SIR — If tobacco smoke transmitted SARS can you imagine how quickly governments worldwide would make all workplaces and public places smoke-free?

But, alas, it only transmits cancer, respiratory illness, heart disease, and asthma. Primary inhalation of tobacco smoke kills more than 400,000 Americans every year while secondhand inhalation kills 50,000 Americans each year.

Diseases caused by tobacco smoke cost American taxpayers more than $100 billion annually!

Joseph W. Cherner,
President
SmokeFree Educational Services