Tobacco first, than...

In a letter of February 21, 2007 to US Representative Henry Waxman, http://www.house.gov/waxman/ Robert A. Donin, MPA, President of TRi-PAC writes:

"...On behalf of TRI-PAC Health and Wellness Advocacy, our Industry Advisory Board, as a longtime tobacco control advocate, and as your longtime constituent:

It is a personal privilege to congratulate, commend, and to express our SUPPORT and ENDORSEMENT of HR 1108.

Given your leadership and the new leadership in Congress, the time has come for the FDA to be granted authority to regulate the sale, production, and marketing of tobacco products.

Tobacco companies have long been able to play under their own rules and deceive the public.

As this legislation wades its way through the legislative process’, may the change in tobacco companies rules and operating process’ and the benefits to our citizens commence..."

As a Physician and a former smoker, I am wholeheartedly against smoking, and support any all efforts to educate the entire population as to to the dangers of all forms of tobacco use.

However, as a private citizen and longtime advocate of individual freedoms and health consumers rights, I am extremely concerned with governments, from local to Federal, getting into the business of controlling private lives of its citizens, and, in the process, infringing on the individual freedoms of citizens.

It started a while back with bars, than restaurants, than parks, than beaches, that public areas (City of Santa Monica-http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid252586736?bclid=254756163&bctid=254756161) and all the way to no smoking in the city (Calabasas and Belmont, both in California).

When enough is enough? How and when our health concerns balanced with the citizens rights!? Ms. Esther Schiller runs an organization dedicated to availability of smoke-free housing, especially affordable housing and is working with the City of Santa Monica to enact the appropriate ordinances (http://www.smokefreeapartments.org/).

I believe a person has a right to be dumb, uninformed, ignorant and/or outright self destructive (A.N.S.-RIP) with regard to tobacco uses, whether sniffing, chewing, or smoking, especially inside person's home.

Once citizens who used to use tobacco are under "control" the politicians will decide to "control" global warming. According to Al Gore, the best way to reduce his personal carbon foot print is to buy indulgence (carbon credits) for his own energy-wasting life style. What if, in the interest of reduction of carbon foot print the government decides to control flatulence? Are we going to see flatulence-free bars, parks, beaches, public buildings, and entire cities (like Santa Monica)?

How do you balance occasionally involuntary physiologic occurrence (of cultural significance in some European countries) with other peoples right not to be exposed to noxious and potentially harmful methane? Should the "flatulant", or "flatulator" be fined and/or forced to buy carbon credits like Al Gore does?

I for one, think the government should start "no flatulating" enforcement in enclosed/crowded spaces like bathrooms, elevators, Costco check-out lines, movie theaters, prisons, museums and Jet Blue planes! But than again, according to Al Gore, there are legitimate energy uses of bio-gases!?

A person has the right to smoke & be flatulent by the same reasons that a person enjoys its foundation right to self-determination, which allows a person to refuse medical treatment for any reason, or without one, and soon will allow a person to exercise its right to die painlessly, with dignity, and without attached stigma.

Don't use tobacco & be well!

TRI-PAC Health and Wellness Advocacy can be contacted at: 11693 San Vicente Boulevard, #346, Los Angeles, CA. 90049, robertdonin@yahoo.com; 310-319-9305, 310-420-2169 ©