Letters
Support Smoke Free Air Act in New Jersey

As a cardiologist and spokesman for the American Heart Association, I recently testified before the Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee in support of the New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act (S1926). State passage of this legislation will help limit disability and death from heart disease and stroke, our state’s annual No. 1 and No. 3 causes of death respectively.

Tobacco was introduced to Western culture by Native Americans in the 17th century as a sacred medicine. Now — four centuries and so much scientific research later — we recognize the hazards of this former luxury. We have unraveled the mechanisms by which tobacco smoke causes disease.

While individual vulnerability may vary, the adverse effects of tobacco smoke do not know age, gender or race. Whether inhaled through a cigar, a pipe or a cigarette, or from smoky clouds in the workplace, at a gambling table or in a restaurant, the potential mischief of tobacco smoke is scientifically inescapable.

As we all witness the breathtaking pace of scientific discovery and the escalating costs of health care, we become acutely aware our single most powerful clinical tool is prevention. I can’t emphasize enough the existence of compelling scientific and clinical data that explains just why tobacco smoke is implicated in nearly 1,000 deaths in America each day.

We do not deny an individual’s right to take risks but we are adamantly opposed to that individual imposing those risks upon another. We wish to advocate for the rights of so many urban and suburban residents who would choose not to be involuntarily exposed to tobacco smoke.

I am proud the New Jersey Smoke Free Air Act recently passed the Health, Human Service and Senior Citizens Committee with flying colors. This was a wise and informed political choice, as well as a proud expression of public health responsibility. Your leadership is widely applauded, but the job is not complete.

For the benefit of all New Jerseyans, the Smoke Free Air Act must still pass the New Jersey Assembly and Senate. Only then will we proudly say we accomplished what we set out to do — reduce disability and death from cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

William A. Tansey III

board of directors

American Heart Association

North Brunswick

New school should include theater facility

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending all three performances of “West Side Story,” starring the North Brunswick High School Alchemists and members of the high school band — otherwise known as the Pit. It was great to see two sold-out shows Friday and Saturday evening.

The support of the township’s residents, mayor and many of its teachers was only surpassed by the truly remarkable performances of a very talented group of students. Without an auditorium and in absence of music rooms, this high school has managed to produce a marching band in excess of 100 strong, a winter percussion group of 30-plus strong that had the honor of playing at the State Theatre last year, a talented group of pit orchestra players and, of course, an exceptional group of young actors and actresses. Supported by equally talented and hard-working staff members such as James Egan, Joel Chesler and Deborah Suchacki, to name a few, the township was treated to a very special event this past weekend.

North Brunswick has much to be proud of. I hope its school administrators — without further delay — can show their appreciation by making sure its newly renovated high school, when completed, includes a first-rate theater/concert facility for these extremely talented young people.

Irwin M. Nudelman

North Brunswick

Knights thank those

who helped drive

The member of the Knights of Columbus Council No. 7046, St. Cecilia’s, Monmouth Junction) want to express our thanks to everyone in the local community that contributed to our April 22-24 drive for the mentally handicapped.

We were able to raise more than $3,400 that will be given to local organizations that assist the mentally handicapped.

Special thanks go out to local merchants — Wawa, Dunkin’ Donuts, Pierre’s, Stop & Shop and Wendy’s, and the St. Cecilia’s Parish Community for providing us the ability to collect during the weekend.

Greg Monticchio

chairman, Mentally

Handicapped Drive

St. Cecilia’s Council No. 7046

Monmouth Junction section

of South Brunswick

SCI chair made ‘hard-hitting conclusions’

After shining their searchlights on the perpetrators and making a laundry list of suggestions for keeping them in line, our State Commission of Investigation (SCI) has left it to our elected and appointed officials to protect we homeowners against shoddy home construction.

On behalf of New Jersey’s chapter of Homeowners Against Defective Dwellings (HADD), I want to congratulate Chairman Carry Edwards, and the SCI staff for its careful but hard-hitting conclusions. But now for the hard work.

Whether your readers are recent homebuyers, future homebuyers or parents of future homebuyers, they cannot afford to allow our elected officials to think the storm has passed. In this interactive world of ours, they can make a difference with the stroke of a few computer keys. With an e-mail “vote” they can keep our legislators from allowing work on new home construction rules to sink to the bottom of their to-do lists. While we wait patiently for the SCI’s recommendations to save us against bad builders, guess who’s busy lobbying our elected officials into watering down the remedies we need?

Anyone who has any doubt how to be heard in Trenton, please write or e-mail me at Kelly16vil@aol.com. By phone at (732) 577-7056.

Tracey Kelly

president, HADD — NJ

Freehold