Petitioning for the Repeal of the Smoking Ban (Chicago: lawyer, work)

[illini84]

Some excepts from the Illinois General Assembly's reasoning for the smoking ban [ Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 095-0017 ]:

"Secondhand tobacco smoke causes at least 65,000 deaths each year from heart disease and lung cancer according to the National Cancer Institute."

"An estimated 2,900 Illinois citizens die each year from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke."

"...there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke."

"the only means of eliminating health risks associated with indoor exposure is to eliminate all smoking activity indoors."

Also, with regards to the "15-foot rule", I believe the individual is fined, not the business owner. I can't really see how this will be enforced though. :/

[aragx6]

Saying the exact same things but bolding them doesn't really change my views.

[boris63]

Originally Posted by illini84

Some excepts from the Illinois General Assembly's reasoning for the smoking ban [:]Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of Public Act 095-0017]:

"Secondhand tobacco smoke causes at least 65,000 deaths each year from heart disease and lung cancer according to the National Cancer Institute."

"An estimated 2,900 Illinois citizens die each year from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke."

"...there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke."

"the only means of eliminating health risks associated with indoor exposure is to eliminate all smoking activity indoors."

:/

And politicians never lie. Right?

[aragx6]

Actually in the Chicago suburbs forum there's a great run-down of some of the studies they don't want you to know about- studies by some of the most respected scientific minds in our country. Check it out - bottom of this page:
Smoking -- attitudes in Chicagoland

[illini84]

Attitudes don't matter...what I posted was from the Illinois General Assembly. The facts came from long-term studies by the Environmental Protection Agency, The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, the United States Surgeon General, etc. Sure, let's not listen to these guys and instead reference some arrogant, selfish smoker's opinion instead. Listen, the smoking ban is not going to be lifted, so give it up! Deal with it, and if you don't like walking outside to smoke, QUIT! Oh wait, you can't...

[boris63]

look, I'm not saying second hand smoke isn't unhealthy. It stands to reason that if smoking causes certain health problems, second hand smoke could potentially cause some of the same problems to a lesser degree.

But seriously, how do you determine what percentage of people that die of respiratory problems were a result of second hand smoke as opposed to other environmental factors, or even heredity?

"there is no risk free level of exposure to second hand smoke" - C'mon, if I spend two minutes of my life in a smoke filled room I'm risking my life?

Lets be realistic about it and call these statistics what they really are: PROPAGANDA

[illini84]

Originally Posted by boris63

But seriously, how do you determine what percentage of people that die of respiratory problems were a result of second hand smoke as opposed to other environmental factors, or even heredity?PROPAGANDA

Basically from an MRI. Read the abstract: http://www.no-smoke.org/pdf/RSNA_Secondhand_smoke.pdf

I wouldn't say walking into a smoke-filled room once in your life is going to cause severe damage, and probably neither is smoking a cigarette or two, but it's one of those things that happens over time...

[aragx6]

Oak Ridge national laboratory (who i would trust WAY sooner than any of the sources that have been referenced) found in a vast study across many cities that restaurant workers only received about 6 cigarettes in a year from second hand smoke.

From their release:

The 16-cities study, the largest of its kind ever conducted in a single country, found the highest levels of environmental tobacco smoke nicotine levels in workplaces where smoking is permitted to be between 9.41 and 14.9 micrograms per cubic meter, far lower than the numbers assumed by EPA and OSHA.


"A well-known toxicological principle is that the poison is in the dose," Jenkins said. "It's pretty clear that the environmental tobacco smoke dose is pretty low for most people."

A link to the rest of the link: Oak Ridge National Laboratory - Exposures to second-hand smoke lower than believed, ORNL study finds

[Drover]

Oh for crying out loud. Maybe it's just the lawyer-in-training in me, but I can't believe any self-respecting human being actually expects to find credible, objective information in the legislative record of any bill or law. Anyone with even a basic understanding of how politics works knows that legislative records are usually packed with incredibly one-sided, if not outright fabricated information. Even if that weren't the case, it's still incredibly silly to afford a legislative record the same degree of respect and deference as primary sources.

[aragx6]

But it comes from The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers! How could it not be true?