PGAQ #42 by Vic Steblin, Nov 12, 2008

2570 Laurier Crescent, Prince George, BC, 250-564-1123

A recent Citizen article reported some sobering statistics about three big killers in BC. From 2002-2007, deaths from smoking were 22 972, from alcohol 4 431, and from illicit drugs 1 814, producing a rough ratio of about 10:2:1 for smokes:booze:drugs.

People who carefully avoid these pleasure/vices may take a “reap-what-you-sow” or “thin-the-herd” attitude about these statistics. The three habits of smoking, alcohol and drugs are largely an individual choice that mostly harms the individual or close relatives although the taxpayer also helps pay hospital bills.

Recent research on particulate sources in Prince George gives percents of 25-25-25-25 for industry, transportation, wood stoves and geologic sources like dust. Medical analysis also points to air quality as the cause of about 20 deaths per year in Prince George. And if about one-quarter of air pollution is due to wood-burners then burning wood can be linked to about 5 deaths per year in our city.

Now the real sobering fact is that those of us who live in the wood-smoke filled low areas have no choice except to move away. We are being held hostage by wood-burners. Wood burning is very different than smoking, drinking or drugs since it leaves the non-wood burner with little choice. Our city leaders must ban wood-burning because of this violation of common decency.