European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 17, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes tuesday Juno 17.1986 Andrew j. Glass army smoking ban signals end of a tradition the army made a Mii Okte Oul of me smoke pm if you Gnu  the Drill sergeant would intone 1 hereby signalling a Brief respite from our sweltering trek through the Sugih Carolina Pines. Nearly in a Man Bravo company s soldiers would Slack their rills and gratefully in Hale before the inevitable summons came to resume the March. Were you unfortunate enough however to be just standing around a noncom would inevitably find something for you to do. Private Glass police the area a sergeant would bark. Clean up chores invariably inducted Field stripping other soldiers Butts. We non smokers naturally regarded such assignments As unfair. But then again the army was a Fine place to discover the inequities of life so i became a smoker in self defense trying As much As a new Haven Educa Tion would permit to blend in. Nor did i inuit until a decade later when during an arduous reportorial foray into new Hampshire. Richard Nison in an uncharacteristic moment of solicitude for a press hound observed thai i looked a bit Gien in the Gills. Those  Days at fort Jackson came to mind upon learn ing that the army has unfurled 3 new policy aimed at making non smoking the Norm within its ranks. The top brass has decided that tobacco harms combat readiness by impairing physical fitness and by increasing illness absenteeism premature death and health care  times Are changing. Hollywood Ivar movies could t have been made had such policies been in effect during world War ii do you recall those nigh scenes in the fun holes As the artillery boomed in the distance and inc tils await cd the frenzied enemy attack those weren t prayer beads being fingered in the dark. As Caspar Weinberger pursues his health promotion  it bears Ellen Goodman put out that out tote noticing that the defense Secretary has stopped Short of ending a Long standing practice of Selling cigarettes m discount in pm s. It would be difficult to persuade the . Surgeon general that such bar gains promote health. But the tobacco Industry is already sufficiently angry at what it Calls the military equivalent of the Blue  in America the pendulum swings be tween efforts to protect the Public health and Affons to protect private morality. In 1754, new Haven passed a Blue Law it was written on Blue paper declaring that no one shall travel Cook victuals make Beds seep House cd hair of shave on the Sabbath today sprawling suburban shopping malls in Connecticut and else where do their biggest business of the week on sundays. Our problem is we lend to violently disagree about what should be legislated As a matter of Public Good and what should be Lefi alone is a Minter of Pri vate morality. Citizens who want the police to chop Down abortion clinics with fire axes arc distraught at the notion that the cops want them to buckle up when i hey drive. The District of Columbia recently joined 26 other states in enforcing a mandatory Seal Bell Law. Since 1981, 139 Drivers and passengers were killed in Washington Only two of them were wearing Seal belts. Yet some people complain that the belts arc uncomfortable or mess up their clothes. And the Auto companies by and Large won t offer air bags As an option because they claim they Ladd s100 or so to the Cost of a car. While he was serving As governor of California Ronald Reagan once Gol mad when 1 pointed out thai it was philosophically inconsistent for him to press for stiff penalties against marijuana users even As he strove to repeal a Law requiring motorcycle riders to Wear crash helmets. I should have known that politicians reflect the morality of their limes whether in the new Haven Colony or in inc new puritanism of Reagan s Ameri Ca. Warning protects tobacco Sellers not smokers its time fellow travellers for another mag ical mystery tour through the tobacco Fields. Today we begin in the Middle of a Glit had for designer Cigar relics and Glide Down past the sophisticated blonde in a backless dress until we land on the Little White rectangle in the right hand Corner. Here we rest for a moment and read together the words surgeon general s warning smok ing causes lung cancer heart disease emphysema and May complicate  if this is like earlier tour groups perhaps you never stopped at the sign before. Nevertheless you probably assume that it was put there for the Aid and Protection of the consumer. Well circe false on your itinerary. According to a decision in the Federal appeals court in Philadelphia labels even the old wimpy Label actually protect the tobacco companies. They give companies immunity from lawsuits. Under the Rufin any consumer who has picked up a pack since 1966 is barred from suing a tobacco company for liability in their lung cancer heart disease emphysema Etc the smoker was you see forewarned. Now Heute the terrain gels a bit rough for a nov traveler so hang on. The tobacco companies do not and will not admit that smoking is unhealthy not to mention lethal. They have funded the most massive disinformation Campaign this Side of the Cia. The words and images in advertising and promotion associate smoking with the Good life instead of a truly Crummy death. These corporations fought mightily in the Congress to weaken labels. Nevertheless according to the 3rd circuit court of appeals if somebody gets sick or Dies after years of inhaling this propaganda the companies Are not responsible. Even though the companies dispute the message on the Label they Are protected by it. Is it any wonder that Elizabeth whet an of he Amer ican Council on science and health says of the tobacco Industry we keep giving them Lemons and they keep making  there Are some 100 cases at different spots on our map where tobacco companies arc being sued by Vic Tims. Even As we continue on our Lour the tobacco lawyers Are trying to quash these cases with the Phila Delphia ruling. This is a fact that sends Joy through the heart of Philip Morris . Reynolds and even do Jones the tobacco stocks Are flying. This decision translates As a License to lie says Richard Daynard of the tobacco products liability project. It says thai even if you can prove thai the companies deliberately tied in their advertising and Public relations material about inc relationship be tween smoking and disease and the plaintiffs died As a result of believing these lies the plaintiffs still can  the court in Philadelphia apparently bought the notion that Congress in passing the Labelling act. Balanced the interests of Public health and the National Economy i.e., he tobacco interests. By Way of political Deal making Congress exchanged immunity from liability for a Bunch of rectangles. This Deal hey were convinced gives cigarettes unique Protection like Tor not it s the Law. In fact the 1565 Labelling act was a sellout but not that much of a sellout. No one expected Ihnn thai i would pre empt liability suits. 1 have mixed feelings about smokers who sue Tobac co companies. There Are 50,000 medical citations now showing the connection Between health or Lack of in and smoking. Nobody forces a cigarette Between some one else s Leech. At the same time the tobacco Compa Nies that spend s 1.5 billion a year to counter the medi Cal message Bear some responsibility for Man Ulac Tunny and marketing a deadly product. At the very least the Issue should be argued in court. If the Phil Alephia decision Sticks the tobacco companies get a free ride. As Daynard says they could we 1",.,d thai a Vous Chat Fitle Box in us Corner i Hose arc lies pan of a communist conspiracy to keep you from your pleasure even if he a smoker believed them he could t  so much for the latest magical mystery Lour. But As you leave Check is tobacco Hawker Al the Gate. 8 � hide b k lie Beh a