Tobacco Documents Online

~^ .. ~ ~._..~..,C~ L01I22J.31o1 - ' . ~jougc oi .epregcntatibeg €Ziasfjington, 38.~. 20515 C ongr"of Oje Ziniteb '%)tate~ September 18, 1978 • The Honorable Alfred E. Kahn Chairman Civil Aeronautics Board 1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20428 Dear Mr. Chairman: •LOYO J.LU/TON A6RICVLTVR[ M[RCNANT MARINC •NO II {N[R I{{ Last week, on September•7, the Subcommittee on Tobacco of the Ccmmittee on Agriculture conducted a hearing on the effects of smoking on nonsmokers. The testimony pre- sented at that hearing included much information that bears directly on the proposed revision'of the regulations governing smoking aboard commercial aircraft now being considered by the Civil Aeronautics Board. I enclose a transcript of the hearing and commend it to your attention. The expert testimony presented at the hearing reinforced the conclusion (with which the CAB concurred in its 1976 notice of proposed rulemaking in the smoking proceeding) that smoking aboard airplanes raises no legitimate public health questions. The Committee heard testimony from noted physicians who specialize in heart and artery disease, lung conditions, and immunology, all of whom concluded that ambient cigar, cigarette, or pipe smoke in the quan- tities encountered in normal circumstances (including conditions like those aboard aircraft) poses no threat to the health of nonsmokers. You may be especially interested in the testimony of two physicians (Drs. Fisher and Knoebel) and a pharmacologist (Dr. Booker). These witnesses revie•w_,? the research by Dr. Aronow concerning the effects of passive smoking on persons suffering angina pectoris, a report of which was, I understand, recently transmitted to you by Secretary Califano. Each of these experts concluded that, because of methodological problems and other limitations, the Aronow study cannot properly be relied upon to prove any- thing about the actual effects of tobacco smoke on non- smokers. cc.' ~Nj cc: JRGj

I The Honorable Alfred E. Kahn Page 2 September 18, 1978 C Other witnesses testified concerning the psychological effects of smoking bans on smokers, the•sociological back- ground of the anti-smoking movement, and the attitudes of ordinary persons concerning smoking in public. Their testimony clearly shows that public smoking is an issue of little concern to the overwhelming majority of ordinary Americans, including nonsmokers. I think you will agree that the information developed at the September 7 hearing strongly supports a decision not to impose further restrictions on smoking aboard airplanes. The rights of millions of persons who wish to smoke should not be sacrificed merely to serve the interests of a relative handful of anti-smoking advocates. With kindest: regards, I am ~ WBJ: jh Enclosure WALTER B. JONES Member of Congress {