Smoking disclosure

Even though more than 50,000 people will die this year because of secondhand smoke, and smoking bans in restaurants decrease indoor air pollution, the smoking ban decision should be left to the individual restaurant owners. With one caveat: that the restaurant owners fully disclose the environment their patrons are entering.

In fact, the following represents an accurate disclosure. Something similar should be placed at the restaurant’s entrance or on the menus:

“We respect the rights of our smoking patrons. Because of the projectile nature of this action, we acknowledge your food will likely be served with communal recycled carcinogens in an atmosphere of secondhand carbon monoxide, possibly contaminated with TB, influenza or other airborne pathogens present in spewed lung emissions. For health-conscious nonsmokers who wish to decrease their risks, be advised you should dine in the restroom areas, where, at least, the surfaces are sanitized daily. Bon appetit!”

R.A. Dyer
Lee’s Summit

Comments

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

How many people die from natural causes every year? Seems pretty vain to me that some people think they can control everything in life. There are likely equally as many non-smokers that die from alltypes of ailments. I do not smoke and I do not care for smoking when I am eating a meal, but if I go to an establishment that ermits smoking, that is my choice I can always go somewhere else. Why can there no be Smoking Only establishments?

[Engineer]

Perhaps Trudy or someone could explain to us why The Star printed such an obvious misstatement as "50,000" obviously without review. A number of years ago I had quite a lengthy exchange to get them to print figures from the IRS on who had actually paid income taxes that year. Those figures didn't fit the mantra 'all the News That Fits Our Views", apparently the "50,000" does.

[GCYL]

"...more than 50,000 people will die this year because of secondhand smoke..." Baloney. – Gary

What I find so entertaining about the illiterate majority and their need to remove one “sin” from venues such as restaurants is that they’re silent on the other “sin” called public drinking. Check out the MADD website about the current damages public drinking does to our society. That’s damage from drunk drivers. Care to add in health care damages associated with “accident free” alcohol consumption too? How come the illiterate majority is not doing away with public smoking AND public drinking at the same time?

[Gary]

"...more than 50,000 people will die this year because of secondhand smoke..." Baloney. There is absolutely no empirical evidence to support this statement. If the writer, or anyone else, thinks the figure is accurate, surely it will be easy to name three persons whose death certificates list second hand smoke as a cause of death. We're waiting.

[GCYL]

“And, I am a former smoker.” - jim

Non smokers, such as myself, can read.

I’m not impressed with the illiterate majority and their need to control others in an effort to avoid learning to read.

[Jim]

Woah! There's another Jim on here?

[renfro]

R. Dyer ---- Nothing wrong with a “Little Satire” to draw attention to the less astute non-smokers who may need such a lengthy warning to avoid an establishment they intend to abolish! ----- Did your Mommy or Daddy write that letter for you?

[jim]

Apparently smokers still don't get it. The non-smoking movement is a boulder rolling down hill-YOU CAN'T STOP IT!!!!! It's not a matter of if-it's a matter of when. Kansas City is way behind the times in not passing a non smoking ordinance. Most all progressive cities have passed such ordinances. Do you honestly believe that if a non smoking ordinance was passed, smokers would stop going to restaurants? That would be the day!!! And, I am a former smoker.

[GCYL]

I’m of the opinion that the illiterate majority doesn’t realize that their opposition can read.

Well R.A. Dyer of Lee’s Summit, you letter is pretty much nonsense when you've obtained the ability to read and understand signs that say NO SMOKING ALLOWED. Such signs are found frequently when visiting entertainment venues such as restaurants. Many of us make a point to spend our money behind such signs.

“Bon appetit!”

And reading is fundamental.

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

They should also hold a similar disclosure then for the doorknobs and menus that are probably more contaminated than any second hand smoke.
I can tell what kills more people than 2nd hand smoke, second hand socialism.
Family restuarants I can understand but ANY resturant that has a full bar should not have to ban smoking. Maybe purses should be banned as well, they are one of the dirtiest and contaminated items toted aound public places.

[solstice]

That's the dumbest suggestion ever, R. A. Dyer. Following your idiotic line of reasoning, the next thing would be signs at gas stations warning us of potentially noxious fumes, signs in liquor stores warning us of potential impairment, signs in candy stores warning us of potential weight gain, or signs in Lee's summit warning us of potential exposure to morons. Why don't you exercise your freedom of choice and simply NOT enter those establishements where consenting adults are enjoying the use of a legal product in an environment where the owners of the business permit its use. How stupid can you be suggesting such nonsense?