Letters Letters I would like to express concern that an important issue wasn t raised in the article, Hazy science behind second-hand smoke , published in the January ORNL Reporter. A serious concern for a growing number of Americans is the allergy factor. Certainly, cancer is usually more deadly, but an asthma attack is capable of killing as well. Mr. Jenkins needs to incorporate other factors besides cancer liability into his research concerning the health risks from second-hand smoke.
Most toxicologists accept the concept that the poison is in the dose.
My goal is to try to get a good handle on exactly what that dose is. We react to a variety of airborne materials as though they were life threatening, and shut down our breathing systems. One of the true measures of a scientist is the extent to which he or she is willing to undergo an investigation, the outcome of which may be personally to his disliking. I happen to find the odor of ETS particularly annoying. It gets on my clothes, hair, etc.