PGAQ #83 by Vic Steblin, Feb 14, 2009

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

The Prince George Citizen has a column called “Caring” which is “published each week to provide a forum for community members to discuss issues that affect health and quality of life in the north.”

The Caring Column for Saturday, February 14, 2009 featured how tobacco displays must be hidden from children. It explained how British Columbia recently banned the retail display and promotion of tobacco products. As of March 31, 2008, under the provincial Tobacco Control Act and regulation, all tobacco retailers must prevent minors from seeing and accessing their tobacco products. There are no exemptions. Many key facts about smoking are then listed.

What about wood burners? By many accounts, the smoke from houses is worse than tobacco smoke for the general population. Wood smoke has a great effect on the overall air quality and health of our community. We should care as much or more about this source of damage to health.

The historical traditions of wood burning should be banned for urban centres and we must have stricter laws controlling abuse. We also need more mention of adverse health effects of wood smoke in the Caring Column.