The Medway Handyman wrote:
Kevin wrote:
typical smokers attitude, sure any smoker can find information to back
up this claim but I can find just as many to prove it is a health risk

heres one
Secondhand smoke accounts for at least 35,000 deaths in the U.S. each
year.

Lets look at the amazing, dreadful, shock horror figure shall we? Lets be
generous, for they say 'at least' 35,000 deaths per year. Lets assume 'at
least' means twice that number, 70,000.

The population of the USA is around 305,000,000. That works out at 0:0229%
of the population.

By the way, the UK Govmint has published figures - printed on cigarette
packets, so it must be true - which state that 11,000 deaths per year are
caused by passive smoking. The EU claim that 16,000 Europeans die each year
due to passive smoking, again printed on cigarette packets.

Do the maths FFS. Look at the percentage of smokers in the UK & Europe
compared to the total population.

The population of Europe is around 728 million, so thats 0:0022% of
Europeans, the UK is around 60 million, so thats 0:018%.

Wildly different figures, none of which are statistically significant.

Typical anti smokers attitude, any anti smoker can find information to back
up his claim. Trouble is the information is a complete bunch of crap and
anti smokers allow their prejudice to overcome their common sense.




This is completely disingenuous.

The numbers used bear no relevance to each other and are a good example of
the misuse of statistics. Given that you are trying to prove a point, I'll
put it down to you being obtuse rather than completely stupid.

You cannot quote deaths as attributed to smoking as a total percentage of
the population. It is meaningless.

You want to start by doubling the given figure to make it look better from
your perspective (35000 now equals 70000)

You at least want to use compare it relating to the total deaths per year.

You need to know (not guess) what population figures the original samples
relate to. I doubt that the Europe figure takes account of a population of
728 million. At best it would only be relating to the EC which is closer to
500 million, But then do these population figures, for a recently enlarged
EC also relate to the figures given for deaths now or from some time ago?

To get any sort of real information you also need the percentage of smokers,
etc.

For the record, my own view is that you should indeed be allowed to smoke if
you want to. But don't do it around me or my kids.

cheers

David