Expansion of Dallas Smoking Ordinance

Contact: Rita Cox, 214-599-0888, cell: 469-855-7283
At the briefing Jay Pritchard, cell: 214.558.6656

For immediate release:

Local Businessman, Personal Rights Advocate Opposes
Expansion of Dallas’ Smoking Ordinance

(DALLAS, TX –November 4) James P. Graham, CEO of Dallas-based Palo Petroleum, Inc. will attend the City Council Briefing, Wednesday, November 5 to demonstrate his opposition of the city council proposed action on anti-smoking bans in Dallas.

Graham believes that the most in depth and scientifically sound studies, such as the Enstrom/Kabat study published in the British Medical Journal, show that there are virtually no health risks associated with exposure to second hand smoke. “The anti smoking zealots' mode of attack, whether innocently or intentionally, is to repeat the lie often enough that it becomes accepted as truth. Nevertheless, organizations like Smoke Free Dallas print and distribute such untrue statements as ‘. . .53,000 deaths per year attributed to second hand smoke…’ This is an absolute, bold face, unsupportable lie based on junk science that will not stand scientific scrutiny,” said Graham.

Graham believes that if there are really little or no health threats associated with limited exposure to second hand smoke, then imposing smoking bans represents a much graver danger to society. The taking of personal property rights and freedoms and the wholesale attack and lack of respect for our free enterprise system by anti smoking folks is the dangerous crime to our society, which must be confronted, exposed and stopped. Graham said, “Enough is enough of these nannyistic usurpers of freedom, and whether a smoker or not, we all need to stand up to them and reclaim the control of our own lives!”

Graham has a long history of advocating for personal and property rights. He is a member of the executive committee of Mountain States Legal Foundation, a non-profit public interest law firm dedicated to individual liberty, the right to own property and limited and ethical government. Graham’s long record of community involvement includes Chairman of the Dallas Park & Recreation Board, Chair of World Cup Dallas 1994 and Co-Founder of Dallas’ Send A Kid to Camp and many other civic endeavors.

Graham is a strong advocate against junk science. He hosted a briefing in October with Dr. John Dale Dunn, M.D., J. D., who strongly disputes the quasi-scientific claims of deaths or disease attributable to second hand smoke. To contact Graham, call 214.691.3676.

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