From: Joe@smokefree.org
Date: Sun, 11/30/03
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******************************************************
This sad story gives truth to the saying that fact is often stranger =
than fiction. =20
To support smokefree workplace legislation, go to =
www.smokefree.net/alerts.php
******************************************************
Man Suffers Fatal Coronary After Testifying that Risk from Tobacco Smoke =
is "Baloney"
"I sat at a table of smokers every morning... and it hasn't bothered my =
health any."
Parts excerpted from Anchorage Daily News, November 26, 2003
HOMER, AK -- A local businessman who had just finished testifying =
against a proposed smokefree ordinance collapsed with a heart attack in =
the council chambers and could not be revived.=20
Robert Keys, a former smoker, told a packed city council meeting that he =
sat at a table of smokers every morning for coffee and conversation at a =
local restaurant without trouble. "It hasn't bothered my health any," =
Keys testified. In fact Keys, a veteran, said he'd just had an =
echocardiogram about six weeks ago at the hospital at Elmendorf Air =
Force Base. "They told me I had the heart of a very young person. So I =
think all this baloney about tobacco smoke affecting people's health is =
just that. Baloney."=20
Keys returned to his seat in the council chambers. Less than five =
minutes later, gasping noises from Keys interrupted further testimony. =
The room was cleared and emergency help summoned.=20
Among those at the meeting were the city fire chief, head EMT, and a =
doctor. Attempts to resuscitate Keys en route to the hospital were =
unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest in the emergency =
room at South Peninsula Hospital, Homer Fire Chief Bob Painter said.=20
The council meeting was recessed until next week.=20
Keys told the council he had started smoking when he was 8 and quit when =
he was 35. Keys was active in local government affairs. Several years =
ago, he ran unsuccessfully for the city council.=20
"Bob actively voiced his concerns for city government over the years. He =
was strong in his beliefs," said Mayor Jack Cushing, who was chairing =
the meeting.=20
The council recessed Monday before it ever got around to introducing the =
controversial smokefree ordinance. Cushing estimated that at least 30 =
people had come to testify about the measure. It is scheduled to be =
taken up with other council business when the meeting resumes on Monday. =
"It's a shocking, horrible tragedy," said Annette Marley, who attended =
Monday's meeting for the Homer Alliance for Fresh Air. "We can't make a =
causal relationship between his being around smokers and his death, but =
we know you have a 30 percent higher risk of dying of chronic heart =
disease if you're a nonsmoker exposed to smoke in the workplace."=20
To support smokefree workplace laws where YOU live, go to =
www.smokefree.net/alerts.php
Joseph W. Cherner
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the=20
world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
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<DIV><FONT=20
face=3DArial>******************************************************</FONT=
></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>This sad story gives truth to the =
saying that=20
fact is often stranger than fiction. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>To support smokefree workplace legislation, go =
to=20
</FONT><A href=3D"http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php"><FONT=20
face=3DArial>www.smokefree.net/alerts.php</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV><FONT=20
face=3DArial>******************************************************</FONT=
></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DGaramond></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Arial Narrow" size=3D4><STRONG>Man Suffers Fatal =
Coronary After=20
Testifying that Risk from Tobacco Smoke is =
"Baloney"</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><U><FONT face=3D"Arial Narrow">"I sat at a table of smokers =
every=20
morning... and it hasn't bothered my health =
any."</FONT></U></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DGaramond></FONT><BR><FONT face=3DArial =
size=3D1><EM>Parts excerpted=20
from Anchorage Daily News, November 26, 2003</EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT></EM> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=3Dcopy><FONT face=3DArial>HOMER, AK -- A local =
businessman who=20
had just finished testifying against a proposed smokefree=20
ordinance collapsed with a heart attack in the council =
chambers and=20
could not be revived. </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Robert Keys, a former smoker, told a packed city =
council=20
meeting that he sat at a table of smokers every morning for coffee and=20
conversation at a local restaurant without trouble. "It hasn't =
bothered my=20
health any," Keys testified. In fact Keys, a veteran, said he'd =
just had=20
an echocardiogram about six weeks ago at the hospital at Elmendorf Air =
Force=20
Base. "They told me I had the heart of a very young person. So I =
think all=20
this baloney about tobacco smoke affecting people's health is just that. =
Baloney." </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Keys returned to his seat in the council chambers. =
Less than=20
five minutes later, gasping noises from Keys interrupted further =
testimony. The=20
room was cleared and emergency help summoned. </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Among those at the meeting were the city fire =
chief, head=20
EMT, and a doctor. Attempts to resuscitate Keys en route to the =
hospital=20
were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead of cardiac arrest in the =
emergency=20
room at South Peninsula Hospital, Homer Fire Chief Bob Painter said. =
</FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>The council meeting was recessed until next week. =
</FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>Keys told the council he had started smoking =
when he=20
was 8 and quit when he was 35. Keys was active in local government =
affairs. Several years ago, he ran unsuccessfully for the city council. =
</FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>"Bob actively voiced his concerns for city =
government over=20
the years. He was strong in his beliefs," said Mayor Jack Cushing, who =
was=20
chairing the meeting. </FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>The council recessed Monday before it ever got =
around to=20
introducing the controversial smokefree ordinance. Cushing estimated =
that at=20
least 30 people had come to testify about the measure. It is scheduled =
to be=20
taken up with other council business when the meeting resumes on Monday. =
</FONT>
<P><FONT face=3DArial>"It's a shocking, horrible tragedy," said Annette =
Marley,=20
who attended Monday's meeting for the Homer Alliance for Fresh Air. "We =
can't=20
make a causal relationship between his being around smokers and his =
death, but=20
we know you have a 30 percent higher risk of dying of chronic heart =
disease if=20
you're a nonsmoker exposed to smoke in the workplace." =
</FONT></SPAN><BR><!-- Component: ADN : =
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support smokefree workplace laws where YOU live, go to </FONT><A=20
href=3D"http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php"><FONT=20
face=3DArial>www.smokefree.net/alerts.php</FONT></A></P></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>Joseph W. Cherner</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial>"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful =
citizens can=20
change the <BR>world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever=20
has." Margaret Mead<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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