Ever since the hysteria unleashed by the 1992-93 EPA report on secondhand smoke gave the anti-tobacco evangelists the illusion that they were doing God's own work they have preached its junk science as gospel. They continue to do so despite the fact that the EPA conclusions have been contradicted by numerous independent and more objective studies.

19 of 21 studies found no significant risk (under 2.00 relative risk assessment) of lung cancer among nonsmokers exposed to ETS in the work place.

35 of 47 studies found no significant risk of lung cancer among nonsmokers married to smokers.

19 of 21 studies found no significant risk of lung cancer among nonsmokers exposed to ETS in childhood.

Furthermore, the report was contradicted by the highly respected Congressional Research Service (CRS). Not only that, after completion of the largest study of ETS ever undertaken, WHO declared that not only doesn't ETS cause cancer, it may even have a protective effect.

To top it off, not a single instance of a death directly attributable to ETS can be substantiated.

(Source: http://www.forces.org/evidence/ets-whop/index.htm Then click on "List of all studies ever performed on seconddhand smoke..." in left panel.)

They even ignore the fact that this main article of faith of theirs has been vacated by a federal district court (the Osteen decision). That it is a matter of faith, not science, is attested to by EPA High Priestess Carol Browner's statement at the time the Osteen decision was handed down: "We believe the health threats to children and adults from breathing secondhand smoke are very real." (Emphasis added.)

Considering all this, it is criminal that the anti-tobacco jingoists have continued to peddle the EPA lie as truth. Appropriate legal action should be taken to prevent them from doing so any longer.