DRUG-FREE MEANS TOBACCO-FREE

Dr. Kunz is a specialist in Addiction Medicine, and a member of the West
Hawaii Tobacco Free Coalition.

There are many reasons to ban tobacco in public places, but I believe that
the following are the top 10. For the benefit of our children, let's state
clearly: "drug free means tobacco free."

10. Freedom to smoke cannot be freedom to harm. The Freedom-to-Smoke tobacco
lobby was conceived and financed by the tobacco industry. Except for tobacco
growing states, this argument is now generally accepted as bogus, dishonest
and self-serving. We all share the right to seek health, happiness and
freedom.

9. Environmentally safe alternatives exist. Environmentally acceptable forms
of tobacco and nicotine are available. For smokers who are addicted, there
are many alternative forms of nicotine, which are harmless to others. These
include snuff, pinch, chew, nicotine gum, nicotine patches, nicotine
inhalers, and nicotine nasal spray. Tobacco in small, clean oral pouches is
now available to place by the gums. These products give the needed nicotine
fix. The cost is similar to cigarettes. Many nicotine-addicted persons
already use these products when flying. Alternative nicotine drug delivery
systems do not expose others to the toxic and carcinogenic risk of tobacco
smoke.

8. Oahu and Maui are showing us the way. The smoking ban on these islands
was passed after public, open debate. The acceptance of a smokeless policy
is widespread, and there is no reason to think the Big Island will be
unique.

7. Smokers are taxed and treated unfairly. Hawaii has one of the highest
tobacco taxes in the country, and it is scheduled to increase. And the
Master Tobacco Settlement Fund for Hawaii - $1.38 billion - has minimal
contributions to spend on smokers addiction (only 12.5 percent over 25
years). It is true - smokers won't be getting their fair share of tobacco
tax or settlement money. If we can help them quit by limiting their smoking
opportunities, they, too, will be better off financially.

6. Doomsday economic predictions have not materialized. Jurisdictions that
have mandated smoke-free public places have not had the economic downturn
that the pro-smoke lobby predicted, and the overall economic advantages have
been positive. On the Big Island, the first smoke-free restaurant was
Bianelli's, 13 years ago. They didn't lose business, and, in fact, have
tripled their seating.

5. Employee and patron health. Non-smokers who are exposed to cigarette
smoke have higher rates of abnormal lung function, respiratory infections,
heart disease, and lung cancer than their counterparts who work in
tobacco-free environments. There is no justification for non-smoking
employees or patrons to suffer damage to their health while they are at
work, or in a public place.

4. Public pressure helps smokers quit. Despite all of the scientific facts
regarding tobacco disease and death, the general knowledge that even smokers
have about tobacco's harm, and even though 70 percent of smokers want to
quit when asked, knowledge and desire have proven inadequate in curtailing
the American tobacco epidemic. Believe it or not, the most successful
element in the campaign to reduce tobacco consumption in the United States
has been the "non-smoker's rights" movement. By insisting on smoke-free
environments for everyone, tobacco-free advocates are enhancing the chances
for better health and longevity for smokers especially.

3. Addiction is a disease. It is a brain disease. Why use a drug that will
change your brain, not just when you use it, but for a long time? The
hallmarks of addiction are denial (I smoke because I like the taste, I can
quit any time), lack of control over drug use (can't stop even for a short
time in a restaurant?) continued use despite consequences (50 percent of
smokers with lung cancer keep smoking after surgery), and the compulsion to
use the drug against your will and best intentions. Tobacco is the crack
cocaine form of nicotine. People who smoke tobacco become quickly and
severely addicted to nicotine. They are not bad people, just addicted.

2. Successful quit therapies are available. Ninety percent of ex-smokers
have quit without professional help, support groups, or nicotine replacement
systems. Most of them tried multiple times before quitting for good. So,
don't give up. But for the hard-core nicotine addict, many effective
therapies are available. In addition to nicotine replacement products like
nicotine gum and patches, you can easily receive prescription nicotine
products and medications from your doctor. There are also cessation support
groups, most of which are free. Finally, some of that settlement money from
Big Tobacco is funding a program on the Big Island to help you quit, and
those services are free (call locally 647-QUIT).

1. Drug-free means tobacco-free. If we want our young people to learn that
their lives will be better without addictive drugs, we have to let them know
we mean all addictive drugs. We have to be honest. No double messages. Legal
drugs are not necessarily less harmful than illicit drugs. In fact, some are
much worse. And especially for our teens, tobacco is the gateway drug. Most
experts agree that drug dependence is a childhood disease almost all people
with a drug problem started in adolescence, with tobacco. Our message as a
community has to be clear: We oppose the use of all dangerous drugs, and
that includes all tobacco products. Let's get this tobacco issue settled; we
have the ice epidemic to fight.

Kevin Kunz, M.D.

Kailua-Kona