[C-U Smokefree] Smoker City Councilman Promotes Smokefree Ordinance

[Theotskl at aol.com]

Hi there--

Hope you will find this piece of news from the Minnesota tobacco control 
struggles as uplifting as I did.

Keep up the great work CU Smokefree Alliance!

Cheers,

Theo

Dr. Theo Tsoukalas
theotskl at aol.com

Article follows:
startribune.com Close window
Last update: May 5, 2004 at 9:50 PM
Smoker is behind a ban in St. Paul
Jackie Crosby
Star Tribune
Published May 6, 2004
Not long after announcing his intention to ban smoking in all of St. Paul's 
bars and restaurants, City Council Member Dave Thune sat down for lunch at 
Kincaid's restaurant. He promptly got a taste of what might be in store in the 
coming weeks.
"A rather angry, red-faced man came over to the table, waving his arms and 
being very aggressive," recalled Jeanne Weigum, president of the Minnesota 
Association of Nonsmokers, which backs of the ban. "But the madder he got, the 
calmer Dave got. Dave just stuck to his health message. By the end, they shook 
hands and agreed to disagree about it." 
It may seem unlikely that a long-time smoker such as Thune is leading the 
charge to turn St. Paul into a smoke-free city. But with the backing of the 
medical establishment, nonsmoking advocates and a number of well-known bar and 
restaurant owners in St. Paul, Thune is digging in for a fight.
"It's a house of cards and it's about to collapse on tobacco," he said. "It's 
all over now but the shouting. There's no reason why people have to breathe 
our smoke. It's not a matter of convenience or taste. It really is a matter of 
public health."
Thune said he will introduce an anti-smoking ordinance at next week's City 
Council meeting. Formal action won't come for several weeks, allowing time for a 
public hearing and a full debate by the seven-member council.
"We are strongly opposed to it," said Tom Day of Hospitality Minnesota, an 
umbrella organization that represents 3,500 restaurants, hotels and resorts 
across the state. "It's not a pro-tobacco, anti-tobacco issue with us. It's about 
a restaurant's right to cater to its customers. 
"For a city to impose these regulations that tell restaurants how to cater to 
their customers is not fair," he said.
Thune has the support of at least two City Council members, Jay Benanav and 
Lee Helgen, both of whom attended a news conference Wednesday at City Hall to 
announce the proposal. Council President Dan Bostrom opposes it.
The proposal would need four votes to pass and five to override a mayoral 
veto. For now, Council Member Kathy Lantry is on the fence and Pat Harris and 
Debbie Montgomery say they want to see the details of the proposal before 
deciding where they'll land.
Mayor seeks input 
St. Paul Mayor Randy Kelly said he understands the health concerns, but he 
was noncommittal as well.
"Whether a total smoking ban in one city is the most effective way to address 
these concerns is something about which reasonable people can and will 
disagree," he said. "I am eager to hear from our citizens and business owners as we 
strive to find the right balance."
If the ordinance passes, St. Paul would be the largest city in Minnesota to 
go smoke-free. Eight local government councils have debated and voted on 
ordinances. Bans have been approved in the cities of Duluth, Moose Lake and Cloquet, 
and in Olmsted County, which includes Rochester. Campaigns are now underway 
in Moorhead and Fargo, N.D. 
A proposed statewide ban died in the Minnesota Legislature last month.
California, Florida, New York, Connecticut, Delaware and Maine have gone 
smoke-free. Several countries have also passed bans, including Ireland, Sweden and 
Norway.
Public-health experts have warned for years that secondhand smoke can 
increase the risk of lung cancer, heart disease and other conditions. In April, the 
federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the first time warned 
that people at risk of heart disease should avoid buildings and gathering places 
that allow indoor smoking. 
Dr. Tim Rumsey of United Family Clinic in St. Paul, Dr. Charlene McEvoy of 
the Ramsey County Medical Society and Dr. Robert Moravec of St. Joseph's 
Hospital in St. Paul said they stand behind the proposal.
"It's the No. 1 preventable health risk in our country," Moravec said. 
"There's no value whatsoever to smokers, other than the economic value to the 
companies."
Council President Bostrom said he thinks a ban is a heavy-handed measure that 
turns the city into the "bad guy." Business owners can make a decision to go 
smoke-free at any time, he said.
Staff writer Josephine Marcotty contributed to this report.
Jackie Crosby is at jcrosby at startribune.com
© Copyright 2004 Star Tribune. All rights reserved. 


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