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New! Search All Of My Articles By Topic With Quick and Easy Links If you like these articles, please link to them, instead of copying them. Thank you. Green Living Now News, Edition Twenty-One
1. Cigarettes-More Addictive Than Ever…
I hope you don't smoke. But if you do, or live with someone who does, here's some shocking information. Between 1998 and 2004, the amount of nicotine, the primary addictive substance in cigarettes, increased by 10%(according to the MA State Department of Health). That means it's harder to quit and that tobacco companies are looking for any way they can to keep people hooked on their dangerous product. It's really shocking considering the lawsuits and resulting Master Settlement Agreement, which went into effect in April of 2002. Essentially, a number of states' Attorney Generals (beginning with Mississippi in 1994) brought suits against the major tobacco companies. This suit was intended to hold the industry legally responsible for some of the harm and expense caused by tobacco use. It required the tobacco manufacturers to stop deceptive marketing practices (such as saying that "lite" or low tar cigarettes were healthier), to stop targeting minors, and require cigarette companies to disclose research concerning smoking, health, and nicotine addiction. It also required these companies to fund public education and smoking cessation programs, and to pay out money to help defray the significant costs incurred by the states due to smoking-related diseases. I find it strangely amusing when I see a smoking prevention ad on television from one of the tobacco companies. One thing the suit didn't cover was the ability for tobacco companies to make their product more addictive. Go figure… The good news is that more and more public places have become smoke free. 14 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico have all passed smoke-free, including restaurants and bars. Phew! I cannot stand the smell of cigarette smoke, especially when I'm eating food. I don't like it outside either, such as when I'm sitting on a chairlift on my way up a mountain to go skiing. There I sit, appreciating the beauty of the day, the crisp winter air and the landscape, and then I smell tobacco smoke wafting towards me. Ugh! It's pretty well known that secondhand smoke is very dangerous. Here's what the US Surgeon General's June 2006 Report on Secondhand smoking has to say, "The scientific evidence is indisputable that secondhand smoke causes premature death and serious diseases in both adults and children who do not smoke. As Surgeon General Richard Carmona stated, "The debate is over. The science is clear. Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard." The report goes on to say that secondhand smoke is a proven cause of lung cancer and heart disease in NON-SMOKING adults. It's also responsible for sudden infant death syndrome, low birth weight, serious respiratory infections and ear infections, and asthma attacks in children. Tens of thousands of people die each year due to secondhand smoke. There's no safe exposure level, and secondhand smoke has considerable and immediate effects on our cardiovascular systems. One study suggested that secondhand smoke caused breast cancer in women, especially younger women. It was said to increase the risk for breast cancer by 90%. And, it's not just humans that are affected. Studies have shown negative health effects for dogs, cats and birds. Check this out: http://network.bestfriends.org/tennessee/news/634.html. Well, enough of my rant. I'm probably preaching to the (non-smoking) choir. Sources:
2. What Are They Spraying
On Luncheon Meat? Most of us try and prevent exposure and/or build up our resistance to viruses. We've been told that viruses can make us sick. Well, how odd then that the FDA would approve the use of a mixture of bacteria killing viruses to be sprayed on ready to eat luncheon meats, such as: hot dogs, bologna, ham and turkey slices. It's supposed to eat up a bacteria called Listeria, which is responsible for about 2,500 people getting sick each year. In contrast, millions suffer from E-coli poisoning and about 50,000 people from Salmonella. So why the big deal about Listeria? Of course I don't want anyone getting sick from his or her food, but is it worth testing out this new technology? But, here's what really disturbs me…meat producers don't even have to tell us which meats have been sprayed with viruses. Maybe you are one of those people who allows themselves one hot dog at a baseball game. Or, maybe you like ham or turkey sandwiches. What if that hot dog and those luncheon meats were sprayed with the virus mixture, and you got sick. Would you assume it was e-coli poisoning, or some other bacteria? I probably would. How would you know what it really was? How could you report this incident and track it back to the virus spray? Sounds like a built in protection for the manufacturers of the virus spray, doesn't it? Naturally, the Food and Drug Administration claims that the virus spray is safe, "as long as it is used in accordance with the regulations", according to Andrew Zajac, from the FDA's regulatory agency office of food additive safety. The Department of Agriculture has been given the task of regulating the use of the product. Even the FDA was initially concerned that the virus preparation could contain toxic residues associated with the bacteria. They say that there testing did not reveal the presence of these residues. Some meat producers, such as Kraft (who makes Oscar Meyer Ready-to-eat
meats) say that they have no plans to use this new technology at
this time. And, the American Meat, Institute the major industry
group representing meat processors, said that not enough was known
about this remedy to determine whether or not meat producers would
use it. I imagine consumer input will play a big role. In fact,
according to the article
in the Sun Herald on 8/31/06, "FDA Unleashes Viruses To
Kill Food Bacteria", Mr. Zajac said that he's already gotten
emails and calls from concerned consumers about the meat not being
labeled. Apparently he said, that the additive will be declared
as on the label as "bacteriophage preparation". According
to the CNN
article, consumers wouldn't be told about the virus spray. The only way to avoid it for sure is to become a vegetarian, or skip all non-organic ready to eat meat.
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