The Clintons should be commended for banning smoking in the White House (Tribune, Feb. 2). Although the tobacco lobbyists will probably have a well-deserved nicotine fit, 200 million non-smoking American adults and children welcome the White House signal that they may no longer have to be subjected to the lethal poisons of secondary tobacco smoke, a Class A human carcinogen.
Within several days of being named health policy facilitator, the president’s wife apparently has focused upon one of the nation’s most serious health problems-the human and financial toll of tobacco smoke and secondary tobacco smoke.
Now she must convince her husband and Congress to ignore the self-serving financial interests of tobacco lobbyists by banning smoking in federal buildings and all public places; banning cigarette advertising, including Joe Camel type ads, forcing states to enforce laws prohibiting sales to minors, and imposing a large cigarette tax up to $3.50 a pack (as in Canada) to raise $35 billion annually for insuring 37 million uninsured Americans, and to save another $65 billion in health-related costs from reduced tobacco consumption as demonstrated in California and Canada.
Hopefully, all parents who love their children and all persons who love their pets will follow the Clintons’ non-smoking example.
