Pubdate: Fri, 09 Aug 2002
Source: Intelligencer & Wheeling News-Register (WV)
Copyright: 2002 The Intelligencer & Wheeling News Register
Contact:  http://www.intellnews.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1633
Author: Anna Yost

STAND BY SENIORS ON SMOKING ISSUE

Open letter to all the citizens in Marshall County -Why don't you stop this 
crusade against smoking and put your energy into something that really is a 
killer, "drugs and alcohol." Senior citizens are the generation that smoke. 
Please don't take their rights away from them. Help the younger generation 
- - they really need your help. Seniors' lives are about over and if smoking 
makes them happy, don't take it away from them.

I'm a non-smoker by choice and I'm a senior citizen. I go out once in a 
while with a group of friends (all seniors) to different restaurants and 
after a meal my friends like to enjoy a cigarette, but they can't even 
enjoy that anymore. We seniors like to play bingo, which is mostly a senior 
pastime, and now they are banning smoking there also. My gosh, how many 
more rights are they going to take away from seniors? Bingo helps support 
our churches and helps pay our teachers' salaries; what about the taxes the 
country collects from the sales? Do you people forget how many people are 
employed by the tobacco companies and the many worthy donations that are 
made by them?

I've lived all my life with a family who smoked. I just turned 90 in July 
and I say to you people out there who are so opposed to smoking, let it 
alone. Focus on something that really needs help.

If you don't smoke what is your vice?

We seniors don't need anymore rights taken away. Let our bingo and 
restaurants alone.

Please stand by us.

Anna Yost

McMechen
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom