Tobacco industry tries to dispute the facts
He may tell us that the sky isn’t blue, the grass isn’t green and that toxic tobacco smoke doesn’t injure and kill, but that doesn’t change the facts.
Ah, yes, the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) report on smoking that the tobacco people love to mention was overturned by a US federal judge. What the tobacco people don’t tell us is that the judge worked in North Carolina, which is a tobacco-growing state.
What they also don’t want you to know is that the 4th US circuit court of appeals later threw out his ruling, along with the lawsuit Big Tobacco had wrongly filed against the EPA!
So, the EPA report that Mr Mallon mentioned is, indeed, valid and proves that tobacco smoke injures and kills.
Mr Mallon may not believe the facts, but in the US alone, toxic tobacco smoke kills 65,000 innocent people every year. I’d like to introduce Mr Mallon to my friend, Anne, who has one lung because of exposure to her parent’s tobacco smoke. But I suppose he would consider her tragedy a coincidence.
Ireland has set a great example by prohibiting lethal tobacco smoke in all public places and workplaces. With this life-saving measure you have placed yourselves far ahead of the US and many other countries.
Ireland obviously now recognises that everyone has a right to smoke-free air.
Dave Johnson
2270 Canyonwood Drive
Arlington
Texas 76012
USA.
