Clearing The Air

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Business failings and smoking bans?........

....I don't see the connection...do you?

To my astonishment city pages does a negative (truthful) story regarding the impact of the smoking ban.

And my follow up letter to the editor, which will not be published of course, thank god for the alternative media.

To: City Pages Editor
From: cleanairquality@gmail.com
Subjec Re: Stubbed Out

Comments

It was predictable that the smoking bans would harm business. But do you know the real story which the politically correct media in the twin cities won't report? It's the 2004 St. Louis Park Environmental Health Department test results which confirmed that secondhand smoke levels in all 19 of its bars & restaurants was NOT a health hazard. Specifically 150 times safer than OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL). These OSHA regulations have been in place for years to safeguard employee health regarding secondhand smoke in bars & restaurants.

The other story not covered is the companies behind the funding of smoking bans, makers of Nicotrol, Nicoderm, etc. and one of their largest shareholders-Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, funneling money thru non-profits and universities; which then testify at smoking ban hearings on their behalf.

Legislation.....for profit motive and market share.....not exactly a free market economy tactic, but maybe that's just me.

Mark Wernimont
www.clean-air-quality.com