European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 31, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes tuesday december 31, 1985 columns & comments William f. Buckley anti smoking pressure reaching epidemic Levels at a roast of Jesse Helms. Sen Robert Dole had his usual droll it me he u armed up b i in  w Hen Jesse is Burn in arc was .1 cd and fight Belicen his Mother and father. They both lost the had to bring up Jesse "  tip. Or Dole announced the it he hid just received .1 bulletin Jesse. Just Learned the c is has bought North  the Wisecrack placed on sever ill themes. One i r Hern of course was the Emer gence of Helms As the Hill s  defender of he Bacco Industry. Yoi can t open the paper without a Tresh tobacco Story to read. In Chicago 55 million verdict in  of Viceroy cigarettes against a broadcaster who lib eled the cigarette company by Sug Gesting that it was a11empting to seduce Oung smokers by putting cigarette smoking up there with the Joys of boo a. Drugs and lapsed virginity in Dallas Neier mind rugged Texas individualism and ambient conservatism a new code from now on. Any restaurant that seats More than 50 people will have id have separate sections for those w to smoke. Lawsuits against cigarette companies by survivors of dead smokers allege that the deaths usually by lung cancer were the result of the carcinogenic fac Iorii a in North Carolina that cheerfully Market a killer drug. A  is proposed that would Rigi in forbid any advertising anywhere for cigarettes. The dumbfounded re action of a representative from he to Bacco Institute was do they propose to repeal the Constitution his Point being that the Freedom of the press protects the tobacco Industry s rights to advertise its products never mind that in 1971 that right was withdrawn in respect of advertising cigarettes Over radio or television. For Many people who try to sort out their Iii nude on the general subject self examination is in order. In my own famil. The opposition to smoking by my Strong willed father was uncompromising. The net effect seven of his 10 children took up smoking. My own addiction was so fervent that i found my self regulating my life with primary emphasis on expanding furtive opportunities to smoke at school and at Home. At ape 26. On new year s Day. My wife and 1 woke with awful cigarette hangovers and spontaneously swore off jointly new year s pledge. Twenty Carl Rowan four hours without tobacco and we be came so irritable that it seemed Clear thai one of us should resume smoking if Only to save our marriage. We flipped a Coin and she won lost you name it because she continues to smoke and i kicked the habit. Along Wilh. If one reads the statistics accurately 30 Mil lion other americans of my own Sib Lings the last one stopped smoking Only a few weeks ago. The anti smoking pressure if the metaphor does t offend has reached epidemic Levels. Figures released recently show that lung cancer in men has declined for the first time in 50 years. Over inc past two decades White male smokers declined from 52 percent to 30 percent of the population unhappily there has not been a correspond ing decrease among women Only 3 per cent and. Sure enough there Are corresponding differences in deaths from lung cancer. The situation among Black men and women is discouraging they Are smoking up a storm. Has the time come then for new National policies on the subject since chs has purchased North Carolina it might proceed to close Down the Tobac co farms that would be one extreme. Congress could one supposes give to the food and drug administration authority to ban the Sale of cigarettes. One would not much care to be a con Gressman who had to vote on any such proposal As that. Wal. Short of proscription where might we go in my own View nowhere. As individuals sex smokers should accept the  obligation of sex alcoholics. A sole ism there we Are told there is no such thing As an sex alcoholic there Are Only reformed alcoholics and private associations oriented to health should keep up the heat. Perhaps a solomonic judge presiding Over one of those lawsuits might stipulate that damages shall consist in heavy Cash contributions by the tobacco companies to anti tobacco health re leases. Perhaps an extra lax on cigarettes to help finance Public health notices. And let us Hope thai Jesse will be overruled on inc craziest of modern political paradoxes to wit attempting on the one hand to diminish smoking and on the other hand lading out subsidies to people who grow tobacco. But that s Tiik direction logo. Forget prohibition Type temptations. Out Lawry in t even working with cocaine or marijuana. Pressure the smokers but otherwise let them alone. He Hayes tobacco but defends right to advertise if you in not know How much i hate smoke you Are cipher illiterate or among those phonies who write me to say such things As i be boycotted your column for years and 1 haled especially the one i Sal was in my newspaper  i Agoni de recently when at dinner before a speech my Host and hostess smoked incessantly. 1 tried to be polite and fan the smoke with both hands but icy must have thought i was flirting with the lady a the a Chi table. I entered my bedroom re Cecily to have my wife say you smell like hell a demonstration 1 had earned by continuing to sing Christmas carols at a piano where a colleague had lit up a two cent Cigar. I go to my favorite restaurant and wince As some dragon lady is scaled at he next table she brandish ing a six Inch cigarette Holder prepared to puff smoke from smoked Salmon to grand Mariner. All this is a prelude to Lelling you thai White 1 am allergic to tobacco smoke and Don l love those who use it around me i am opposed to the american medical association s Call for a ban on Ali tobacco advertising in this country. Know that inc Ama says with credibility i hot 300.000 americans die every year because of the use of tobacco. I know that snuff dippers arc Imong the people you would least like to kiss in this whole wide world j know that you Hud belter Wear a s Pitoon on your head and a suit of Armor if you arc going to associate with any sports jocks and poolroom hustlers who Che tobacco. But there Are some things in the life of a free american that transcend concerns about kissing some one with Green Teeth or gelling Between a self styled Cowboy and the Tartu of his phlegm. I believe that no american should Ever give up and Freedom or right even when the health consequences Are compelling if the problem can be addressed Ai lesser Cost. Tobacco is grown legally in these United states even subs,d,7.cd by the Federal government. Cigarettes and cigars Are smoked legally and Why i la never know it is no crime in even our enlightened states to Chew tobacco or dip snuff. If the Ama had any guts to would have asked Congress to declare tobacco and tobacco products a controlled  pulling it m the category of marijuana and the Many other substances people reusing to kill themselves. An Ama official said on the today show that the next step will be to ask Congress to outlaw the usage of tobacco. In a free society any product the it is Legal ought to be Adver Tisak. Promo Abl whatever. I think it was a Nisi amendment outrage thai in 1971 the Congress outlawed tobacco ads on radio and television. A Friend recently said to me. Rowan to get rid of the smoke of Hale you May have to give up a teeny Bitof Freedom of  i said no being a journalist has taught me that inc com of speech is More important than All my Pel peeves dislikes personal hatreds " 1 truly believe that. U l Eyen sinc Al in p Ano next car while Mik Koyko puffs on what Small cd like a ridiculously cheap Cigar before i la endorse j Blanket ban on tobacco advertising