Everyone has the right to breathe clean, smoke-free air, just like the right to eat safe food and drink safe water. Knowing the severe health effects of secondhand smoke, there is no reason to allow smoking in restaurants, bars, bowling alleys, office buildings and all other public places or places of employment. No one should have to breathe toxic chemicals while they work, conduct business, have a meal or a drink, or enjoy an evening out. Those who smoke have no "right" to fill the air around them with cancer-causing toxins and then expect everyone else to get out of their way.
WOODRIDGE UPDATE
01-01-08 - Illinois becomes smoke-free!
04-19-07 - Woodridge Village Board withdraws smoking ban ordinance..
04-05-07 - When I called the smoking ban for a vote, a motion was made (and approved 4-2) to "postpone" the vote until April 19th.
03-01-07 - Woodridge public hearing regarding smoking ban - minutes
02-01-07 - The Village Board held a workshop to craft a sample smoking ban ordinance to present at a public hearing next month. Click here for notes from the workshop; click here for the workshop minutes..
09-22-06 - Community Survey asked about a smoking ban - YES 78% - NO 22%
08-12-06 - I sent an email to the Woodridge Park District urging them to ban smoking within 25 feet of the children's play equipment in all Woodridge parks.
06-01-06 - The Woodridge Village Board held a workshop on a possible regional smoking ban. Click here for the minutes.
05-31-06 - I sent an email to the Woodridge Park District urging them to ban smoking during the family-friendly Woodridge Jubilee.
03-10-06 - I sent an email to the Woodridge Park District urging them to ban smoking in all Park District facilities and parks.
01-26-06 - I proposed that the Village Board pass resolutions urging the state legislature to pass HB4338 (to enact a state-wide smoking ban) and SB2400 (to enable DuPage County to pass a county-wide smoking ban).
12-16-05 - I suggested that the DuPage County Health Department give a presentation to the Village Board about the dangers of secondhand smoke but Mayor Murphy stated in a memo that "(he doesn't) think it is appropriate for such a presentation at a Board Meeting. The Board of Trustees is knowledgeable already of the dangers of secondhand smoke and does not need a presentation." Click here for the meeting minutes.
10-27-05 - The Mayor and majority of the Trustees want businesses to go smoke-free "voluntarily" because they are concerned about the economic hardship if smoking was banned. The Mayor and majority of the Board also preferred that the Illinois General Assembly institute a state-wide smoking ban. I believe that local government has a responsibility to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of the people, not to provide for the profit of a few businesses whose business model endangers people's health.
QUICK LINKS
Fact Sheets
Quotes In Support Of Smoke-Free Air
From Woodridge residents: click here for emails and messages
"Historically, the business community has proven that it does not put the interest of public health in front of the bottom line. The free market is good at many things, but protecting the public has not been one of those things."
- Woodridge resident - March 1, 2007
From government officials: click here for more quotes
"Only smoke-free buildings and public places truly protect nonsmokers from the hazards of breathing in other people's tobacco smoke"
- US Surgeon General's Report - June 2006
"Secondhand smoke causes or exacerbates a wide range of adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory infections, asthma and heart disease. It kills an estimated 65,000 people annually, and is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States."
- Lake County (IL) Health Department (December 23, 2005)
On smokefree policies. "We promised to protect the health and safety of our residents, and I can't think of a more important issue. We all know that eventually this is going to happen. It's going to happen here. It's going to happen across the state. It's going to happen across the country."
- Tom Stengren, Trustee, Arlington Heights IL (January 12, 2004)
"I'm not trying to regulate morality, I'm just trying to help guarantee the quality of life. I'm not doing this because it's politically correct, I am doing this because it's the right thing to do. Nobody should be at risk because of second-hand smoke."
- Lorri Burgess, Councilmember, Baton Rouge, LA (August 3, 2005)
"We're not telling people they can't smoke. Just don't smoke where other people have to breathe it."
- Don Pierson, Councilman, Cheyenne, Wyoming (March 19 2006)
"Some will testify that the decision to go smoke-free should be left up to individual employers. This is a hollow argument. When one person's smoking causes another person significant risk of disease and death, government must act. All workers deserve a safe and healthy work environment. Those who want (exceptions) just need to tell us this: which workers have lives that are worth less then yours and mine?"
- Michael Bloomberg, Mayor, New York City (November 1, 2002)
"The weight of the medical evidence overwhelmingly points to second-hand smoke as a danger to non-smokers. We restrict many of life's activities by time, place and manner to ensure public health or safety. Smoking should be similarly restricted. One person's pleasure should not be another person's health risk."
- Andy Van Meter, Sangamon County, IL Board Chairman (November 2005)
"You can lead or you can follow. Whether we do this today or six months from now or a year from now is still up for discussion."
- James Betustak, Mayor of Lindenhurst (March 2006)
"As far as smokers having rights, I hold the belief that it's the same as throwing a punch. You can throw all the punches you want, but as soon as you hit somebody, then that's something different."
- John Clark, Councilman, Greenfield, IN (November 2005)
From business owners: click here for more quotes
On the impact of a smokefree ordinance: "We're getting a lot more families with children. For every one person who complains about it to me, I have nine who say they love it."
- Jeff Webb, Jefferson's, Lawrence , KS (July 1, 2005)
On making his bowling alley and restaurant smokefree: "The results have been very positive. Our business has actually increased."
- Jack Raines, Owner, Chelan Lanes, WA (August 12, 2005)
Gadbow, concerned about secondhand smoke, convinced the owners to go smokefree and noted that lunch and dinner business has tripled and, "We've had so many people come in and compliment us for going non-smoking."
- Laura Gadbow, Manager, Tides Tavern, Gig Harbor, WA (August 12, 2005)
"People had been going off on us for months that this was going to ruin our business. This is it. Nail in the coffin. But if anything, our business has increased."
- Chris Morales, Assistant Manager, Von's Grand City Cafe, Seattle, WA (August 12, 2005)
Business at the restaurant has increased since it went smoke-free in October 2004 - "Now it's completely clean. It's wonderful."
- Jeff Badders, Ruby Tuesday's, Lafayette, IN (August 4, 2005)
Articles / Letters About Regulating Smoking
01-01-08 - Illinois becomes smoke-free!
03-23-06
