IPCPR Recommends Ockham's Razor to Hutchinson City Council

Ockham's Razor is a term that means 'the simplest way is the best way' which is what the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is recommending to the Hutchinson City Council which is currently considering a smoking ban.

Hutchinson, Kansas (PRWEB) November 23, 2008 -- Ockham's Razor is a term that means 'the simplest way is the best way' which is what the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association is recommending to the Hutchinson City Council which is currently considering a smoking ban.

"Legislated smoking bans are not necessary because business owners have the right to decide for themselves whether or not smoking would be permitted in their respective establishments. Why? Because the right of business owners to make such decisions is guaranteed by the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution," said Chris McCalla, legislative director of the IPCPR.

"The solution is simple, like Ockham's Razor: Don't smoke? Don't go in," said McCalla regarding private establishments that allow smoking.

"Punishing private business owners for making their premises available to smokers clearly demonstrates an anti-business and discriminatory philosophy. Many businesses already do not allow smoking. However, if an owner decides to allow smoking and his business fails, its failure would be based on the owner's decision and not the government's, which is as it should be. Ultimately, the marketplace will decide - not the government - whether allowing smoking or not was the right decision," he added.

In addition to citing the Constitutional rights of private business owners, McCalla said the so-called dangers of incidental secondhand smoke such as might be found in a restaurant or bar are not proven according to the Surgeon General, are not significant workplace issues according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the air quality of those establishments is well within OSHA standards, according to testing by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

"The Surgeon General's 2006 report stated numerous times that the results of their secondhand smoke tests are inconclusive and safe exposure levels for secondhand smoke in an average bar or restaurant where smoking is allowed are 'considerably below limits established by OSHA,' according to the prestigious ORNL," McCalla said.

Claims by anti-smoking forces regarding secondhand smoke should be scrutinized for accuracy and applicability and not accepted prima facie, cautioned McCalla.

"For example, the anti-smoking forces often cite a secondhand smoking report by the Environmental Protection Agency that was based on such bad science and worse conclusions that a federal court threw out the report and declared it null and void," said McCalla.

Contact:

Tony Tortorici

678/493-0313

tony@tortoricipr.com

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