Reducing Secondhand Smoke Would Slash Heart Disease Rates, Study Says

fox ^ | 5/9/6 | jenny warner

[Ramius]

Most of the bars around me are non-smoking and business is great.

The best place in my area was packed every night for the last fifteen years. It lasted about three months. Apparently the nonsmokers didn't show up.

[markedman]

Or better yet, kick out all of those who do not honor the US Constitution and Bill of Rights.

If you like totalitarian regimes so much, I believe North Korea is recently down one former American. You might like it there.

[Bronzy]

Yes, smokes, ice cream, burgers, cokes and whatever the nanny does not like. Give it up or go to prison for five yrs.

[Moonman62]

Why don't they allow bars to have rat droppings on the floor, provided there is a sign warning of such?

[uglybiker]

What about ugly people. How can you enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant when your seated by some ugly person? They should at least have ugly sections.

I'm screwed.

[Ramius]

why not?

[supercat]

Location seems to be the biggest predictor of success for a bar, just like other businesses.

If a bar which thrives for 20 years goes out of business as a result of a smoking ordinance, is its problem location? If the bar was in a bad location, how did it thrive for 20 years?

[Ramius]

Why don't they allow bars to have rat droppings on the floor, provided there is a sign warning of such?

so long as people aren't forced to go in there or work there... what problem do you have?

[caveat emptor]

Dunno about harm, but it sure stinks.

Yeah, the story as well. If I were worried about second hand smoke in this regard, I'd try to find out details of any studies to back up the claims, and check out Junk Science as well.

[Skibane]

Researchers say current estimates show that average daily exposure to secondhand smoke AMONG EXPOSED INDIVIDUALS is equivalent to smoking one cigarette per day

Interesting example of data double-speak...

By this definition, you could probably count the number of "exposed" people in the entire nation on one hand! Meanwhile, the rest of us - the ones who may get a whiff of cigarette smoke every once in a while - are handily excluded from the "exposed" category.

[The Westerner]

"Using a model..."

Oh. A model? This is real science?

[Prokopton]

"Its just that other Conservatives don't want to inhale that nasty gunk when they're eating."

There's nothing "conservative" about the government telling citizens how they must run their private business.
If a restaurant allowed smoking and you didn't want to go there because of that, the owner of that private business is telling you that he doesn't care if you don't frequent his establishment. Does that offend you? That's his right. I'm really bothered by people who, in effect, think that the government should force private business to change to accommodate their desires. That's socialism not freedom.

[supercat]

Interesting example of data double-speak...

Statistical homeopathy can be a wonderful magical thing. Under traditional statistical methods, if someone gets cancer after having been exposed to what would generally be regarded as a trivial amount of smoke, that would be evidence reducing the apparent correlation between smoking and cancer (I'm not trying to suggest such a correlation does not exist, but accurate judgement of its magnitude requires recognizing the existence of non-smoking-related cancer). By classifying such cancers as smoking related, however, the statistical homeopath can enormously magnify the apparent harm of smoking. Indeed, cigarette smoke is so powerful that it could kill a person who's never been within 100' of a cigarette, if such a person existed.

[Moonman62]

For the same reason that in the entire history of the world there's never been a successful anarchist or libertarian state.

[The Westerner]

If people are gullible to believe a scientific study "modeled" to produce a politically correct result, then they deserve the totalitarian impulse that will rob them of their liberty.

I cannot see how a model can isolate one factor in hundreds that produce heart disease. Junk science is taking over. Ayn Rand warned against state sponsored science with the character Dr. Stadler in Atlas Shrugged.

[DakotaRed]

When do the Smoke Nazis bring out the study saying how second hand smoke causes global warming, warts, atheletes foot and excessive flatulence?

Does anyone ever consider not frequenting establishments that allow smoking if you don't and the smoke bothers you? Or, are we so communistic now that business may not decide for themselves who they wish to cater to?

[Prokopton]

"What about ugly people. How can you enjoy a meal at a nice restaurant when your seated by some ugly person? They should at least have ugly sections."

"I'm screwed."

Don't worry, there would be plenty of us in the ugly section with you. ;)

[Just A Nobody]

ROTFLOL!!!

For your reading pleasure.....not the article-the comments!

[DakotaRed]

I don't know if they smoke or not, my guess is no, but I bet they drive a car with an internal combustion engine.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

"Using a model to estimate ..."