Blame smokers but ignore larger air quality issues?

The top headline of the June 28 Post-Gazette, about the "major health hazard" of secondhand smoke ("It's 'Indisputable': Secondhand Smoke a Major Health Hazard"), reminded me of another recent news story.

That story detailed a study in a major magazine that reported that it was unhealthy to jog, bicycle or exercise outdoors in Pittsburgh on many days -- due to very poor air quality.

George W. Bush's surgeon general correctly points out the dangers of secondhand smoke while remaining silent about the large increases in air pollution (and all types of pollution) since Mr. Bush began to systematically reverse federal environmental protections.

I may start a Web site called SMOKE -- Stop the Madness and Oppression Killing Everything. I may then conduct a study of the health effects of secondhand smoke on the average person compared to simply breathing the air in Pittsburgh on a poor-quality-air day.

Maybe smokers could accept "the war" against us, and cooperate as much as possible, if we saw some consistency in relation to corporate polluters, the government's failure to discourage gas-guzzling SUVs and continued poor urban planning resulting in more traffic smog.

To single out smokers while ignoring more-significant polluters is like blaming the poor for all social problems. Also, if the goal is to discourage smoking, I have heard no politician discuss alternative forms of funding to replace the huge tax revenues generated by cigarette sales.

RICHARD RESTIVO
North Fayette

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Can't ignore this

Something that our city, county and state officials should pay significant consideration to are the legal ramifications that might begin to surface with the latest recommendations by the U.S. surgeon general ("It's 'Indisputable': Secondhand Smoke a Major Health Hazard," June 28).

The Department of Health and Human Services has scientific evidence that secondhand smoke increases the risk for lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent, increases the risk of heart disease by 20 to 30 percent and can lead to death of infants.

The practice of medicine and health is governed by what scientific studies and scientific data support. If physicians, nurses or other heath professionals practice outside of what is the proven, safe, ethical and gold standard, they put themselves at significant risk for legal repercussions.

If our local, county and state officials think they can ignore the overwhelming scientific data that secondhand smoke poses a tremendous risk to human beings, they are wrong. If they allow innocent children and adults to get sick and even die because they do not want to act on this recommendation to ban public smoking, it is inevitable that nonsmokers who develop lung cancer or heart disease will seek legal counsel, and the attack will be on these very officials who ignored the recommendations.

It is an outrage if there is not immediate action taken to develop legislation that would ban secondhand smoke in public areas.

SHAWN BALASCHAK, R.N.
Cardiac Specialty Nurse
Whitehall

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Fair play on cable

Your June 7 story "Unfettered Cable: Bill to Deregulate Providers Could Cut Rates Through Competition" repeated a number of claims made by Bell telephone companies and their friends in their effort to get special favors from legislators. While they claim to support lower prices for consumers, what they really want is a leg up over their competitors.

The 1996 Telecommunications Act, which the Bells spent millions of dollars lobbying to support, expressly allows telephone companies to enter the video market. But rather than invest in upgrading their networks, the Bells have chosen to milk their old phone monopolies, while cable companies -- like the small operators I represent, some with only several hundred customers -- have invested more than $100 billion in private dollars upgrading their networks for high-speed Internet. As a result, 91 percent (and counting) of the homes cable serves nationwide have access to our broadband offering.

Instead of supporting Bell-backed state or national video franchising legislation that would give telephone companies an advantage over their competitors, let's agree to several principles.

First, there should be a level playing field among competitors. Cable and telephone companies should be required to abide by the same rules and obligations in the spirit of fair play. Second, cable companies have agreed to anti-discrimination obligations for decades. Failing to prevent telephone companies from discriminating based on income or race would undermine core American values. Third, local governments have a significant role to play in ensuring the well-being of their neighborhoods.

These should be principles with which we can all agree that will bring telecommunications competition to all, not just a few.

MATTHEW M. POLKA
President and CEO
American Cable Association
Green Tree

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A Bush yes man

Regarding the June 13 letter "Santorum's Clout" by Jerry Dauginikas, chairman of the Baldwin Borough Republican Committee: Isn't this just the typical Republican making ominous threats about what will happen to Pennsylvania if we don't re-elect Sen. Rick Santorum?

I don't want Rick Santorum's clout -- I want him out. I want a senator from Pennsylvania to work for the citizens of Pennsylvania. I know where Mr. Santorum stands on issues -- right beside George W. Bush.

Rick Santorum has had 15 years to get it right, and it's time for a change. We need new ideas on the economy, the environment and other issues -- not a yes man for the president. Vote for the right man, not for the party.

MARY L. McCURDY
Butler

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WMDs in Iraq

After hearing parts of Sen. Rick Santorum's press conference June 21 regarding weapons of mass destruction found in Iraq, I was curious how the Post-Gazette would report on it. Since Sen. Santorum described this discovery as "an incredibly significant finding," I anticipated that it would be found on the front page of the June 22 paper.

When I perused the paper, I was very surprised that there was no report of this on your front page, second page or any other page. I found this very strange since Mr. Santorum's news conference was at 6 p.m. that Wednesday.

On Friday, June 23, there was an article on Page A-5 written by Knight Ridder correspondent Warren P. Strobel ("New Arms Report Fails to Back Bush on Iraq War Basis"). Its perspective was clearly that of Sen. Santorum's political opponents. It said, "A new, partially declassified intelligence report provides no new evidence that Saddam Hussein had stockpiled weapons of mass destruction on the eve of the U.S.-led invasion ...," citing unnamed intelligence officials.

Where was the report on the details of Sen. Santorum's news conference? I suspect he would disagree with Mr. Strobel's article.

JAY GRIFFIN
Murrysville

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