This doesn't seem to have been updated recently, but is interesting nonetheless.
http://www.aclu.org/issues/worker/legkit5.html

Thanks for the link, Spinner. I know that the ACLU has defended smokers who have been discriminated against in the workplace. They ultimately lost the Kurtz case, but they took it all the way to the Supreme Court, which refused to hear it, so a lower court's finding against Kurtz stood. It should be noted that Florida does not have a "smokers-right-to-work" law, but 29 other states do.

Because of its work on behalf of smokers, the niconazis (especially Joe Cherner of Smokefree Educational Services in N.Y.)have
mercilessly attacked the ACLU and called it--of course--a "tool" of the tobacco industry (the antis' usual despicable smear tactics of the sort that earn them the designation of "fascist").

"...have
mercilessly attacked the ACLU and called it--of course--a "tool" of the tobacco industry (the antis' usual despicable smear tactics of the sort that earn them the designation of "fascist")."

Maybe we should start referring to tobacco control outfits such as ASH and so on as "tools" of Big Pharmaceuticals. These sorts of knee jerk responses are handy when you can't think of anything else to rebut with at the moment.

That's why I personally call them Ashists. I'd like to suggest a wider use of the term (all together now-- Ashist, Ashism) because it does get the point across neatly, in a word.

Felt and Cat I agree with you both. On the yahoo Board entitled anti-Smoking Crusades the anti's consistently refer to pro-smokers such as myself and Spinner as "forces-fed." As much as I respect Forces and NSA I try my best not to use links to articles from either site if I can get them from the original sources just to avoid this problem. Believe me - I rely on both because they are so comprehensive and I don't have enough hours in a day to do all that research myself. but if it anything comes from a pro-smoking or smoker's rights web site or any organization that has EVER taken a contribution from a tobacco company these anti's say it is worthless, tainted, corrupt, etc., ad nauseum!!!!

Of course anything that promotes the anti's side of the issue - regardless of where it comes from (including tobacco) is automatically gospel!

[This message has been edited by Gabz (edited 05-14-2000).]

Dear Gabz: June 9, 2000AD@:4:20am-pt zzzz...

Greetings from the battle lines in Central- California! I was glad to see the ACLU
has tried to help us! Any political clout
possible is better than na'da! Oui/yes?

Spinner wrote me on my topic! :-)

Smoking in Society(Besieged smoker in Cal)!

Yes, Ashites or Inquisition-party Narcs are
a pain!...PSAs are really loving things too!
Tobacco firms? PM is acting like (via PSAs)
they were into Domestic abuse Programs for
all time?....I never heard of any such progs
before these Billion dollar suits! It's not
surprising I suppose..to duck & cover? :-)
My anti-smoker mom hates smokers..calls us
Evil! Yes, to my own face she said it!

But, we smokers are sorta hanging out to be
dried by ex-smokers trying to get rich? I'm
having logic channel programs with such lines
of logic by smokers now ill! How does it sit
with you and your pals? To me, I feel like
an army commander without 'air cover'...ok!

Other life-styles get 'special rights'!...I
do not want special rights..just [rights]!!
\
I do not believe in oppressive regs/taxes!!
I hate wife & child abusers for very personal
reasons too!...Not because any company is being sued into poverty to fund Bikepaths in gang zones in my city! Morally, it is evil to
hit women...or abuse kids! I'm pro-Life too!
I'll [not] preach!...I'm not paid to preach!!
I fight as you and Spinner do...for the nice
rank & file smokers being bashed daily on TV!
No one counters these CHS-PSAs either...why?

This stuff would not be allowed to be PSAs
just 11-yrs ago...even in California ok!
Smokers would've said, "What the heck?"
Apathy kills freedoms too..we must awaken!

I'm not forced-fed and usually I'm not a fan
of ACLU either! That's another post!

We frankly need any/all real devoted help we can muster up...legal, business rights groups, and political clout..TV Counter ads too! Did you know TV Stations are in bed
with The Truth.com website groups in Cal?

I've yet seen a smoker ad that says please
all minors come break the laws to smoke! Have
you ever in your life? I've never seen one!

I'm sorry...it's late 4:am-pt here! I'm on
your side fully!!...I've many horrors too!

No jail time...I do better this side of bars!
Alittle humor to break the tension,ok! :-)

Na, I'm not a cop! If I was?..I'd tell you!
Honesty is my policy always! Anti's say we
smokers burn down forests, kill kids, and
make non-smokers smoke...I [never did] that!

Well...perhaps I'll check the chat lines
on Friday's as Spinner noted to me today?

Keep the faith and never be made gulity ok!

Yours In agreement too!!

carey...Modesto,Ca. Age:47