The province deserves credit for providing free smoking cessation programs, however despite the Canadian Cancer Society letter (P.E.I. tobacco rules set the bar high, March 12), the province isn't moving far enough or fast enough on smoking.
The province hasn't disclosed the yearly cost of smoking related health care on P.E.I.
There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world, approximately 67 per cent will die from smoking related illnesses. The province of P.E.I. hasn't moved to implement a provincewide public smoking ban.
The Ontario Supreme Court of Appeals just extended the period of credit protection to tobacco companies. If the tobacco companies can't resolve lawsuits and other financial issues, many tobacco companies could be forced into bankruptcy. The issue involving tobacco companies is foresee-ability. Neither the federal or provincial governments can dismiss the health issues from smoking-related illnesses.
I hope the tobacco companies do go bankrupt, then non-smokers can benefit while Island politicians won't go far enough to deal with the issue of smoking.
John W.A. Curtis,
Summerside
