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Article: Minister steps up.(rants and raves)
- Article from:
- Wind Speaker
- Article date:
- April 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Aboriginal Multi-Media Society of Alberta (AMMSA). This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Dear Editor:
Re: Sweetgrass burning ban
The ban on smoking tobacco products in Alberta's jails is a commendable policy from a public health point of view. It recognizes the well-documented dangers of second-hand cigarette smoke on all concerned--inmates, correctional officers and administrators.
Second-hand cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, benzene and hydrogen cyanide--the same toxic soup inhaled by the smoker.
However, Sweetgrass is different.
Sweetgrass-which can include sweet grass, sage, cedar and fungus from diamond willow is considered sacred to Aboriginal ...