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A pack of lies

Sir,
In reply to Mr. Arnone (PM 7/3) it has to be said that his letter was a masterpiece of dissimulation, misquotes and confusion. Has he been tutored by Tony Blair, I wonder? I never stated that ‘All air pollution is carcinogenic’; what I wrote was that all smoke is carcinogenic. This has definitely been known for decades despite what Mr Arnone thinks. It is pointless to ask why WHO did a study since a huge number of studies merely confirm what we already know, but they may add some further scientific evidence. The tobacco industry itself still conducts endless painful experiments on animals forcing them to smoke themselves to cancer or death. Why?
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of independent studies confirming the dangers of second hand smoke: all lies of course according to Mr. Arnone. The repeated, patronising use of my first name is another clever ploy to create an atmosphere of emotional superiority where there is no factual evidence and an intellectual vacuum.
It is understandable that many smokers do not want to face the facts and their favourite blame game is to divert the hazard of smoking to that of vehicle exhaust. A paid lacky of the industry did this at the First World Congress on Smoking and Health: much to the amusement of the rest of the delegates. It’s rather like saying, “Let’s ignore bank robberies because there are shoplifters!” I suppose the game started when Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent - or whatever it was before it was changed into a serpent.
I cannot answer for the USA but in the UK tobacco tax does not even meet the cost of medical treatment and lost working days resulting from smoking. I wonder if Mr. Arnone would like to go back to pre-tax days when tobacco carried the death penalty? The story is even more alarming. Contrary to what Mr. Arnone thinks, governments are frequently prevented from passing legislation by the powerful tobacco lobbyists. Smokers do not like the truth and they do not like legislation. I found it highly amusing that the people of Acheh complained that the authorities were ‘interfering in their private lives’ when they were told not to smoke. Amusing because they are told every day what they can and cannot eat, what they may or may not drink and, especially in the case of women, what clothing they may or may not wear. Mr. Arnone doesn’t want me to say that smoking is hazardous because it is not my business. I have news for him: it is my business as a physician to state the facts: it is his right to ignore them.
It is, regretfully, smokers who are in denial; not those of us who expose this filthy demeaning habit for what it is. Mr. Arnone might learn something if he looked at the sort of people who smoke and those who do not: the Pope for example.
M.N.


Jomtien Boathouse

Editor;
Re: Jomtien Boathouse (PM Dining Out Friday, 07 March 2014) - Got to agree. We’ve used Jomtien Boathouse many times over the last decade, both on our own and for entertaining visitors and friends. The food and service have always been excellent and we have always “managed” to miss “Elvis”. We would thoroughly recommend the Jomtien Boathouse.
ChrisD324


Infringement on their rights

Editor;
Re: It’s all a lie (PM Mailbag Friday, 07 March 2014) - “Give back everyone’s choice to decide for themselves what they want to do.”
Good idea and a great forward thinking progressive philosophy. I vote we apply it to guns. Anyone who wants to carry a gun can do so. Anything else is an infringement on their rights. In fact, anyone who wants to carry a gun and shoot people can do so. Anything else is an infringement on their ‘rights’.
Dana


Swimming in the “non-chlorinated” section of a swimming pool

Editor;
Re: It’s all a lie (PM Mailbag Friday, 07 March 2014) - Smoking sections in planes and restaurants? Sitting in the “non-smoking” section of a restaurant is like swimming in the “non-chlorinated” section of a swimming pool.
Sir, you have no right to force anyone else to smoke against their will. Any time. Any where. Any amount.
John Nielson


Duped by tobacco interests

Editor;
Re: It’s all a lie (PM Mailbag Friday, 07 March 2014) - No, you were duped by tobacco interests battling plain ordinary science. You offer no science here, of course. “It’s so because I say it’s so” is the best you got. Typical Fox News-style rant.
The trouble with gullible (people) trying to undercut science is that eventually all science becomes tainted, suspect - and soon we get to the state we’re in, in the USA today, where an unseemly percentage of the population chooses their own completely unsupported biases over science in a number of areas.
This will do nothing but lead to bad decisions, and eventually, bring down a society.
What’s ugly is that the Pattaya Mail actually saw fit to publish this unmitigated trash - some guy with no discernable expertise ranting against normal, established science. Why publish this? What’s next, cow-towing to the Flat Earth Society? Who’s doing the gate keeping here? Doesn’t the Pattaya Mail have an obligation to its readers to present articles bearing some semblance of reality?
genebbb


Must be on the bad side of someone

Editor;
Re: Russian fugitive working as Pattaya real estate developer set for deportation (PM Friday, 28 February 2014) - This fellow must really be on the bad side of a lets say a powerful group in Russia. Sounds personal. $30,000 US is not much considering the sums that move about these groups. So he is on his way home to face the ‘Russian Music.”
The party called Russian tourism may soon be taking a hit with the huge fall of the Ruble due to the Russian “invasion of Ukraine”. Money exchange booths in Russia are running out of USD to exchange. The affordability of Russian tours and the wallets of some Russian expats will possibly be hit as the world begins to make economic sanctions, such as the ones against Iran, against the Russian economy in an effort to stop Russian aggression against Ukraine.
Capelava
 


Blowing smoke in the air

Editor;
Re: A smokescreen over smoking (PM Mailbag Friday, 28 February 2014) - If I am sitting in a restaurant that allows smoking, as a smoker I endeavor to blow the smoke straight up in the air as to not offend a fellow diner, but if you’re in a bar, whether it be a beer bar or a go-go or coyote bar, you’re just gonna have to suck it up. Smoking will always be allowed in bars. If you don’t like it, stay home there kiddo.
Douglas Kelly


HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]

A pack of lies

Jomtien Boathouse

Infringement on their rights

Swimming in the “non-chlorinated” section of a swimming pool

Duped by tobacco interests

Must be on the bad side of someone

Blowing smoke in the air

Letters published in the Mailbag
of Pattaya Mail are also published here.

It is noticed that the letters herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editor or writers for Pattaya Mail, but are unsolicited letters from our readers, expressing their own opinions. No anonymous letters or those without genuine addresses are printed, and, whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those signed.

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