Support is growing for smoke-free laws
I received a stack of letters from schoolchildren urging the Legislature to pass a statewide ban on smoking in public places.
One child wrote, “There should be no smoking in cars with kids in it. Parents love smoking even thow it’s bad for them.”
Another wrote, “I always tell my mom to roll down the window or stop smoking but she doesn’t stop and I still smell the smoke. I love my mom and I don’t want her to die.”
Although the statewide smoking ban would not extend to homes and cars, it would clean up the air in bars, restaurants and other public places where smoking is still permitted.
Support for a statewide smoking ban is growing, according to a poll of Wisconsin voters in March.
Sixty-nine percent of people surveyed support a statewide ban on smoking in “most indoor public places, including all workplaces, public buildings, offices, restaurants and bars.”
That is a five-point increase from last year.
Support for a clean indoor air law stretches across party lines, demographic groups and geographical regions.
Support is growing even among smokers. Among the 21 percent of the electorate who say they are current or occasional smokers, 45 percent favor a statewide clean indoor air act and 49 percent oppose it. That is a 15-point drop in opposition over the past year.
The poll was conducted by Mellman Group and Public Opinion Strategies, firms associated with the Democratic and Republican parties, respectively.
Poll respondents recognize the dangers of secondhand smoke. They indicated that the right to clean air should trump a smoker’s right to smoke. Eighty-four percent stated that secondhand smoke is at least a moderate health hazard.
The survey also found that more people would go to bars and restaurants if they were smoke-free. A sizable majority of voters, 78 percent, believe a statewide smoking policy is inevitable in the near future.
I too, believe we will have a statewide indoor clean air act in the near future. I wish the Legislature had passed it this year.
In cities that have smoke-free restaurant and tavern policies, people are amazed by what a difference it makes.
A few years after the law goes into effect, the thought of a smoke-filled tavern will be as jarring as the image of Edward R. Murrow smoking a cigarette while delivering the evening news.
An ashtray in a tavern will look as out of place as an ashtray in the armrest of an airplane.
Once a statewide smoking ban is in place, everyone will breathe a little easier.
Sen. Judy Robson, D-Beloit, is a registered nurse and represents Rock County and the Whitewater area in the state Senate. She can be reached at Sen.robson@legis.wisconsin.gov or (608) 266-2253.
May 26, 2008 at 1:25 p.m.
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Robson is pushing this pretty hard. They need to figure out the employment outlook for this State.
May 24, 2008 at 5:35 p.m.
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Right on whybesad. She needs to pull her head out of the clouds and focus on the workers and why is it that all these companies are leaving Wisconsin?
May 10, 2008 at 9:50 a.m.
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Maybe Judy should focus on bringing in businesses into the State. Cutting taxes and making Wisconsin business friendly instead of worrying about smoking in private businesses. Just a thought.
May 6, 2008 at 1:40 p.m.
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Well said curlrock.
May 6, 2008 at 9:11 a.m.
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jviers77
1) You said it yourself, if you don't like the smoke you'll go to a non-smoking establishment. I will too. I should have a choice. Smokers should have a choice. If people want non-smoking establishments, they should flourish.
2) I could care less about chew vs. smoke
3) This has nothing to do with Robson. It is just a matter of government regulating legal activities within the confines of a private buisiness.
4) A ban on serving high fat foods in restaurants will be healthier for peolple ulitmately lowering health care costs. But, I dont want anyone telling me I can't serve a fish fry or tell me how to cook it.
We are talking about legal activities in a private establishment. I hate smoking as much as you do, but that doesn't give me the right nor government the right to tell other people what to do because we don't like it.
May 6, 2008 at 7:58 a.m.
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This isn't a democratic or republican issue, it's a public health issue. I don't smoke, I hate it. It's taken too many people from me. There is absolutely no reason someone needs to have a cig in one hand and a fork in the other hand to alternate a puff and a shovel of food. I would agree to a point that bars should have the option to allow smoking. I don't usually go to bars and definitely would stay away from bars who would allow smoking if there was something in place, such as tax breaks, to give bars an incentive to switch to non-smoking.
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To janesvillecomments...show me some statistics about chewing tobacco use vs. smoking. I used to work in a gas station, and cigarette sales were much higher in volume than chew sales. That comment is ridiculous.
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Most of the comments here seem to be against the ban simply because Robson is for it. If a Republican would've written this piece, would most of the comments be for the ban. Robson most likely received all the letters from children because the children wrote the letters for a school health project. I guarantee in other communities across the state, children have written letters to their representatives explaining why they would like a smoking ban, regardless of political party.
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In the long run, a public smoking ban would improve the overall health of our population, reducing health costs, which would hopefully someday lead to a reduction in health care premiums for all of us.
May 6, 2008 at 7:25 a.m.
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Democrats think they can make better decisions than you.
May 3, 2008 at 5:27 p.m.
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Leave smoking bans up to local governments. Every small tavern in northern Wisconsin doesn't need the likes of Robson telling them how to run their businesses. I'm not surprised she resorts to using "the kids" to try to push her agenda. Still, it continues to amaze me that with all of the real problems Rock County's economy faces, Robson and her stable of Assemblymen continue pushing this kind of legislation.
May 3, 2008 at 9:27 a.m.
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CONTACT SENATOR ROBSON AND TELL HER IT SHOULD BE UP TO THE BUSINESS OWNER WEATHER TO ALLOW SMOKING OR NOT. KEEP GOVERNMENT OUT OF PRIVATE BUSINESS.
May 3, 2008 at 9:26 a.m.
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"Although the statewide smoking ban would not extend to homes and cars" Well if we let the lawmakers regulate private businesses allowing a legal activity then we may be seeing them enter our private lives. This is just a step towards that. Robson uses kids letters to make her point? Come on Senator these kids are taught from birth that smoking is bad and will kill you. They are taught fear at an early age (taxpayers money at work in the public schools. Everyone should be for free choice. I don't smoke and I won't go to a restaurant or tavern that has smoking or if there is smoking I will only stay for a little while if it bothers me. They could give tax breaks for businesses that are smoke free. Wait that's right the democrats don't like giving tax breaks to businesses. They would just rather watch them leave the state.
May 3, 2008 at 8:39 a.m.
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its funny that the democratic party is the party going against the majority on this issue. I thought the republicans were the ones out of touch. Democratic leadership has its hands in the dirty ashtray of money
May 3, 2008 at 2:41 a.m.
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I don't smoke and I think tobacco smoke is really nasty, but the state shouldn't be regulating bar and restaurant choice of allowing smoking. The only thing the state should enforce is having the establishments post whether they allow or don't allow smoking. The public can then make an informed decision if they want to eat or drink in an ashtray.
It's too bad Robson didn't put her work into stopping bars serving people into a state of intoxication and then letting them drive home. Perhaps Wisconsin wouldn't be leading in drunken driving deaths if she had focused on an immediate threat to innocent victims who largely are not patronizing those smokey/smoke-free bars.
I suppose it's easier to go after Virgina big tobacco than Wisconsin big breweries, and most Wisconsin tobacco is chewed rather than burned. Anyone know if Robson is pro or anti spitoon?
May 1, 2008 at 5:11 p.m.
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Give me one morning with school children and I can make sure Robson receives a stack of letters decrying high taxes and anti-business regulation, both of which lead to less toys for the kiddies at Christmas because Mommy or Daddy lost their job or can't get one. Nice to see Robson is focused using the kids instead of saving the jobs. My second letter writing campaign from the children will be how Mommy and Daddy lost their jobs because Senator Robson helps drive jobs from Wisconsin and prevent jobs from coming here. Again, less toys at Christmas. Boo-hoo. Help us Senator.
May 1, 2008 at 2:44 p.m.
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Why cant we just open smoke free restaurants and bars or change exsisting ones if the owner chooses to do so. If that's what the public wants these establishments should flourish. I get a little uneasy about government regulating private business regarding legal activities within the confines of there building.
By the way I am a non-smoker who hates secondhand smoke and would love to go to bars and restaurants that are smoke free. That doesn't mean what I like should be forced on private business owners.
May 1, 2008 at 2:11 p.m.
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Funny, my phone wasn't ringing off the hook asking if I wanted a survey...
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