Passive Smoking

The article “Headlines and High Anxiety” (by David Shaw, Sept. 11) quotes an analyst of the Office of Technology Assessment on the topic of passive smoking. I am writing to correct a possible misimpression that that statement reflects OTA’s position or findings.

OTA and its staff do not take positions in areas we have not studied. We have not conducted any relevant studies on passive smoking that would allow us to take a position in regard to its health effects or about EPA’s regulatory stance, and therefore the agency and its staff have no official position on these matters.

ROGER C. HERDMAN MD

OTA Director, Washington