[C-U Smokefree] Updates from the Prez

[Scott P Hays]

Holiday greetings to all who want for Christmas a smoke-free evening out,

We had a few productive meetings this week and last week where we discussed several updates, new developments and ideas.

Kathy Gary will have meeting minutes posted soon from this past Tuesday's meeting.

And be sure to check out the latest updates and links on the CU Smokefree website: www.cu-smokefree.org

First, we should have new data from three sources in and available soon:

* Our C-U Public Opinion survey

* Surveys of all of our smoking-permitted and smokefree restaurants (which includes their support for smokefree public places).

* Observations of actual smoking behavior in our local restaurants and bars.

These data will help tremendously in bringing around our council members to support our cause, particularly in Champaign.

There are several planned upcoming events:

* Mid-January: Press conference to release data.

* Late January/ Early February: Restaurant and bar "Smokefree" training (nearly 30 restaurants/bars have expressed an interest in attending already).

* Early/Mid March: Community Forum on passing a smokefree city ordinance to be held at Champaign City Hall hosted by 8th grade youth from Franklin Middle School and the C-U Smokefree Alliance.

Other events and activities that are ongoing include the following:

* We are continuing to conduct observations of smoking behavior in local restaurants and bars. These will help to counter ideas regarding the prevalence of current smoking levels by documenting that our public places can be "smoke-filled" with only a few (less than 10%) actual customers smoking. We encourage members and supporters to do this yourself by printing the form from our website at www.cu-smokefree.org.

* Carol Hays is going to try to coordinate an effort to gather customer comment cards and customer comment "hot-lines" from area smoking restaurants so customers who won't or can't patronize smoking permitted establishments can directly express this fact to business owners and/or managers.

* We are beginning to explore the possibility of a local "class action" ADA lawsuit against smoking permitted establishments.  One of our members is a local rock musician who has been unable to practice since developing severe asthma and cannot enter establishments that permit any level of smoking.  Any thoughts or advice are welcome.  We don't know if we can win such a case, but if we can get a local attorney to bring the suit, it will heighten attention to this very important issue.

* We will be making a more concerted effort to recruit and involve our campus base of support through students. We will be holding our second campus meeting the first or second week of the Spring semester in January.  Please help us get the word out so that we can more effectively take advantage of the tremendous energy, enthusiasm and talent that the U of I offers.

* Our next regular meeting will be Tuesday, January 4 in the Fritz Conference at the Carle Forum at 7 pm.

Thanks again for everyone's support, and I would like to wish all of our supporters a safe, happy and smokefree holiday season!

C-U Smokefree!

Scott Hays

President
C-U Smokefree Alliance
www.cu-smokefree.org
Phone: 778-2645