Tobacco Documents Online

-2._ been joincci 1.5Y a pote;nt hsyctiologic:al and behavioral insinuation. First, the smokcr was tolcl' that lie was harming his own health; then the government was pcrsuaded that sx»ol:ins is a sufficient public i-~ealthi hazarel; to require rernedial action. Now, the s]7rokerr is being depicted, as an i.nconsiderate, annoying, self- ish person who is liarming not only his own health but also that of the non-smoker; thus, re strictive measures are" tieing proposed and; enacted' to protect the non- smoker frorn smokers in public places. Typical examp'_es of the non-smoker responses are the following exhibits: C?il siaitakinn-ban Ia«-s After rearlinr: the recent storv, "Smoking ban in puhlic pla ccs eriticizcd,° rclat.ing the rcmarY.s of hfrs. Ann 13rosdcr as a represcntative of the Tobacco Insiitute, Iicoulcl!hardly fcel impressed: Though a tmn-n:nker. I maLc a point nfwnrler- standin{; the icet.+.':>;s of thc "othcr sic:c."'I3:d.' hcr reasons riven in opnnsition to the ne:v la+vs that prohilrit sir.rr6in[ in mamr areas arounrl the coun- try are too weak to Fikc much considcratinn. Contrary to xvha:t \trs. I;ro.ccier thinks, 12n's against ealin~~ gariic, mnnchir-_ nninns, wearing strong prrfurnc, or husnmin;t a, favnrite snnF in lxulilic can hardly hr ertuatccl xvitii smoking. 1'ht•rc arc comc n; •aious diffcrenccs. She states that the Tobacco Institute takes the position that s:nnking "may he hazanlnus tn health." Are the hundreds of stiulics ennctur.trd by public an(U private organizations testinG the cffccts of cigarette smnice on those who inhale it of no cvidhnce? These studics are more con- clnsiti•c than the inctfitute sccm:s willing tcaiaccrpt. 1'Inw clr,cs the institute support its slzncli in con- tradiction to Ihe stat'cn;cnt isvuccl h?.• the sur>;c.nn, t;cncral that "cigarette smoking IS ciangerous to ]ic.itfi?" If smokers are now bcgirnnili>; to fcelllike sec- ond-class citSzcns, maybe Ihcv are unclerstandina what nonsnrol:crs hace felt for t;ir last se.eral decades. It tvill bre intrrestin; to sce the netir laws that may co;rtinuc t'n cmcrcc dospile the cl3iin that they arc "nucnforr.calilc." The sucross nf Ihese lwws may hetp deciifc if they are "unreason, ablc." ANNrTTE 't'tlC:1:T:P 2929 Montavesta P.cl., Lcxington, Ky. LOU ISV ILLi COU]1IEl.-JOURNAL JUN'L 23, 1976