Seeing through the second-hand-smoke haze

Eric Bahrt is twisting my words to suit his purposes. I have never suggested that smoking does not increase your chances of getting cancer. That was not the issue. The issue is the blotting-out of smokers on Thai TV, the banning of smokers from bars, restaurants, parks, malls, airports and public spaces in general, and the draconian taxation of smokers by most countries, including Thailand.

All of this was brought on by the American Surgeon General’s 2006 report on second-hand smoke. Got that, Eric? Second-hand smoke.

Now, let me ask you a question, as you seem to be so well versed in the dangers of smoking. What would be your best guess on the percentage of cigarette smoke in air pollution – a 10th of 1 per cent? What that translates to is that no one has ever died from second-hand cigarette smoke despite the Surgeon General’s claim.

 And, to take that a step further, it also casts a haze over figures for smoking-related lung cancer, because it is possible that some of those cases were caused by air pollution. And yet we smokers are punished while all of the other polluters go untouched. And do you know why, Eric? Because all of the governments taxing tobacco know that, if it ever came to a vote, the non-smokers would support the unjust punishment of smokers because of people like you. So the conspiracy continues, right along with the ignorance. Please get your facts straight before you sound off again. 

John Arnone