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From: mark@cbosgd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.flame
Subject: To smoke or not to smoke
Message-ID: <202@cbosgd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 17-Aug-83 22:54:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: cbosgd.202
Posted: Wed Aug 17 22:54:43 1983
Date-Received: Thu, 18-Aug-83 12:46:52 EDT
Organization: Bell Labs, Columbus
Lines: 69

I've been watching this debate go by for some time now.  It was quite
entertaining for a while, but now it's degenerated into Tim and Laura
on one side and a few others on the other side repeating the same
arguments over and over, plus some personal attacks that would be
out of place anywhere except net.flame.  I'm getting almost as bored
with this discussion as with the 55 mph/tailgater stuff.

I'd like to point out that if tobacco were invented today (assuming
it hadn't been around for 500 years), the FDA would refuse to allow
it on the market.  It's known to cause cancer and heart disease.
Furthermore, users of this new invention are known to "create a
public nuisance when done in public.

As I see it, there are two primary reasons why tobacco is still around.
The first is that the tobacco industry has an INCREDIBLY powerful
lobby in Congress.  (They are making a fortune off this weed, and they
are quite prepared to spend big bucks to ensure that tobacco farmers
continue to be subsidized, no legislation that cuts down on smoking
[such as the two recent initiatives in California] gets passed, to
fund phony studies that claim smoking does not cause cancer in smokers
or bystanders, and to generally keep the profits up.)  (I wonder what
the lobby is like in Canada, if it exists?)

The second is that society changes slowly.  30 years ago, everybody
smoked (well, at least, all men did - 30 years ago women didn't count
much) and nobody had any idea it was harmful.  Why, smoking was as
commonplace as spitting!  (Dig out an old book, such as "Catcher in
the Rye", sometime, and note the amount of smoking.)  It was downright
bad manners not to offer someone a cigarette, and you could bum one
or a light off any passerby.  While a much smaller percentage of our
generation (I'm 27) smokes (especially among highly educated people,
such as those working with computers and reading netnews), the people
from 30 years ago are still around, and make up a big percentage of
the population.  They are used to being able to smoke anywhere they
please.  Such things change slowly.  I bet in another 30 years, so
few people will smoke that it won't be a problem, and legislation
would be a moot issue.  (How much need is there to enforce the "no
spitting" laws that are probably on the books today?)

I personally would love to be able to completely avoid smokers.  I'm
allergic to the stuff - this isn't just personal preference.  I manage
to avoid smoke in most places - few smokers work with computers and
those that do are invited not to smoke in my office.  (Aside - I'd
really like to get one of those "Danger - No Smoking" signs for my
office - anyone know where I can get one?)  Most smokers are very
cooperative about such things.  But there are certain places that
are always smokey.  Restaurants are one.  (I miss the required
no-smoking sections in Berkeley.)  Airport gates are another - everyone
seems to be storing up nicotine for those 20 minutes the plane takes
to take off.  Airplanes are another - my sinuses are usually stuffed
up for the whole flight, even though I'm in nonsmoking, because the
air conditioning blows the stuff right at me.

I would be tickled pink to see legislation that helps me avoid smokers.
I don't want to forbid them the right to smoke.  I want to have a place
I can go that isn't smokey!  I don't think that's asking too much.

By the way, someone claimed perfume and synthetic fabrics are comparable
to smoke.  They aren't.  I'm allergic to perfume too, but not very much
perfume can get through the air and bombard my nose.  (Most people
allergic to perfume are just unable to WEAR it.)  Cigarette smoke hits
me like a ton of bricks.  Synthetic fabrics are oranges to smokes apples -
nobody is requiring me to go out and wear synthetic pants - can can wear
cotton if I choose.  An allergist will tell their patient "avoid the
things you are allergic to.  Get rid of the cat.  If you're allergic to
dust, don't go to the rodeo.  If you have hay fever, stay indoors, preferably
in air conditioning.  If you're allergic to smoke, don't eat or fly."

	Mark Horton