I wanted to thank you for the overwhelming support from people from all ages and all walks of life. I have received emails in response to the newspaper article today from club goers, polititians, musicians, moms, lawyers.... I wanted to share with you one letter ( I asked if I could share this and got an ok ) This is a letter that he wrote to his representative concerning the smoking in public places issue. Here it is
LONNY DAVIS, J.D.
Counselor and Attorney at Law
Email: TulsaLaw@Grad.com
1503 East Twenty-first Street Telefax: (918) 599-9555
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114-1339 Telephone: (918) 599-9555
February 9, 2002
Oklahoma State Legislature
c/o Senator Ben Robinson
2300 North Lincoln Blvd., Rm 511
Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4808
RE: Senate Bill 1553
Dear Members of the Oklahoma Legislature:
For years I have been disappointed to find my clothes smelling of smoke after visiting a restaurant or club. As a result of "second hand smoke" present in these public accommodations, I have suffered the expense of additional cleaning bills for my clothes and sometimes suffered respiratory problems. But until now, I did not realize that I was unwillingly being transfused with a narcotic drug and poison, nicotine.
I recently had a blood test incidental to a life insurance physical. I was surprised to discover that thirty-six (36) hours after my last exposure to "second hand smoke" that the blood test found nicotine present in my blood.
Permitting smoking in public accommodations is functionally the same as permitting anyone to infuse drugs such as cocaine, heroin or marijuana into a citizen without his/her permission. Nicotine is a drug, just as cocain, heroin and marijuana are drugs. Condoning an environment that permits the involuntary infusion of any drug into a person should not be permitted. The fact that nicotine, in the form of tobacco, is legal does not make the intrusion any less offensive, such an intrusion could be criminal.
I defy anyone to allege that they have the right to infuse any substance or drug into my blood without my permission. Yet, the Legislature of Oklahoma permits such acts. Why?
Permitting smoking in public accommodations infringes on an individual’s freedom of choice and right of assembly. It endangers the health of workers and will likely result in workers’ compensation claims and, perhaps, negligent endangerment claims against employers. There are plenty of creative attorneys which might embrace such actions.
Take the responsible action, pass Senate Bill 1553. Please don’t continue to condone the unlawful act of infusing the drug nicotine into the blood of innocent citizens.
Respectfully,
Lonny (Leon P.) Davis
Enclosure: Blood Test
Thursday, December 6, 2007
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