Smoking at Airventure,

[Bill Greenwood]

It was 60 years ago when the major health research report came out on the many dangers of tobacco smoking; that is not only lung, throat cancer, but heart disease.
Back then, about 48% of people in the U S smoked, and after all the years of finally doing something about it smoking here is now down to about 18%. It is estimated that this has saved 8 million lives over these years, but still accounts for 300,000 or so deaths a year.
Among the most educated people on this, smoking is almost nonexistant, only 2% or doctors and 4% of nurses.
How do the tobacco co.s stay in business? Well, they can still get some kids hooked before they are old enough to know better, and they increasingly sell overseas where consumers are too ignorant, like Russia or eastern Europe. Believe it or not there are people who will chew tobacco even though it is disgusting to others and says right on the can that it can cause mouth cancer, after you loose your teeth.

Should EAA do the right thing and remove all smoking at Airventure? Should SunNFun do the same?

Now there is not a huge amount of smoking at EAA and it is outdoors in designated areas, certainly not around planes on the dry grass. And there are some international visitors who are really hooked on the weed, but in my opinion, here in 2014, EAA ought to do the right thing and follow the good example set by most any school or hospital or major restaurant or hotel and become all non smoking at EAA, and that is also the best example for kids.