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FLASH: Santa Quits Smoking For Christmas  [12/24/05]                  
Cites Health Risks to Children, Court Orders, Laws, and Fairness

Santa Claus -- long known for his pipe with its smoke which "encircled his head like a wreath" -- has given up smoking so that he will no longer endanger the billions of children whose homes he visits every Christmas.

Reacting to the growing evidence that even small amounts of secondhand tobacco smoke pose very serious health risks to young children, and especially to the tens of millions who already have asthma, hay fever, sinusitis, or other respiratory problems and special sensitivities, Santa said in an email that he has given up smoking. He cited studies showing that thousands of children die each year from exposure to secondhand smoke.

Santa also noted that in thousands of homes, both here and abroad, all smoking is banned by court order or, in the case of homes where foster children live, by legislation or agency regulations.  In addition, since smoking has been banned in so many public places in order to protect adults, Santa believed that it was time to extend the same protection to young children.  He urged parents to follow his example, or at least not to smoke within a home where there are children.

Santa's decision was announced by Prof. John Banzhaf of Action on Smoking Health who had written a letter to old Saint Nick.  Instead of asking for presents for himself, Banzhaf asked Santa to note that times have changed, and that what was once seen as a harmless habit is now a deadly danger to children.  Santa agreed.

Prior letters by Banzhaf led to antismoking messages on radio and television, a ban on cigarette commercials, bans on smoking in many public places, judges banning smoking in homes and cars around children in custody cases and, more recently, bans on smoking in the homes of foster children.

"Christmas is about children, and it is wonderful that Santa Claus is setting such a powerful example in protecting them from tobacco smoke pollution.  Perhaps the most important and lasting gift any smoker can give a child is to give up smoking, or at least to stop smoking around the child," said Banzhaf