We're with Smokin' Joe

A "social smoker," Joe Jackson has not taken kindly to all the efforts under way to snuff smoking out of our society.  He went as far as to write a four-part essay titled "Smoke, Lies and the Nanny State" in which he speaks out against smoking bans and the antismoking hysteria. According to Jackson's website his position "is based on neither personal prejudice nor profit, but on several years of research."

Go, Joe.  Smoke 'em if you got 'em.

Few musicians and entertainers take strong stands while our personal liberties are continuing to vanish. And since the Sanctuary recently took up this very topic we thought you might enjoy reading Jackson's essay. We know all our smoking friends in Wisconsin, now forced to light up outside bars and restaurants since the smoking ban took effect on July 5, will want to check out this link:

http://www.joejackson.com/pdf/5smokingpdf_jj_smoke_lies.pdf

If you don't have time to download the pdf file at least read this excerpt from Jackson's introduction:

I was a very moderate smoker and almost gave up. But something about the sheer hysteria of the antismoking movement, and the various holes and contradictions in their arguments, made me suspicious.  Some time in the late 1990s I arrived in Los Angeles and, as my taxi pulled out of the airport, I was confronted by a huge red billboard: SECONDHAND SMOKE KILLS.  I thought: even heavy smokers take several decades to develop lung cancer.  Surely a nonsmoker, even regularly exposed to smoke in the air, would have to live to be about 300 to catch up? And how exactly would you know it was smoke that killed them, as opposed to, say, the appalling LA smog?

Since then I've researched the smoking issue in depth.  I've unravelled reams of statistics, met with doctors and academics, and networked with scores of other researchers and activists who are trying to get at the truth.  I'm now convinced that the dangers of smoking -- and particularly 'passive' smoking -- are greatly exaggerated, for reasons which have more to do with politics, power and profit than objective science.  I believe that the antismoking movement ... has far too much money and influence, and that their dishonesty and bullying tactics should be worrying even to those who hate tobacco.

If we had a crushproof pack of Marlboros we'd fire one up right now as a show of solidarity. Maybe you'd join us, maybe not. Either way, many happy returns to  Joe Jackson and other members of today's Birthday Band.  We hope you live long and enjoy every one of those smokes. 

Mike Hugg (1942): Drums, Manfred Mann
Do Wah Diddy Diddy, The Mighty Quinn, Pretty Flamingo

Jim Kale (1943): Bass, The Guess Who
No Time, American Woman, Hand Me Down World

Eric Carmen (1949): Singer
All By Myself, Never Gonna Fall in Love, Hungry Eyes

Erik Braunn (1950) Guitar/vocals, Iron Butterfly
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Joe Jackson (1954): Singer
Steppin’ Out, Is She Really Going Out With Him?, On the Radio