THE LETTER OF FORCES CANADA TO
THE SOUTH FRASER REGIONAL HEALTH BOARD
South Fraser
Health Region,
The Annex,
13750 96th Ave.,
Surrey, B.C.
Abbotsford, August 22nd, 1997
Chairman David Paterson and Board Members:
Our organization is aware that your Board is promoting a general smoking ban in public places, based on the alleged
dangers of second hand smoke.
Your position in not based on solid evidence, but on arrays of conflicting studies based on statistical meta-analysis and
self-reporting, funded mainly by US taxpayers' money for the purpose of proving that second-hand smoke is a
"danger".
The second-hand smoke "deaths" claimed by such "studies" range from 3,000 US casualties a year to 6,700, 30,000, 35,000, 54,000, 62,000 even 100,000. All the claimed "dangers" of ETS are extrapolated by statistical association. NO CAUSE AND EFFECT WHATSOEVER HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED. The credibility of these figures has been stretched far beyond its limits into the realm of bad-taste scare tactics.
It is clear to anyone (except the interest groups) that these figures are based on speculations, and on computed-
generated tablecharts by entities more interested in financial and political gains than in the truth.
You are asking central and local governments to act on the basis of speculations that are clearly made for the purpose
of supporting prohibition.
We feel that this Board should act responsibly, and not urge authorities to act on "facts" that with a great stretch of
imagination could be called "possibilities".
Since it is clear you are unwilling to act responsibly, we are publicly challenging this Board to procure public evidence
of the dangers of secondhand smoke based on scientifically sound methods such as direct atmospheric and
comparative measurement, or by any other means other than statistical meta-analysis, self-reporting and empty
rhetoric.
Our organization has issued challenges of this kind before to public authorities and antismoking organizations. As
expected, we never received an answer for the simple reason that there were none.
But this time, failure to respond in a meaningful and scientifically proper way will imply the public admission that this
Board supports false or very questionable evidence, thus using its authority for prevarication, prohibition, and to betray
the trust of the citizens.
We feel that it is high time to challenge statements about secondhand smoke publicly and legally with all the necessary
means, for this charade of misrepresentation cannot go unpunished.
Standing by for your reply.
Gian Turci,
President,
FORCES Canada
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