Letter: Smoking should be left up to businesses

Saturday, June 24, 2006 | 7:51 a.m.

Regarding the June 16 letter from physician Jack Kane about the smoking initiative, "Officials look out for gaming, not public":

Like the saying says: People in glass houses ... If Mr. Kane were really concerned about the public well-being I would suggest that he and his colleagues first clean up their own back yard in the task. There are 100,000 deaths a year caused by medical errors. It is a fact that the amount of deaths are more than all the people dying of diabetes, auto accidents and breast cancer each year.

The smoking issue should be left to the individual business to decide if it wants to offer the option, and the public can make an informed decision as to whether they want to patronize that business.

As I see it, the pollution every year from the trees, grass, dust and autos in the Las Vegas Valley causes more asthma and ailments than a person sitting near a smoker in a restaurant or bar.

Some of these health professionals should get their priorities straight and handle the tough problems first. Again, let the individual business decide the smoking issue. If you don't, the next time these same organizations will come after you and your personal choices, whether it is what food you eat, how much you eat, what medications a pharmacist can refuse to give you, when you can use a morning-after pill and what you can do with your own body. There is room for everyone in this county, state and nation whether they smoke, drink alcohol, eat Big Macs or KFC fried chicken.

Brad Evans, Las Vegas

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