BLOWIN’ SMOKE

I am appalled by the sleazy style and lopsided content of “That Cuisine and Nicotine Connection,” by Judith Sims, (Sept. 28).

While the entire article was an offensive harangue, calling for anti-smoking laws in L.A.’s finest restaurants, Sims reserves the most ludicrous comments for an unnamed “nonsmoking friend.”

This equivocally existent “friend” of Sims exhorts, “Outside is no better than air conditioning. The same breeze that blows the smoke away from me can also blow it up my nose.” This outrageous comment should serve as a warning to the public about the extremist nature of these self-anointed anti-smoking “crusaders.”

Where will this blatant “legislate-every-aspect-of-our-lives” attitude end? Will they ban smoking in restaurants, then outdoors , too? What next? Will they ban the wearing of perfume or cologne in restaurants?

The answer lies in the common courtesy of both smokers and nonsmokers, not in the further intrusion of government in our lives through more misguided legislation.

If Sims craves rules, regulations and limitations in the restaurants she frequents, I suggest she dine at McDonald’s and let L.A.’s finest restaurants continue to be what they’ve always been: L.A.’s finest restaurants.

WAYNE POWERS

Van Nuys