Madam, - It is noteworthy that Tadg O'Sullivan (March 1st) does not deny that the VFI's Pub Atmosphere Improves Results ventilation campaign (PAIR) is sponsored by the tobacco industry as outlined in my letter of February 24th. It is unlikely that he will do so as I have a document, received from Mr O'Sullivan himself, which states that the campaign is sponsored by the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers Advisory Council.
Unfortunately, the nature and extent of that sponsorship remains hidden.
Mr O'Sullivan is at pains to tell us that it is his members, and not the tobacco industry, who have invested their own money in actually installing expensive ventilation equipment. No one has suggested otherwise. Why would the tobacco industry spend its own money fighting against clean air policies when someone else was willing to do it for them? There is a growing body of evidence showing how the tobacco industry cynically exploits hospitality associations throughout the world to get them to oppose anti-smoking legislation.
Mr O'Sullivan also takes issue with the suggestion that an estimated 150 bar workers in Ireland die from the hazards of passive smoke. He will be aware that this figure was estimated by the eminent US physicist Mr James Repace (The Irish Times, February 11th, 2002). The related research found extremely high levels of passive smoke in Irish bars.
Finally, as a public health doctor, I have a professional responsibility to ensure that conditions which damage public health are opposed. Active and passive smoking needlessly kill some 7,000 Irish people every year. - Yours, etc.,
Dr FENTON HOWELL, St Mary's Villas, Drogheda, Co Louth.