Tobacco Documents Online

f UNINERStTY -OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF MEDICINE DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY 3400 SPRUCE STREET rHtLADELPliIA. PA. 18111.t JONATHiAM E. RHOADS. M.D.. PRoressoe or suRCCRY October 27,, 1978 2+ir. Jack McDowell Tobacco Industry Campaigu Manager Suite 404 22 &attery Street San Francisco, Cali'fornia 94111 Dea Mr. McDowell:, Youlhave engaged in a reprehensible form of intelle ctual dishonesty and' have thereby perpetrated'a fraud upon the voters of'Califorsia. You have also ssisused'y siy name in1vhat I consider to be a most unfair ma!nner.. In your eampaigailYterature and in your argument against Proposition 5 in the VotKrs" Pamphlet distributed by the Cal!ifornialSecretary of State to every registered voter in California you quote my words out of context in such a way as to make it appear that'I believe that second~-handlsmoke is harmless to . nonsmokers.: The truth i&that medical evi'dence shows:. C 1) Second-hand smoke from the burning ends of cigarettes can cause. respiratory disease in nonsmokers.. 2) Second-hand smoke can worsen the condition of numerous Califor- nians with heart and lung disorders. 3) While there is as yet no epi'demiol'ogical'evidence that second-hand smoke causes cancer in nonsmokers, neither is there proof'to the contrary. I'made the statement which you quoted out of context in response to~a tele- vision moderator's questi'on dealing,with cancer. My words in their proper context only indicate there was no evidence that second-hand smoke causes cancer in nonsmokers. I was not talking about nonmalignant respiratory disease or heart disease.. This important diatinction; has been on public record since 1'977'vhen I learned my words were being quoted out of'context. I n my opinion youishould'rectify your misuse of'ny words by publishing cor- rections satisfactory to me in every daily newspaper in California. JER: i db 0,: R-5