No subject

nature of C-U smoking v. smokefree restaurants currently.  The CCTPC
Smokefree Restaurant guide documents close to 200 "smokefree
restaurants" in C&U.  The problem is we're not sure how many smoking
restaurants there are. I suspect that "statistically" there are many
more smokefree restaurants than smoking permitted. Not that this
argument is valid, but I don't want other people to have data we don't.
And I DON'T want it to look like we're singling out some small
percentage of restaurants.  The vast, VAST majority of the restaurants
in the Smokefree Guide are "fast food". Also, I know for a fact that ALL
of the restaurants I regularly frequent with my family are smoking
permitted (Friday's, Chili's, Cheddars, Outback, Applebee's, Longhorn,
Ned Kelly's, Hometown Buffet etc.)  And there are NO Smokefree bars
(with apologies to Silvercreek, but its no "bar").  So we probably need
the number of restaurants by smoking policy by type just to counter
potential opposition arguments that try to belittle our case. =20

I just received data from Dave Remmert at Public Health that Champaign
County has only 16.6% smokers according to the latest data from the
Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, the lowest in the state. This gives us an
even stronger argument, to wit: why do X percent of restaurants have a
policy to accommodate a chosen habit of only 16.6% of Champaign County
residents that poisons the air in their establishment for 100% of their
patrons and employees? Or: We advocate a policy that promotes choice for
everyone, not for just 16.6% of Champaign County residents. Or, a 'la
Harper's Index: 83.4%: the number of Champaign County Residents who
currently have a restricted choice of dining establishments in C-U.  or,
even better: 19: The number of CC non-smoking residents who will die
prematurely this year due to the smoking habits of only 16.6% of CC
residents.

On a different note, it wouldn't hurt for those who are participating
from the "outside", particularly Theo and Janet, to share their
credentials and background with the group.  We do introductions at our
local meetings, so we know each other locally.  And I know both Theo and
Janet mostly from your professional reputations, but I'm not sure that's
true for the rest of the group. =20

Further, it also strikes me that some of our locals who originally
touched base with me haven't been appropriately introduced to the
others.  This list might include Tom O'Rourke, Kathy Drea, Alan Cohen,
Kathryn Anthony, Carol Hays, Dan Lewart, Kerisa Fish, Rachella Thompson,
Dave Remmert and perhaps others too numerous to mention.  I can truly
say that although our local political context looks pretty formidable,
our advocacy group is about the most skilled and experienced group I'm
aware of in ANY other campaign (particularly at this relatively early
stage in the game). =20

In order for everyone to truly appreciate the talent we've got on our
side, it might help to do some electronic "introductions" over the list.
I would like to ask list participants to submit a short bio (say, around
5 or 6 lines) when they have time over the next few days.  (If you'd
like, you can provide links that tell us more about yourself) and maybe
Dan could make them available through the web site.

One more strategic thought: I have met a large number of people who
support us, but can't and won't do meetings or much else.  We need to
harness this resource.  I'm thinking we should at a minimum have
available some form of electronic supporter's petition for people to
sign on and list their names and addresses and that they support us (and
have them check a box if they can be called on to show up at council
hearings, when we get to that point).  As a matter of fact, I'd like to
go further to set a goal of a "Thousand Supporters' Campaign" and
present this list at a press conference at some point (along with our
list of business supporters).  We can talk more about this at the next
meeting.  It would certainly show the councils that we're not just a few
"angry zealots". =20

Finally, I (and I think others) would appreciate it if we don't make our
listserve a place to comment on the strategy or process in Wilmette.
Our fellow Wilmette advocates deserve to be congratulated and we should
all revel in their success.  But with our lack of familiarity with their
local context, it makes it hard for us to comment further.  Also, we
certainly encourage Janet to share her lessons learned from Wilmette,
but C-U is not Wilmette either and some things may apply here and others
may not.  The trick is to know which is which.   And a healthy,
respectful dialog is the key. =20

Thanks,

Scott


Scott P. Hays, Ph.D.
Research Scientist
Center for Prevention Research and Development
Institute of Government and Public Affairs
University of Illinois
Champaign, Illinois  61820

email: sphays at uiuc.edu
phone: 217.244.2616
fax: 217.244.0214