Comment on "Smoking spat on fast trains" (China Daily, Aug 10)

With what we now know about the effects of second-hand smoking, the choice becomes very simple: Shall we continue to give smokers the right to smoke anywhere, or shall we prevent deaths and illnesses of hundreds of thousands of Chinese children and women each year from second-hand smoking?

And since the authorities know this fact, they should take effective measures to protect people's health.

Don Rechtman, on China Daily website

Readers' comments are welcome. Please send your e-mail to opinion@chinadaily.com.cn or letters@chinadaily.com. cn or to the individual columnists. China Daily reserves the right to edit all letters. Thank you.

A reader, on the China Daily website

(China Daily 08/15/2011 page9)