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L.A. Publisher Leads Fight Against New Anti-Smoking Proposals  

"Smokers are not criminals." Those are the words of Rich Perelman, Los Angeles-based publisher, as he leads the battle against a motion by Los Angeles City Councilman Bernard Parks to criminalize and ban smoking essentially everywhere in the City of Los Angeles and a resolution to ban smoking throughout the county.

"Imagine a Los Angeles police officer interrogating you if you were smoking a cigarette, cigar or pipe in the hallway of your apartment building, on a street corner, in a parking lot or in back of your office building, in the open air," suggested Perelman. "If Councilman Parks has his way, the officer will be able to cite you, or even arrest you, for using a legal product: tobacco."

Perelman is a principal in Perelman, Pioneer & Company, publishers of several cigar publications and producer of CigarCyclopedia.com

"It's time for everyone -- smokers and non-smokers alike -- to take a stand . . .

"People should stop blaming second-hand smoke from tobacco products for every ailment, especially in outdoor settings,"

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