Nov 28, 2010

Another study proves secondhand smoke kills


Another study, this one worldwide, reinforces the more than 20 year-old scientific fact that secondhand smokes kill non-smokers and causes numerous diseases and ailments.

Last week an international research study by the World Health Organization found that secondhand smoke kills more than 600,000 non-smokers and millions more get sick each year from secondhand smoke.

The study was based on data obtained from 192 countries and was published last week in the British medical journal The Lancet. The good news for Michigan, and the more than 37 other states with workplace smoking ban, is that the proper enforcement of smoking bans worldwide would greatly eliminate the risk of secondhand smoke in places such as bars and restaurants by 90 percent.

This news comes on the heels of a Detroit Free Press story trying to blame
a 25 percent drop in attendance and revenue at bingo parlors and charity card games in the most recent quarter on the popular workplace smoking ban that went into effect on May 1 instead of the real drop in disposable income.

The fact remains that there is no credible evidence or study that indicates a workplace smoking ban hurts business. In fact, the opposite is true. There is, however, plenty of antidotal evidence supported by nothing, like the observation of George Saroki, 63, of Commerce Township, who mistakenly thinks he has the right to light up anywhere he wants to.

“Saroki said he has to leave the poker room and walk outside to have a cigarette, a trip that could take five minutes.”

Wow. Five whole minutes. Well then, I can see he has a right to endanger the health of the 80 percent of non-smokers.

But Don Wawrzyniak, who runs the most lucrative charity poker room in Michigan at Snooker's in Utica, has never allowed smoking at the table and has seen no drop in business.

“Wawrzyniak said players never were allowed to smoke at the card tables and had to be a few steps away to light up anyway. Since the ban, they now walk about 50 feet to the front door, where they can smoke on the sidewalk out front.”
"We've got more families coming in now," Wawrzyniak said. "So far this year, we've raised $1.2 million for charity."

6 comments:

Not Anonymous said...

Gee, a guy that runs a non smoking bingo table sees no drop off in business from the smoking ban. Let me see, what could the reason for that be? Could it be that non smokers play bingo there?

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that a business that is a non smoking business (by choice) prior to the ban, would not lose business after a smoking ban was put in place.

It does however make another of your comments a contradiction. You claim that there is no credible evidence that businesses are losing money due to the smoking ban, and claim that there is a business drop off because of the economic conditions.

If that position were correct, then your example of the guy with the non smoking bingo parlor should be having a drop off due to the economy. Your argument actually lends credence that the smoking ban is hurting business in this state.

Give a liberal enough time and enough rope and they'll hang themselves with their own words, as you just did.

As for the World Health Organization's (WHO) study, I don't put any stock in it. Several years ago, I believe in 1996 th WHO put out a study on cholesterol. They said that if you eat bran it lowers your cholesterol. Everyone jumped on the bandwagon and started eating more bran.

After six months the WHO came out and said that their study was flawed and that there was no added benefit to cholesterol levels from eating bran.

Bran is good for you, but it does nothing for cholesterol.

Communications guru said...

I already know the answer, but I’ll ask it anyway. Are you stupid? The guy that runs the most successful poker room in the state said he does not allow smoking at the table; making them step away from the table to light up. The added five minutes to go the 50 feet to now light up had had no effect; it’s still the most successful poker room in the state. There were no non-smoking bingo halls or poker rooms before the ban.

Your logic, as usual, makes no sense. Show me anywhere in the article where it even talks about a “non smoking bingo parlor.” Give a conservative enough time and enough rope and they'll hang themselves by making up their own words, as you just did.

I said it once I’ll say it again; there is no credible evidence or study that proves a smoking ban hurts business. I’m also still waiting for you to tell me how 20 percent of the population can have such an economic effect. Even if it did hurt business, the amount of lives it saves far outweighs a bar owner making a few extra bucks. But the good news is it has no effect on business.

Of course you don’t put much stock in the WHO, but how do you discount the U.S. Surgeon General, the EPA and every scientist in the world? The evidence keeps stacking up.

Once again, anonymous wimp, I am still waiting for you to back up your outrageous lie that we were “nearly shoulder to shoulder once.”

Unknown said...

A small amount of crushed leaves and some paper that is mixed with the air of a decently veniltated venue is harmful to your health?
If anybody believes that, then I have some ocean-front property in Ohio I would like to sell them.

For additional information

http://thetruthisalie.com

http://fightingback.homestead.com

Communications guru said...

Yes. You can read all about the massive number of studies that prove that on this blog, but I’ll just leave you a link to the one that is the final word:

http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/secondhandsmoke/

CarolAST said...

The anti-smokers are guilty of flagrant scientific fraud for ignoring more than 50 studies, which show that human papillomaviruses cause over ten times more lung cancers than they pretend are caused by secondhand smoke. Smokers and passive smokers are more likely to have been exposed to this virus for socioeconomic reasons. The anti-smokers' phony studies are all based on lifestyle questionnaires, so they're cynically designed to falsely blame tobacco for all those extra lung cancers that are really caused by HPV.

http://www.smokershistory.com/hpvlungc.htm

They commit the same type of fraud with every disease they blame on tobacco, and conceal any evidence that contradicts their political agenda.

http://www.smokershistory.com/etsheart.html

Communications guru said...

It’s nice to see I made the pro-smoking blogs again. The good news is that the days are long over when tobacco funded scientists were paid to do research as long as they would say the link between smoking and cancer and other diseases needs more study. Still, there are people like you acting as their shill.

The science is undisputed, and this is just one more nail in the coffin. Then – and you can read about them here – there is the immediate health benefits after a smoking ban goes into effect.