Secondhand Lighting

The International Agency of Research on Cancer, the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, will be adding overnight shift work as a probable carcinogen. A likely reason for increased incidents of cancer in night workers: reduced production of melatonin — a naturally-produced hormone that can suppress tumor development — due to exposure to lighting at night. This conclusion is not solid by any means, but it does raise a question: Will the do-gooders fight to ban shift work and night lights? For consistency sake, they would have to fight to ban all shift work and night lights just as they are fighting to ban all smoking. Wouldn’t they? If not, and the worker is allowed to assume the risk of night work in return for gainful employment, then shouldn’t all smoking laws be repealed? For consistency sake anyway.