24 - Sunday, December 31, 1989 - North Shore News

Airlines could offer some
options to smoking bans

I CAN’T believe the shortsightedness of the dolts in Ot-
tawa. Come the new year, no smoking will be allowed on

Canadian airlines. Period.

Meanwhile, foreign carriers can
do as they please and most have
the sense to allow smoking areas
aboard.

It isn’t an unbearable hardship
to forgo a cigarette for a couple of
hours — uncomfortable, perhaps,
and even nerve-racking should the
going get rough, But bearable.

For an addicted cigarette smok-
er, an overseas flight of 10 hours is
impossible without a cigarette. I’m
an informed expert on the subject.

For me to attempt a long flight
without nicotine would be an en-
durance test that I wouldn’t even
consider.

Spare me your lectures on the
evils of smoking. I’ve been ad-
dicted since I was 14 and the gov-
ernment has made a tidy sum out
of the taxes they’ve charged me on
tobacco during those years.

I'm not about to point any
fingers of biame to the cause of my
turning to tobacco at such a young
age but I certainly didn’t have any
trouble purchasing the product.

The only dire warning I heard
concerned the idea thai smoking
before age 16 could result in
stunted growth, but since I'd
reached an acceptable height at
that point I wasn’t concerned.

My parents were concerned — to
the point of screaming fits. But
what can you do with a kid who
gets good marks, has nice friends,
goes to church, sings in two choirs
and honors curfews? Lock her in a
rubber room?

Back to our airlines.

It was reported in the daily
newspaper that foreign travellers
likely cannot be stopped from
smoking aboard — there is no way
of enforcing the penalties on
foreign soil.

Some very nasty incidences have
been reported on flights of short

Options

BEGIN THIS new year and decade
by discovering your community,
learning new skills, making new
friends and sharing your talents
and knowledge. Become a volun-
teer and join the thousands of
others who have discovered the
joys and rewards of volunteering.

SOCIABLE, cheerful people are
needed to set up tables, serve
meals, socialize and assist with
clean up at a congregate meal for
seniors. This position would suit a
special needs person. Hours are 4
to 7 p.m. Monday/Wednesday or
Tuesday/Thursday.

ENJOY peorle? A unique free
service dependent on volunteers
has need of general office helpers.
Duties include loaning medical
equipment such as wheelchairs,
walkers and crutches to people on
a temporary basis. Some clerical
work is also required. Volunteer
should deal well with the public
and be available for three-hour
shifts, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4
p.m. Training and orientation
provided.

SPECIAL needs preschool needs
a new member for the board of
directors. Volunteer will par-
ticipate in policy development, set-
ting goals and guidelines as well as
participate in fundraising activi-
ties. Training is provided and the
society will pay for workshops/
courses. Board meetings are three
hours per month on Thursday
evenings from September to June.

TACTFUL recreation aides are
needed to assist handicapped
seniors with recreation programs
such as cards, scrabble, table

durations where determined smok-
ers have lit up despite bans. Please
note that there is no ban on alco-
holic beverages contemplated.
Nothing like a couple of drinks to
make a nicotine addict surly.

travel

wise
Barbara McCreadie
as
Let’s take a look at the
geographical distribution of

Canada’s population. The majori-
ty of us live within a reasonable
distance of an American airport.
In addition to the freedom to
smoke on long flights, many
American airlines offer very at-
tractive fares.

Look also at the number of
foreign airlines that depart from
Canadian airports. Our govern-
ment can’t do anything to stop
them catering to the smokers. Un-
til Canada reassesses this crazy ban
foreign airlines will get a lot of
business — including mine.

It seems to me that a better ap-
proach io the airline smoking legis-

lation would be to offer a choice.

Sure. Ban smoking on certain
flights. Allow it on others and let
the passengers make a choice as tc
what they fly.

Insist that the air conditioning
system on planes carrying smokers
be improved. While they’re at it, it
wouldn’t hurt to improve the air
on ALL flights or is that asking
too much?

I was told that it would be no
job at all to effectively screen
smoking sections from non-smok-
ing, using the same principle used
to keep cold air in frozen food
cases in supermarkets. If that’s
true, why not do it and save all this
fuss?

Another zumor floating around
is that air conditioning systems
aboard flights are being operated
at inefficient levels to save fuel. If
this is trac, why doesn’t Ottawa
direct beady little eyes in this di-
rection?

I know Ill be bombarded with
shrieks from non-smokers. Why
are they far more vocal than
smokers? As long as cigarette
smoking is legal and cigarettes are
taxed and controlled by our gov-
ernment, why do smokers allow
themselves to be pushed around?

I have neighbors who are mili-
tant non-smokers. Still, they burn
garbage in their fireplace almost
daily with smoke billowing into
‘clean’? air. Walk through any
neighborhood on a summer after-
noon and enjey the scent of char-
broiled meat. Is this smoke not
hazardous?

1 doubt i’ banning the sale of
alcohol has been considered.

I would rather take my chances
in the company of a cigarette
smoker than a drunk, especially
aboard a flight. The smoker can
always butt-out in an emergency,
but what’s the standard procedure
with 200 pounds of ‘‘mellow’’ dur-
ing an evacuation?

Happy New Year.

for volunteers

bowiing and socializing. Volunteer
should preferably be between 30
and 65 years of age and have a
special interest in working with the
frail and elderly. Training is on the
job. Hours are half-day week
Monday to Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4

p.m.

SENSITIVE, non-judgmental
women, 25 years and over, are
needed to work with women and
children in crisis during their stay

CHERRY

neighbours.
Xe J

ve

‘|
Say Ad

ute

Best Wishes for
the New Decade

To all my clients, friends, and

ia
(Office) 984-9711

SUSSEX GROUP -S.R.C. REALTY CORPORATION
2996 Lonsdale Ave. North Vancouver, B.C. V7N 34

at a transition house. If you are
understanding and have some
knowledge of the issue of abuse,
come and help fill this critical
need. Hours are flexible, weekly
three-hour shifts from 10 a.m. to
10 p.m.

If you are interested in these or
any other volunteer opportunities,
call Dru at 985-7138 at the North
Shore Information and Volunteer
Centre.

|

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CAPILANO
COLLEGE

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Registration for returning or previously
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