Sioux City Journal

Get educated on dangers of secondhand smoke

Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008

LAWTON, Iowa -- Once again I was reading the Letters section of the Journal and noticed one written about the smoking ban and if "this were a free country," blah, blah, blah ...

I ask myself: Has this person truly not done any research or reading to know what the real facts are, and statistics related to secondhand smoke? If so, are they really that selfish, or possibly egotistical (to think it's all about them) that they don't care about the medical facts and ramifications?

You can't equate the smoking ban to overeating; an obese person only does themselves physical and medical harm, not those around them while they are overeating. Nor can you equate it to drinking alcohol as there are legal limits which people are held accountable to. Please, I urge smokers and nonsmokers alike to educate themselves on the facts and statistics in order to make intelligent and valid points for argument - not just ones based on emotion.

For example, a University of Indiana study in November of 2007 found that after the smoking ban in Indiana went into effect, hospital admissions for nonsmoking heart attack victims went down by 70 percent - yes, 70 percent.

Please, get on-line, go to the library, etc., to read the real facts and impact on others' lives before you make a bold statement such as "if this were a free country..." You may find that your personal actions and choices hurt others more than you realize. -- Sheila Zimmerman

Story Comments

To William Brent wrote on Jul 31, 2008 4:16 PM:

" Sorry, but the reason tobacco hasn't been banned while asbestos and lead paint have is quite simple. Asbestos and lead paint don't have a legislative lobby. "

William Brent wrote on Jul 31, 2008 11:06 AM:

" There is no conclusive information that second-hand smoke does any harm. If smoking truly caused the problems that "experts" say it does, it would go the way of asbestos and lead paint. "

Flash wrote on Jul 31, 2008 9:56 AM:

" Remember when we were little kids and our Mom or Dad said: If you keep doing that and abusing it,,we'll take that away from you. Welllll when you're trying to enjoy the taste of food and the smoke from someone's lung is floating in my face, I say that's abuse. Be good and maybe you can have it back. "

you started something wrote on Jul 30, 2008 9:53 PM:

" I'm a welder, when the hell is the government going to protect me??? "

Truth is wrote on Jul 30, 2008 3:58 PM:

" A math quiz to put second-hand smoke in perspective.
Say a non-smoker inhales the equivalent of 1 complete cigarette while at a restaurant or bar, and goes there every night of the year. This would be 365 cigs a yr, or 18.25 packs per yr.
I smoke 3 packs per day (truth), or 1095 packs per year.
I have been smoking for 40 years (truth).
This means you are getting approx. 1/60th (1095\18.25) the amount of cigarette smoke from the restauant or bar each year then what I get from smoking 3 packs a day.
As a result you would have to visit a restaraunt or bar every day for the next 2400 yrs (60x20) to inhale the same as I have in the past 40 yrs, and I am still alive.
Smoking may get ME in the end....but not the non-smoker.
Truth is non-smokers just don't like the smell of cigarettes. "