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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 18, 2008
CONTACT: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

PA State System of Higher Education Imposes Smoking Ban, But Supports a More Dangerous Lifestyle

(Harrisburg) – Last week the State System of Higher Education interpreted the new Pennsylvania Clean Indoor Air Act as requiring a ban on both indoor and outdoor smoking at Pennsylvania’s 14 state-owned universities. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide traditional values group, has contacted Chancellor John Cavanaugh asking for an explanation as to why they restrict a less dangerous lifestyle choice - smoking, yet promote one which kills the participants at a much younger age.

“Last year the State System of Higher Education voted to extend domestic partner benefits to same-sex partners of faculty members including tuition and health benefits. It appears the Board of Governors of the State System does not read health risk statistics for men who have sex with men,” noted Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.

The New England Journal of Medicine reported that men who smoked shortened their lives by up to 7.2 years. The Oxford University International Journal of Epidemiology stated that men who have sex with men shorten their lives by up to 20 years. Which is the more dangerous of the two practices?

Earlier this month the Centers for Disease Control reported that men who have sex with men continue to be the highest risk group for HIV/AIDS in the U.S., accounting for 53% of new infections in 2006.

A 2005 study presented at the Third International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment in Rio de Janeiro estimates that the lifetime cost of treating an HIV-positive person exceeds $400,000 and can run as high as $648,000. Based on their findings, the researchers estimate that the 40,000 people newly infected with HIV each year in the United States will require about $12.8 billion in medical care.

“These figures just look at the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS. What about the increased cases of other sexually transmitted diseases, anal cancer among men, eating and psychological disorders and domestic abuse associated with living the homosexual lifestyle?” questioned Gramley.

Restricting smoking on campus may be a good thing, but until the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education stops promoting the homosexual lifestyle, it really does not have the best interest of the students, faculty or tax payers in mind.

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