Choose Language

Close language selection.

Lance Op-Ed

by
8 Comments

Thought you all might like to see an op-ed that Lance penned for the Dallas Morning News the other day in support of the proposed smoking ban in Dallas.

Smoking ban is about health, not economics

State houses and city halls increasingly are becoming important theaters of operation in the fight against one of America’s most prolific and ruthless killers. Cancer will claim more than 560,000 lives in our nation this year, and, tragically, many of these losses are preventable.

The Dallas City Council has a great opportunity to make a major advance against cancer this fall, and I am honored to add my voice to the many urging them to extend the ban on smoking. The harmful effects of involuntary smoking are no longer debatable.

In 2006, the U.S. surgeon general concluded that secondhand smoke causes premature death and disease in people who do not smoke. The American Cancer Society estimates that secondhand smoke is responsible for about 3,400 lung cancer deaths in nonsmokers annually. And every year, an estimated 35,000 nonsmokers who live with smokers die of heart disease.

With these grim facts in mind, in 2003, Dallas wisely began prohibiting smoking in municipal worksites, many private worksites and all restaurants. This was an important step, but one that fell short ?¢?Ǩ?Äú leaving thousands of patrons and employees…

read the full piece at www.dallasnews.com

  • Lesley

    Smoking is banned in the workplace,bars and resturants in the UK we have already noticed health benefits. It is also banned on any National Health Service property.
    Its great to be able to go out to smoke free resturants bars and clubs. Hope it goes ahead in Dallas and throughout the US.

  • http://cornews.net Nathan

    Davis is a hypocrit. One breath he says “If you don’t want to be exposed to the hazards of second-hand smoke, don’t go in.” The next he wants to dismiss all the scientific evidence that second hand smoke is as hazardous, if not more than the poisons in first-hand. Smokers do not have the right to pollute the air and endanger, even slightly, the health of others. If these idiots want to consume toxic substances for whatever thrill they derive, go for it. But, do it privately. Do not impose the bad habit on others. Liberty comes with responsibility. Without an overriding practice of responsibility, everybody will suffer liberal interpretations of morality. I say, if you want to smoke, get a self-contained environment with a filtration system that removes the toxins from the exhaust that people with common sense breath!

  • Dan

    All sane people should get behind this idea of banning smoking. the whole idea of smoking was sold to us by Ad men who had no good intentions other to make themselves rich and did not understand where it would take us as a nation. you all know the right thing to do is dump smoking. If people have ideal time on there hands and need something to do pick up a set of ‘worry beads’ and get some exercise.

  • http://www.LAF.ORG Penny Feddick

    My biggest challenge is that the whole time I have went through chemo I had to move in with my parents. They both smoked INSIDE the house the whole time. And now due to economy I am living with them. They still smoke. I go out and teach children about 2nd hand smoke and the effects. I am a Army Leader and afraid people will smell it on me. It is a arguement everytime I bring it up. That is why yesterday I wrote a blog. My mom said if I lose my chemo weight of 40lbs she will STOP smoking. She don’t think I will do it. Well I am going to show her. So log on and help me guys. !!! :) PennyFL

  • http://cornews.net Nathan

    Another point: If the tobacco lobby wasn’t so rich, powerful, and therefore, politically influential, there would be little chance the sale of cancer-causing products like cigarettes would be available on the store shelves in the U.S. The only reason tobacco sales and smoking are legal is because we get as much justice out of Washington as we can afford.

  • Jackie

    Hi Lance, I was watching CNN Headline News today, and the official color of the year for 2009 is “yellow.” I instantly thought of you, watching you ride down the Champs Elysees in Paris in 2009, will be true color of the year. Good Luck Buddy…I believe in you. Regards Jackie.

  • Nick DiGiuseppe

    I hope this is good News.
    Does LAF know about this guy in Erie, PA, John Kanzius
    http://www.kanziuscancerresearch.com
    We should be helping this guy
    Everyone needs to look at this site

  • Pingback: Nicotine Blues: After Dallas Ban, State Lawmakers Look to Snuff the Smokes | Clubs in Dallas