Charles G. Pease

Charles Giffin Pease (1854–1941) was an American professional who practiced both medicine and dentistry in New York City. He gained prominence as a fervent opponent of smoking and tobacco use. Pease was instrumental in advocating for and achieving legislation that banned smoking on elevated trains and in subways. To further his cause, he established the Non-Smoking Protective League in 1910, aiming to enact further prohibitions in public and semi-public spaces. His anti-tobacco advocacy was rooted in his ethical and religious convictions, leading him to argue in 1911 that the offensive odors from smoking infringed upon constitutional rights.

Beyond his anti-smoking campaigns, Pease held a variety of other reformist views. He was a teetotaller and a vegetarian, strongly opposing the consumption of meat, coffee, cocoa, sugary drinks, and tea. His activism extended to campaigns against capital punishment and vaccination. Pease was also a former adherent of Christian Science, from which he later distanced himself, authoring a book in 1905 that criticized it as fraudulent. He was associated with the New York Vegetarian Society.

Charles G. Pease dedicated a significant portion of his life to activism, most notably as a staunch opponent of smoking. He co-founded and led the Non-Smokers Protective League, an organization focused on enacting legislation to restrict smoking in public areas. Pease believed that the fumes and odors associated with smoking violated fundamental rights, a stance he articulated in 1911. His broader reformist agenda included a commitment to teetotalism and vegetarianism, leading him to campaign against the consumption of meat, coffee, cocoa, sugary beverages, and tea. He also voiced opposition to capital punishment and vaccination. Pease's views on animal welfare were vivid, as illustrated by his remarks on the suffering of chickens destined for consumption.

Pease had a history with Christian Science, having been a member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist. However, he eventually resigned his membership, publicly denouncing the movement. He characterized Christian Science as a "fabric of deceit, falsehood and dishonesty" and a "grave danger to the community." This strong condemnation led him to author a book in 1905 that exposed his critical perspective on Christian Science, challenging its healing claims and labeling it as fraudulent.

“the dear chickens, how they scream and struggle in their effort to break away from the hands of the assassin. If it were right to kill chickens there would be no expression of fear on the part of the chicken”

“fabric of deceit, falsehood and dishonesty”

“grave danger to the community”