Letter: Through the smokescreen

It is a shame that columnist John Ostrowski didn't go beyond the rhetoric of the tobacco industry and its front groups who are against public health proposals for more protective clean indoor air laws. Those of us that have been working on this issue for more than 20 years do not rely solely on the EPA for health information on the risks of secondhand smoke. There have been numerous studies and reports since that landmark report that support the science that exposure to secondhand smoke causes cancers, respiratory distress and heart disease. We also rely on scientific studies from every major medical center, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, every school of public health and the list goes on. One area overlooked by Mr. Ostrowski is the effect on people with asthma. Even the tobacco industry doesn't try to refute this. Not only does it exacerbate asthma episodes, but causes many to over medicate to find relief. Also there are numerous heart studies that show how secondhand smoke reduces blood flow to the heart and contributes to heart attacks.

Call us anti-liberty, but the government's role to protect its citizenry and worker protection is something we should all care about - think sweatshops. If the government had not stepped in children would still be working for pennies in this country and women would be forced to work in unsafe conditions. So before you throw around your own rhetoric, I ask that you truly do your research in a thorough manner. Secondhand smoke is unhealthy and no one should have to sacrifice their health for a paycheck.

Janet Williams

Illinois Coalition Against Tobacco