| Re: Lewisville Council Mulls Restaurant, Bar Smoking Ban |
Poster: WhosPlayin Posted: 2012/6/24 20:50:13 That's the most absurd thing I've heard so far. Certainly there is evidence that genetics are involved in some cancers, but there has also been a lot of evidence of virus-caused cancers (such as cervical cancer caused by HPV) and substance-caused cancers (such as lung cancer, and mesothelioma). I'll grant that it's very difficult, if not impossible to say with certainty what caused any individual's cancer, but the empirical data is pretty strong regarding correlation with exposure and diagnosis. Saying that some folks have lived into their 90s or 100s while smoking is anecdotal, in much the same way that some people who play Russian Roulette come out just fine. While we believe that's true, we also know that the odds have a way of catching up. To me, the issue is not whether or not smoking is harmful, but whether or not it requires an outright government ban. In many cases, industry WANTS to be regulated because they know they need to get to a certain point, but the market punishes a first-mover. I'm not convinced that this is or isn't the case here with regards to businesses. The strongest point for all of this is that the employees who have to work in these environments don't have a realistic ability to choose another employer. |