone’s death, shouldn’t we err on the side of banning it?
3. Business owners are under the impression that their businesses will suffer because smokers will quit going there to eat. They will still be serving food, but now non-smokers, asthmatics, etc. will finally be able to breath cleaner air and eat out without walking out of the restaurant with the stench of cigarette smoke attached to their hair, clothes, etc.
Business will not suffer, they will gain customers at a more significant rate than they will lose them.
First they came for the Jew, but I was not a Jew………
What will be next?
More propaganda from an oblivious, egocentric smoker.
Business will not suffer, they will gain customers at a more significant rate than they will lose them.
— Momof1girl
11:52 am October 29th, 2009
Whatever happened with the idea to let the individual business owners decide that for themselves?
“2. If there is the slightest chance that second hand smokes might be a factor in someone’s death, shouldn’t we err on the side of banning it?”
You really want to go down that road? Where do you stop? The list of things that MAY contribute to your death is endless, how many should we ban?
–Number of deaths, year to date, caused incontrovertibly by second-hand alcohol abuse (drunk driving): app. 3000
–Are we to believe that 47,000 more deaths are caused by second-hand smoke than second-hand alcohol abuse? I’m not buying the hype.
–How many deaths per year are caused by second-hand stupidity? Can we outlaw that, please?
–How many bloggers are caused irksome irritation or irreparable derangement by having to read Rotert’s effluvial ejaculations? Is there anything we can do about that?
———
For the liberals: ejaculations: definition-(besides the obvious)-to utter briefly.
If stupidity is classified as a cause of death…
The republican party would have a much greater influence than 33%.
To/ Peter Piper -
To Equate 6 MILLION Plus Human Beings who died during the Holocaust to smokers rights - is not simply offensive, it is nothing short of Insane and Repulsive.
Perhaps you would care to come out and give your correct name - and not be such an ugly coward.
As a non smoker who does Not believe in a smoking ban - I can think up a doz. or more ways to state my belief - WITHOUT - being a compleat fool.
There is simply No Excuse for being so insensitive and so painfully stupid!
“If stupidity is classified as a cause of death…
The republican party would have a much greater influence than 33%.
— Ms. Garrison”
And if stupidity killed, you would be dead. Your statement says if stupidity killed, then there would be more Republicans, meaning liberals are stupid. Thanks for clarifying that, and I agree with you.
It is complete fool, not compleat fool.
At least I am not a “compleat” ignorant ass liberal witch.
Your holiday is fast approaching.