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_________________________ SMOKE SCREEN May 2, 2004 _________________________ RISK REDUCTION “It has been estimated that over 400,000 people die from smoking-related illness in the United States each year. On the other hand, if all smokers were instead smokeless tobacco users, the worst-case scenario would predict the loss of 6,000 lives annually from smokeless tobacco-related oral cancer. Stated another way, 394,000 people annually could live longer and more productive lives if they switched from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco. Name another health care strategy that has the potential for a 98% reduction in premature death.” - Dr. John Kalmar, professor at Ohio State University TEMPORARY? YEAH, RIGHT “A temporary 12 cents-per-pack tobacco tax increase meant to raise at least $30 million for schools was recommended yesterday by the (New Hampshire) House Ways and Means Committee. Saying it is a necessary evil to balance the state’s education fund, the committee voted 9-8 for what the majority called the best revenue source available.” - The Union Leader, 4/28/04 HYPO-TAXATION “One way to think about the hypocrisy in our tax laws is to compare the taxes levied on various products. For example, in Rhode Island, you can buy 240 six-packs of beer, and still pay less excise tax than you would pay on only one carton of cigarettes. In New York, you can buy 400 bottles of wine -- that's more than 33 cases of wine -- and pay less excise tax than for one carton of cigarettes. Is that a fair way to tax products? Or is it another example of hypocrisy in our government and our tax laws? “Smokers make up about 21 percent of the U.S. adult population, and they are already paying more than their fair share of the tax burden. The government makes more money off cigarettes per minute than the average family makes in a year. Federal taxes on cigarettes have increased 62.5 percent since 2000. Government tobacco revenue has increased over 75 percent since 1999. Yet proposals to further increase cigarette taxes are made frequently -- usually to fund new or expanded government programs unrelated to tobacco control. Raising cigarette taxes perpetuates the hypocrisy of ‘politically correct’ tax profiling of adult smokers.” - R.J. Reynolds website ANTI-SMOKING MILITIA “I have never smoked but this (smoke ban) stuff has made me crazy. The anti-smoking militia has convinced a willing public that their decision to patronize an establishment is somehow an entitlement which gives them the authority to dictate the terms of their patronage. Next thing you know, we'll have price controls on menus.” - Reader Donna Brosemer of Palm Beach Gardens, FL IT’S ABOUT LIBERTY “Hi, Chuck. Although I don't smoke, and much as I dislike cigarette smoke in restaurants (especially), I also don't approve of the level of inconvenience and taxes that have been imposed on smokers. And, yes, it IS a matter of liberty!” - Reader David Fafarman TREATING ADULTS LIKE KIDS “Dear Chuck: How much can we restrict volitional adult behavior and still claim to be a ‘free’ country? Who goes to a bar and reasonably expects a smoke-free environment? Furthermore, who HAS to go to a bar? If there were a huge demand for smoke-free bars, would not entrepreneurs be accommodating it in droves? ‘Because I say so’ and ‘Because I don't like it’ are reasons given to five year olds, not adults. The nanny state has to be stopped!” - Reader Robert L. Qualls of White Bluff, TN INFORMED CHOICE “Chuck: Pierce County Washington has an indoor smoking ban that is looking to go statewide, by initiative, in November. This flies in the face of the rights of property owners to make that decision about their business practices for themselves. If the Health Departments wants to ‘do good,’ then they should require (at a maximum) that property owners who own businesses to simply place a sign on the front door of their establishment that says, ‘This is a smoke free establishment,’ or conversely, ‘Smoking allowed in this establishment.’ Then it is up to the customer to decide whether or not to enter. Let the customer and the business owner decide what their risks will be.” - Reader Jennie Stephenson, University Place, WA BLEEDING HEART WUSSY WORKERS “Hi Chuck: I am a non-smoker. That said, and although I appreciate being able to walk into a restaurant and not have to breathe someone else's smoke, I STRONGLY oppose government sticking it's nose into a restaurant/bar owner's business relative to smoking. Let the restaurant owner decide whether or not to allow smoking. The clientele will determine for the owner whether said decision is good or bad. The free market DOES work - if government lets it. “For those bleeding heart wussy workers who claim they are forced to work in a smoke-filled workplace - let them go get a job with an employer who doesn't allow smoking. Last time I checked, the average waiter/waitress is not forced to work at a specific restaurant/bar. They need to stop whining and do what needs to be done to put themselves in a place where they are happy with their work environment. If they don't like smoke - don't work where it is allowed.” - Reader Deb Peters, Pendleton, NY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE CASH COW RUNS DRY? “Hey Chuck: I had a thought - if all these states had their way no one would be smoking - right? That is why they keep increasing the sales tax on cigarettes, right? And if the tax money and the tobacco settlements were used for what they are supposed to be used for - for programs to get people to stop smoking and for all of the costs of treating the effects of smoking (cancer, heart disease, etc.) then I would say no problem. But from what is being shown they aren't spending their money on those things. It is mostly being used in general spending! But what are they going to do for cash when their goal is reached and no one is smoking?” - Reader Beth Ann Sammons TAX AND SPEND FOOLS “It's pretty obvious that the cigarette tax and spend fools, and those who support the cigarette tax simply because they don't smoke, have never asked themselves one major question? Once they have put all legal sales of cigarettes out of business, where will they get the tax money to replace these cigarette taxes? All that these taxes will serve to do is create a huge black market for cigarettes. Then the tax and spend idiots will be looking at a bigger tax grab somewhere else. It's certainly a slippery slope.” - Reader R. Monroe of Las Vegas, Nevada DISSENTING OPINION ON KY BAN “I read with sadness the Kentucky Supreme Court's ruling against Lexington business owners that affirmed the legality of the smoking ban. While many will read the headlines, most will not read the wise dissenting opinion of Justice William Graves. Graves writes that…’tobacco is a legal product and smoking is a legal activity,’ and that the ‘business owner should have the choice’ to allow smoking or not. . . . Shame on the Urban County Government and the Kentucky Supreme Court. - Keith Krey, Lexington Herald-Leader, 4/28/04 BARTENDERS OBJECT TO BAR BAN “Many Wisconsin cities are considering a strict smoking ban like the one recently approved in Madison, but local bartenders say even if such bans are implemented, enforcing them is easier said than done. “...Bartenders like Jeffrey Awihart of the glass hat argue that trying to enforce a smoking ban would take up all their time. ‘Every time somebody lights up and they smoke, are they supposed to go run from behind the bar and not serve the customer? It just couldn't be done.’ But that hasn't stopped cities from considering the idea, and city officials say it's only a matter of time before every community in Wisconsin has a smoke-free ordinance.” - WASW.com, 4/27/04 JUST WRONG "(Smoking is) a legal act that somebody is telling me I can't do. That's just wrong. The next thing you know, there will be a junk food ban." - Jeff Schwab of Lexington, KY, on the city’s recent court-approved ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/27/04 JUNK FOOD BAN NEXT? “Suppose you are a restaurant owner. And in your restaurant, the majority of the food on your menu is high in fat, salt, sugar, calories, and a host of other things that are typically associated with bad eating habits, obesity, and poor health related to a poor diet. Such a restaurant is not unlike many ‘soul food’ or ‘fast food’ restaurants here in the United States. “Then one day, the state or local government has the ‘brilliant’ idea that in order to reduce the costs and incidents associated with treating obesity and diet-related illnesses, it will ban all ‘bad’ foods from all restaurants. After all, no one should have to endure the constant barrage of tasty desserts and fried foods all around you when eating out – right? “To many, the silliness of this question seems readily apparent, and the likelihood of such government prohibitions on ‘bad’ foods seems far-fetched – until you consider the increase in smoking restrictions being imposed on PRIVATE businesses, like your hypothetical restaurant.” - Columnist Sean Turner DON’T GIVE ‘EM ANY IDEAS! “(Atlanta) Councilwoman Cleta Winslow...argued that the council is going too far by attempting to ban cigarettes from limousines. ‘We're getting to the point where we're almost telling people not to smoke in their private cars,’ Winslow said.” - Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 4/27/04 OOPS...TOO LATE “Lawmakers in California are considering a proposal to make it illegal to light up in a private car if children are present. The legislation, which is being proposed by Assemblyman Marco Firebaugh, D-Los Angeles, would make California the first state in the nation to permit police to cite motorists for smoking a pipe, cigar or cigarette in a car with children under 19 present.” - UPI, 4/27/04 ******************************** SMOKE SCREEN is published by: Citizen Outreach Chuck Muth, President/Editor 611 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, #439 Washington, DC 20003 (410) 391-7408 For more information, visit us at www.citizenoutreach.com
