Does your Town Need a Disclaimer as a Defense?

January 16th, 2011. By Hunter West

Imagine, driving down a highway enroute to a major city and encountering the ‘Welcome’ sign that often heralds a municipality’s singular asset, or slogan. “Welcome to Anytown: the Friendly City,” or for that matter ‘You Are Entering the Sunshine State…” 

Well how about this… 

“Welcome to Anytown. Our Smog Can Kill You. Wear a Mask. Stay Indoors, Shut the Windows and Have a Nice Day.” 

Or, 

“Welcome to Anyville. You’ve Been Warned…” 

A study appeared last week in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that warns against the possibility of adverse effects for healthy people living in, or within close proximity to air pollution. 

Specifically, the impact air pollution may have on heart arrhythmias that could lead to sudden death. 

The possibility that dirty air could prove a problem for people with heart conditions has been debated for some time. But this is something new, because now we are talking about healthy people, with relatively healthy hearts. 

The small study found that air pollution could interfere with the heart’s inherent capacity to reset its electrical properties in an orderly manner, according to the researchers involved. That can lead to arrhythmias—which can cause sudden death in certain individuals. 

Mind you, the study was small—just 25 participants. However, this is the first time that concern has been raised about the potential health effects of generally dirty air on healthy people. Sure, if you have a heart condition to begin with then living in, or within close proximity to a major polluter isn’t good for you. 

But now, suggests this study—it may not be good for you if you’re healthy, either. 

So what’s the alternative? Move? Sometimes that’s impossible. We’d all like to live in an area surrounded by green space, lakes and twittering birds. For some, technology allows the capacity to work from virtually anywhere. 

But not for all. If you’re physically tied to a job in a major metropolis with smog and air pollution, you’re stuck. 

What happens if the air strikes you down? You’re out jogging one day—oh, you ARE so healthy, aren’t you—when suddenly a heart arrhythmia appears from nowhere and you wind up pushing daisies. Perhaps you survive. But perhaps you don’t… 

Can your family, or estate litigate against the municipality for damages? Can the city be liable for dirty air? 

You can imagine city solicitors sitting the mayor down to discuss grave concerns with regard to such liability issues. 

“We need a disclaimer,” they may say. 

“But it will kill the tourist trade…” 

“No matter,” the legal Beagles will shoot back. “Unless you want to see umpteen percent of the annual City budget going to pay settlements and our insurance premiums going through the roof, we have to take a cue from the cigarette manufacturers and put warning labels on all City correspondence—letterhead, marketing materials, the works.” 

“Even the signs?” 

“Especially the signs, Your Worship. It gives us an out. A defense, for when the plaintiffs line up like rummies at a food bank. We put it on your utility bills, everything. We could make a good case for people having been effectively warned, but still choosing to live here.” 

“But not the signs…” 

“We’re afraid so, Your Worship. But look on the bright side. It’ll put us on the map. FOX News will come down. We might even get on Piers Morgan. 

“Welcome to Anytown—Where Coughing Up a Lung Means Hello…” 

“Has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?” 

Tags: Air Pollution, Heart Arrhythmias

This was posted on Sunday, January 16th, 2011 at 11:23 am and is filed under Drugs/Medical, Environment . Feel free to respond, or trackback. Read our comments policy.