TOBACCO DAYS: A Personal Journey

About the Book

This book traces changing attitudes to tobacco largely through the experiences of the author. He grew up raising tobacco and, influenced by advertising, began smoking as a youth. He was conducting research in a chemical laboratory involving carcinogenic substances when the health effects of tobacco began to surface. While he was working with public interest organizations, environmental tobacco smoke began to be recognized as an indoor pollutant. Ethical issues forced him, like many others, to stop smoking, and he eventually became quite involved in pastoral work with sick smokers. The final chapter surveys the lessons that can be learned from one person's tobacco days.

About the Author

Al Fritsch was born in the tobacco belt of Kentucky, the son of tobacco growers. He attended Xavier University and then entered the Society of Jesus. He earned a doctorate in chemistry at Fordham. He co-founded the Center for Science in the Public Interest in Washington, D.C. and then created and directed Appalachia -- Science in the Public Interest, an appropriate technology/nature center in Kentucky. He has written numerous books and maintains a web site, http//www.earthhealing.info, where he publishes daily reflections. In recent years he has been involved in pastoral work in Kentucky.