[CU-Smokefree] Editorial response

[Scott P Hays]

Here's my editorial response to the News-Gazoo.  I'd like to offer it as
an op-ed, but even then, it's probably too long.  I've been so bold as
to use the plural pronoun "we".  Let me know if anyone has any objections.

Thanks, Scott

In the editorial from October 20, the News-Gazette recommended
against protecting the health of all Champaign and Urbana citizens.
Unfortunately, the editorial is both misguided and lacking any data
to substantiate the opinions offered.  We would like to clear up the
speculation and innuendo present in the News-Gazette Editorial with
recent data and a few scientific facts.

First of all, we would like to point out that those who have come out
in support of this cause are not "zealots" but local citizens who have
come to recognize that second-hand smoke is not a preference, it is a
documented killer.  The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reports
that 53,000 nonsmokers die annually in the United States from diseases
contracted as a result of exposure to the secondhand smoke of smokers.
That translates to the loss of roughly half of the population of
Champaign and Urbana to secondhand smoke-related illness every year.
Put another way, that means more than 19 nonsmoking citizens of Champaign
and Urbana will die this year from smoking related diseases caused by
being exposed to the tobacco smoke of others.  In 1993, secondhand hand
smoke was classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as a Class
A Carcinogen, which means it is a known cancer-causing agent in humans
with no safe levels of exposure.

To Champaign and Urbana "business owners trying to make a living" we say:
a smokefree policy is clearly good for business.  While we feel business
owners are appropriately concerned about their economic bottom-line, we
challenge them to look at the data to find any grounding for this concern.
Using objective evidence such as analyses of over-time taxable revenue
data, no scientifically valid study has been able to validate sustained
business losses. We challenge anyone who thinks businesses would face
severe economic loss to produce even one scientifically valid study
that documents any "negative effect on business" in other smokefree
communities. Moreover, beyond these sales revenue data, business owners
will definitely benefit from reduced cleaning costs, healthier employees
and more satisfied customers.

To the "choice" argument, we say: "whose choice?"  Certainly the roughly
20% of the C-U population that smokes currently has the choice of eating
or having a drink at any Champaign or Urbana dining establishment, bar,
or other places where they can enjoy food, great live music, dancing and
other entertainment. Smokers are free to visit smoking establishments
where they can practice their freely chosen habit, or non-smoking
establishments, where they can smoke before, after, or step outside
during a visit.  Simply put, banning the customer's habit does not ban
the customer, regardless of the innuendo in the News-Gazette editorial.

On the other hand, non-smoking patrons concerned about their health and
their exposure to a Class A Carcinogen, patrons who suffer from asthma
and those with allergies to second-hand smoke are effectively banned
from a large number of restaurants and nearly every bar in Champaign and
Urbana (except Allen Strong's Silvercreek).  We advocate choice for all
citzens, not just for the relatively small minority who choose to smoke.
Remember, smokers do have a choice regarding when and where they will
practice their habit, all of us must breathe.  And when a smoker smokes
in an enclosed public place, they force their choice of habits on everyone
in that establishment: smokers and non-smokers alike.

States and communities around the country are going smokefree and every
one (not just some) find that with a smokefree policy, everybody benefits:
businesses and citizens.  And the citizens of those communities take
pride in their ordinance and the public commitment to the health of
their community.  This could be a point of civic pride for Champaign
and Urbana and would attract outsiders to this area who are seeking a
healthier lifestyle.

This proposed ordinance is good for the health of Champaign and Urbana,
good for the image of Champaign and Urbana and good for the entire
community of Champaign and Urbana: businesses, restaurants and, yes,
even bars.  We challenge those who think otherwise to produce the data
to support their position.  The time is right for Champaign and Urbana
to join with other progressive smokefree communities across the nation
and eliminate this documented health threat throughout our fair cities.