In search of clean air; many Americans have gotten a whiff of fresh air and have liked it enough to want it all the time.

What would the world be like if it were completely free of tobacco smoke? For one thing, there would be the saving eventually) of at least a million lives around the world each year, lives that are now lost to tobacco-caused diseases.

And think of the human suffering that would be eliminated if nobody smoked. The list of problems imposed by the chronic use of tobacco is long: lung cancer, emphysema, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, strokes, poor circulation, miscarriages, and infants born stunted and disadvantaged because their mothers smoked. One expert predicts that ex-smokers might extend their lives by as much as 15 years.

There would be fewer children suffering from respiratory ailments because of living with smoking parents. And there would be fewer fatalities from fires caused by cigarettes dropped on upholstered furniture and mattresses. This is the leading cause of deaths by fire, and most of the victims are children ! Many of the annoyances of modem daily life would disappear-such as headaches from carbon monoxide-laden stale air in the workplace, public buildings, or public transportation. The rapid growth of anti-smoking legislation suggests that many Americans have gotten a whiff of fresh air and have liked it enough to want it all the time ! Nor would we miss the annoyance of cigarette litter in streets, sidewalks, and public buildings. Personal attractiveness would rise among quitters; ex-smokers probably wouldn't really miss their yellow-stained teeth, smoke-polluted hair, or bad breath. Their food would taste better, and coughing would no longer be a morning wake-up routine. There would be no more messy ashtrays to empty, or clothing ruined by misplaced cigarette ash. And we haven't even considered all the money that could be better spent on other things.

A pack-a-day addict spends around $500 a year on the habit. Health insurance and house insurance rates could decline.

With all these advantages, why don't we have a smoke-free society now? Two reasons appear to promote the continued use of tobacco.

First, tobacco delivers nicotine, a demonstrably addictive drug, in an exceptionally effective manner. The pack-a-day smoker maintains a blood level of nicotine in the range that his or her body craves, delivering 400 reinforcements daily to the nicotine dependency. Quitting tobacco may be more difficult than withdrawing from any other drug, including heroin. Many smokers would like to quit, 75 to 85 percent of current smokers according to several surveys, but they are trapped in this insidious addiction. They deserve our sympathy, encouragement, and, yes, our prayers.

Second, tobacco manufacturers can promote its use almost at will. In spite of the ban on radio and television commercials, cigarettes are among the most heavily marketed consumer products, more than $2 billion in 1985, or twice the total annual expenditures of the U.S. National Cancer institute. The recruitment of children into smoking is one of the most unfortunate consequences of tobacco advertising. Laws against sales of tobacco to minors are not being observed nor enforced. Such unrestricted access and prominent sales campaigns say loudly to young people, "This product will not harm you." Few adolescents realize how addictive tobacco is and how difficult it will be to quit once they begin regularly using it. Laws are needed to eliminate all tobacco advertising. Canada has already led in this area. In 1987, that country outlawed the distribution of free tobacco products and imposed stiff consequences on the sale of tobacco products to minors.

If we truly want the benefits of a smoke-free society, Americans will have to go further than insisting on their personal rights to enjoy freedom from secondhand smoke; they will have to press for protection of naive nonsmoking youth from the myths of ads for tobacco and its easy availability. We will become a truly smoke-free society only when our youth make the choice to keep their lungs clean and their environment breathable. We can hasten that day by cooperating with the various anti-smoking activist groups such as STAT and DOC (see addresses in box) and professional organizations that are committed to achieving a smoke-free world by the year 2000.

Consumer
Activists Against
Tobacco
DOC (Doctors Ought to Care)
1423 Harper Street
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Accepts tax-deductible membership
contributions. Publishes posters, stickers.
and DOC News and Views.
STAT (Stop Teenage Addiction to Tobacco)
P.O. Box 50039
Palo Alto, California 94303
Accepts tax-deductible membership
contributions. Publishes the Tobacco
and Youth Reporter.
The Badvertising Institute
P.O. Box 643
Deer Isle, Maine 04627
Publishes posters and schedules exhibits
that expose the deceptions of
cigarette advertising.