[mikeIII]

I doubt very much if medical science is sufficiently advanced to determine that 500 deaths in a population of 4.5 million result from passive smoking.

[Just another Joe]

Ah, statistics. Wonderfull things.
You can make them say ALMOST anything you want.

[scholar]

500 deaths in a population of 4.5 million result from passive smoking.

Maybe you guys can do the math. Cancer and other disease deaths are measured in X deaths per 100,000 of the population. These numbers don't sound like squat to me. And if the other factors I mentioned previously aren't factored into the study it is absolutely meaningless.

And as for statistics you are exactly right. Even the most honest investigator can miss factors that will skew the results. And guess what, there an awful lot of investigators who only want to prove their point. But then you knew that right!!

BTW Joe, thanks for the laugh--I almost lost my Pepsi.