IPCPR Uses Logic, Truth Against Expansion of South Dakota Smoking Ban

If an opinion survey says a majority of South Dakotans believe in global warming, does that mean the state should ban backyard barbecues? According to the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, that's the same kind of logic currently being used by anti-smoking forces to urge the state legislature to consider extending the current statewide smoking ban during its 2009 session.

Pierre, SD (PRWEB) November 15, 2008 -- If an opinion survey says a majority of South Dakotans believe in global warming, does that mean the state should ban backyard barbecues? According to the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association, that's the same kind of logic currently being used by anti-smoking forces to urge the state legislature to consider extending the current statewide smoking ban during its 2009 session.

"The anti-smoking people paid for an opinion survey that claims South Dakotans favor extending the current smoking ban. They called the survey 'scientific'. Well, there's no 'science' in that survey. Why? Because there is no valid science behind their overreaching claims about the health aspects of secondhand smoke," said Chris McCalla, legislative director of IPCPR.

McCalla said smoking bans such as South Dakota's are usually based on three things: false or misleading information about secondhand smoke; deprivation of smokers' and non-smokers' constitutional rights, and loss of jobs and tax revenues for state and local programs. Extension of the state's smoking ban will only exacerbate the situation, he emphasized.

"Owners of legal businesses should have the constitutional right to allow or not allow smoking on their premises just as employees and patrons should have the right to work or shop there. When South Dakotans allowed their legislature to take away that right from individual business owners, they abrogated the constitutional rights of smokers and non-smokers alike. South Dakotans are proud, independent people who shouldn't let their government decide how to run their businesses or their lives," McCalla asked.

McCalla also questioned the quality of claims being made regarding secondhand smoke.

"The Surgeon General's 2006 Report has been misrepresented by anti-smoking forces who disregard the 108 times that the so-called evidence regarding the health aspects of secondhand smoke is called 'inconclusive' in the report," McCalla said.

McCalla further pointed out that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration wrote in 1997 that "field studies of environmental tobacco smoke indicate that it would be very rare to find a workplace with so much smoking that (it exceeded its approved levels)."

Regarding jobs and tax revenues, McCalla said it has been reported that North Sioux City casinos have enjoyed increased business since Iowa adopted its smoking ban. Tightening the smoking ban in South Dakota will likely result in a loss of that additional business, loss of the related jobs, and loss of the taxes that revenue produces to fund state and local programs, he added.

Contact:
Tony Tortorici
678/493-0313
tony @ tortoricipr.com

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