Source: Rock Hill (SC) Herald
Date: 2010-07-04
Author:  Terry Plumb, terry.plumb@gmail.com

According to The Herald, three Republicans vying for York County
Council who won their primary but lack Democratic opponents in
November indicate they want to water down a county ban on smoking
in restaurants, bars and other establishments.  . . .


It\'s a mite early to light that victory cigar in a favorite
honky-tonk, but if pre-election jabber can be believed, it would
appear that the Carcinogens Caucus is about to assume control of
York County government. This is amazing, considering that the
smoking ban was enacted after months of debate, and impassioned,
well-documented pleas by local physicians and what appeared to be
widespread support among people sick of breathing used smoke.

How did the councilmen-elect and the council wannabes reach the
conclusion that the law should be changed? Did they take a
scientific poll that showed public opinion had shifted? Did they
uncover some new research that indicates bartenders, waiters and
waitresses are endowed with special physiological attributes that
protect them from lung cancer, heart disease and other
deleterious effects of tobacco smoke?

What\'s more likely is that these guys are running scared because
they are listening to the antigovernment rhetoric spouted by a
vociferous minority. . . .

Informed speculation has it that Blackwell, a Rock Hill
optometrist, is lobbying to be the next chairman of County
Council. If so, he may have a unique opening to prove his
leadership skills by helping turn the tide against tobacco in
York County once more. After all, as a health professional who
has made a career of helping the people of York County see more
clearly, Blackwell surely knows that tobacco smoke causes a
twofold to threefold increase in macular degeneration, that
smokers have a 40 percent greater chance of developing cataracts
than nonsmokers, and that several other serious vision-related
conditions are associated with inhaling smoke.

Bad things happen in smoke-filled rooms - both to politicians and
to the people they are elected to serve.