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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.
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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
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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
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