Sir, – Your article “Tobacco smoke is biggest home pollutant in Ireland, EPA study finds” (Breaking News, May 21st) ignores some glaring facts that undermine the study itself.
First, this study measured inside air quality in a mere 11 homes in Ireland over a couple of months, but is being touted as a justification for looking at regulating smoking in our very homes. To put that in context, the largest study ever done into the effects of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in indoor environments was carried out on 118,000 Americans over a 38-year period. This then was the most significant examination into the alleged problem, but it was ignored because Prof Kabut and Prof Enstrom discovered that “ETS is of little or no consequence.”
That tiny sampling and the absence of a “control group,” makes the EPA study meaningless and without credibility. Rather, it appears to be an effort at sensationalism and as such, just a cheap shot at the 1.3 million of us who choose to smoke of our free will. – Yours, etc,
JOHN MALLON,
Forest Éireann,
PO Box 322,
Churchfield,
Cork.