Surgeon-General calls for workplace smoking ban

Surgeon-General Richard Carmona says there is no way to protect workers from secondhand smoke.

The scientific evidence is now indisputable: second-hand smoke is not a mere annoyance. It is a serious health hazard that can lead to disease and premature death in children and nonsmoking adults

And, Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Levitt is right behind him.

Despite the great progress that has been made, involuntary exposure to second-hand smoke remains a serious public health hazard that can be prevented by making homes, workplaces, and public places completely smoke-free.

As I said in a column a year ago May, Philip Morris killed my dad. We absolutely should prevent it from shortening the lifespan of people who don’t have a choice. And we certainly can’t trust Philip Morris to do that.

Carmona agreed, in his report.

The industry has funded or carried out research that has been judged to be biased, supported scientists to generate letters to editors that criticized research publications, attempted to undermine the findings of key studies, assisted in establishing a scientific society with a journal, and attempted to sustain controversy even as the scientific community reached consensus.

Amen.