Tobacco.org

LETTER: Smoke out Gear  

Virginia voters were outraged that the legislature took four years to enact the widely popular ban on smoking in restaurants. I hope Peninsula residents have a long memory in the case of Del. Tom Gear.

Gear chaired the six-member subcommittee which peremptorily killed this measure for three straight years and kept it from a floor vote. When a compromise finally enabled the legislature to bypass Gear's subcommittee, he continued to oppose it vocally and even blasted House Speaker William Howell for relenting and allowing a fair vote on it.

When legislators openly and arrogantly defy the clear wishes of their constituents, it is time to show them the door. I urge all voters who value health above the interests of Big Tobacco to defeat Del. Gear.

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LETTER: First smokers’ rights, then yours 

In response to Jason Todtz' rebuttal to Harkins' letter "Smoke not welcome here" on Oct. 26, I support Todtz' right to freedom of speech, his right to work, or not to work, in any business or occupation, his right to frequent, or not, establishments open to the public. I even support a smoking ban in government buildings where the public must go.

However, I do not support the notion that he, nor anyone else, including our government, has a right to tell private business owners that they cannot allow legal activities within their premises. That is what the Iowa smoking ban has done. If I were Todtz, I would be very concerned about the repercussions of this type of legislation.

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LETTER: PAYNE: Clarification on tobacco 

Some points made in your recent article, "Agency warns of candy-like tobacco" (Oct. 26) need to be clarified and corrected. The dissolvable tobacco products made and marketed by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. -- Camel Orbs, Sticks and Strips -- are not "tobacco candy." In fact, these are tobacco products and are sold on the same store shelves as other tobacco products. They carry the same health warnings as other smokeless tobacco products. Their sale is age-restricted and their packaging is child-resistant.

Dissolvable tobacco products have been sold in the U.S. for a number of years.

R.J. Reynolds will work closely with the FDA's Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee and provide any information needed in its analysis of dissolvable tobacco products.

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LETTER: Tax and ban, people still will smoke  

So, the cigarette smokers are being ostracized and their habit is the only logical choice, the only viable choice, and the only rational choice to tax.

Many low income people smoke. . . .

Not all our money is spent on cigarettes, but I’ll be damned if I am going to take responsibility for someone’s children. If I wanted kids, I would have made sure I could provide for and take care of them, not ask other people to do it for me. So, the government can add taxes to one of my little vices, people can complain, and communities, businesses, bars and restaurants can tell us we cannot smoke. But that will just stop me from coming to your community, your restaurants, businesses, and bars and spending my money. I can stay home, not fight the traffic, pay for parking, wait for a table or use the restroom, have my friends over, watch the game on t.v., put something on the grill, and smoke. Just like the Great American Smoke Out, there should be one day across the country when cigarette smokers do not buy cigarettes.

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LETTER: Smokers ignore ban  

My husband, twin 5-year-old girls and I happened by the Renaissance Faire in Wilson Park and thought since the smoking ban went into effect we might actually get to enjoy some of the activities in the park this time. The last time we ventured out to an event in the park we had to leave with two crying children because of all the smokers mixing in with the crowd. We wrongly assumed that since the law had gone into effect that people might actually observe it and show some consideration for others who might not want to smoke their cigarettes with them. . . .

My children were excited to go and confused when they saw smokers ignoring the ban, and I think it is pretty sad when children comment about people breaking laws and being inconsiderate, and the adults breaking the law apparently don't care about the people around them.

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LETTER: Where's the smoking ban?  

The Editor, Sir:

The Ministry of Health promised us earlier this year that it would be moving during the first quarter of the current fiscal year for the enactment of comprehensive legislation respecting a ban on smoking in public spaces.

We are coming towards the end of the third quarter of this fiscal year and the silence from the ministry on this promise has been rather deafening. One wonders whether 'special interests' may be at work here in preventing this from becoming a reality. . . .

It is full time now, Minister, that you stop the pussyfooting and bring meaningful action to restrict severely this bad and unhealthy practice of smoking.

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LETTERS: Proposition N: Let business owners decide  

LETTERS: Proposition N:Save jobs, tax dollarsand freedom: Vote No  

The editorial "Their smoke, your health" (Oct. 25), in favor of the St. Louis County smoking ban, did not provide all the reasons why people are opposed to Proposition N, which will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. The ban is unfair, isn't needed and could cause a loss of jobs and tax dollars for St. Louis County.

Perhaps the most obvious reason to oppose the smoking ban is that it needlessly would infringe on the freedom of those who want to enjoy a cigarette in places where smoking is allowed. Any person bothered by such establishments has the freedom to not patronize them.

And modern filtration systems have all but eliminated the dangers of secondhand smoke. . . .

On Nov. 3, St. Louis County voters can save jobs, save tax dollars, save freedom and help many small businesses stay in business by voting "no" on Proposition N.

Bill Hannegan -- St. Louis

LETTER: Obama blowing smoke?  

Maybe I missed it, but is President Obama still smoking cigarettes?

He seems to be very involved with wanting to invoke change in the country’s health care system, but if he hasn’t yet invoked a change in personal nicotine addiction, I urge members of Congress and the citizens of the U.S. to take another look at his pleas.

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LETTER: Is a cigarette butt acceptable litter? 

Would an educated, considerate and articulate smoker please explain why flicking a cigarette butt out of a car window or otherwise tossing it on the road or sidewalk seems to be perceived by the cigarette-smoking population as an acceptable form of littering?

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LETTER: Rodeos likely to end tobacco sponsorships  

There is great news for families that enjoy the sport of Rodeo. We are one step closer to tobacco-free rodeo events.

The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) announced last week that U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company (and their new parent company ALTRIA - AKA Philip Morris) will be ending their sponsorship agreement with the PRCA at the end of this year.

Hopefully this signals the start of a tobacco-free era for professional rodeo. Rodeo has been around since the 1800's. Tobacco sponsorship of rodeo began in 1986.

A number of organizations including, Buck Tobacco, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Oklahoma Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT), Montana REACT, and many others have been instrumental in sending out the message - Rodeos Are For Families - Not Big Tobacco.

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LETTERS: Use snus, you lose 

LETTER: Liked story on fellow Native Americans 

I was elated to finally read a story picked up by your news service via the Associated Press. The story concerned 14 smoke shops located on the Poospatuck Indian reservation. . . .

Located close to Long Island, Harry Wallace is a fellow Native American but a greater leader. He has held true to his people and those who wish to retain a true and free identity. He is a man renowned by a large contingent of our people; the Poospatucks have demonstrated what the smaller nation can achieve over the years. Harry and our leaders met many years ago at a time when our nation at Akwesasne was under siege.

We at Akwesasne also have several smoke shops, yet they have not thrived because the majority are controlled by the St. Regis Mohawk Tribal Council. As a larger collection of nations, we keep in touch daily.

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Smoking Bans Reduce Heart Attacks and Disease - Readers' Comments 

Smoking bans: an issue of rights or health? 

What's the most divisive political issue these days? The president's Nobel Prize? Health-care reform?

At the community level in and around Indianapolis, I think it might be smoking in public.

Whether it's a proposal to toughen the existing ordinance in Indianapolis, or the debates on whether to extend them throughout surrounding communities, I can't think of a topic that causes people to react more quickly or more emotionally.

And I can understand why.

For a nonsmoker who grew up in a nonsmoking family, I've always felt that I had a pretty good grasp of both sides of the issue. . . .

Some area communities, most notably Fishers, still don't have any limits on smoking in public. Others -- Zionsville, Plainfield and Franklin -- have stronger smoking bans than Indianapolis.

But most communities have followed Indianapolis' lead -- banning smoking in most workplaces but allowing it in some bars and nightclubs. Westfield is the most recent to enact this partial ban.

What do you think? At what point do rights of ownership and privacy supersede the goal of promoting public health?

Let's chat about it on Friday during my online discussion of community issues at IndyStar.com/communitychat, starting at 1 p.m. If you can't join us then, send me an e-mail or leave a telephone message.

I look forward to hearing from you.

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