June 29, 2005
The International Smokers Rights Conference
Good Afternoon, thank you for being here today! A lot of people have asked
me how I got involved with FORCES and the battle with the tobacco extremists.
Our local Board of Health passed one of, if not the most stringent smoking
ban in West Virginia - then announced it in our local newspapers.
You cannot smoke in any building that is open to the public, nor has
employees. Nor can you smoke within 10 feet of a doorway, ventilation
system nor window. Nor can anyone smoke in any commercial vehicle anywhere
in the county. That means that a trucker passing through the county on an
Interstate, is seen smoking in the rig, could be stopped and cited $250.00
to $1,000.00 for smoking in his own rig! The same fine applies to any
patron or guest smoking in a building. Those fines also apply to any
business who allow smoking or has smoking related paraphernalia, such as
ashtrays or matches on their premises, including if they are just out for sale.
To put this into perspective, if anyone is caught with 15 grams or less of
pot, the person gets 30 days probation and court costs...
Angry, yes I was very angry. I went on the internet and found FORCES, and
joined and started a state chapter. This was almost unheard of as I was
basically unknown to most of the activists at that time, and as I
understand it, caused some strife within the organization. I hope people
now know that I am "ok" and not a threat to the organization.
I knew a "one man organization" would have little voice, so I set out to
get members from all over the state. Locally was easy, I just went to the
businesses most affected by the new ban. Other counties presented a little
more challenge. I could not travel the entire state, so I watched the
newspapers and when someone was bold enough to get their name and community
in the paper I would, and still do, call information and get their phone
number. I would then call them, explain what I am doing and ask if they
want to join and sign up others in their area. No one has ever said no. I
now have members in 40 of our 55 counties and still growing.
So, now I have a lot of members and all of the boards of health I have
spoken to have basically the same answer for me. After I present thousands
of pages of documentation to them proving that there is no science proving
a health risk from environmental tobacco smoke, they basically say "They
are not responsible to listen to anyone except their peers."
That got me to thinking, as it should all of you.
If a business had an outbreak of food poisoning, SARS or any other real
"health issue" would the business that is the source, that the health
department either closes down or quarantines, be able to effectively use
the arguments of "property rights" - "constitutional rights" - "personal
freedoms" or "civil rights"?
No, they would not. Because with a Real Health Issue, none of those rights
come into play. Nor do any other "rights". The health of everyone is
the only thing that matters.
We will never have a real victory, nor a lasting victory until ETS is no
longer classified as a "health issue".
That is why I am raising money to mount a lawsuit for that purpose. Should
you choose to donate you can do so by going to
http://www.forces.org/westvirginia .
I am also working on legislation to create a real Clean Indoor Air Act that
would require the air quality actually be measured for any harmful
pollutant. Should the State Legislature choose not to do this, another
lawsuit may be in order, for not providing a real Clean Indoor Air Act to
the residents of our state.
If any one wants more details you are free to contact me at
forceswv@verizon.net.
Maryetta Ables
President, FORCES West Virginia
PO Box 54
Sutton WV 26601
304-765-5394