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Smokefree Advocates Unite!
by Mountain Girl ~ March 7th, 2008. Filed under: Community, Development.If you haven’t already guessed it, we here at 15211.org abhor smoking. We think it’s a dirty, nasty habit that impinges on our right to breathe clean air and not have our clothes smelling like we just rolled around the inside of a fireplace. Notice I did not say, 15211.org hates smokers. We don’t. We know smoking is an addiction and hope that all of you out there afflicted will be able to stop someday for the sake of your health.
We got an e-mail today from the American’s for Non-Smokers’ Rights (ANR) regarding Bill SB24. I’ve included the body of the e-mail below for all of you so inclined to take action in support of the strongest version of this legislation. It’s passing will do more than just enable more people to go out to bars and restaurants. It will show everyone that the antiquated, “hell with the lid off”, clinging-to-the-past perception of Pittsburgh is just that.
Have a fantastic smoke-free weekend y’all,
MG
Pennsylvania is already behind the curve in providing smokefree protections for its workers and the public. While New York , Maryland , New Jersey , Ohio and 25 other states have enacted strong smokefree protections, Pennsylvania is set to stay at the bottom of the pack. We must make sure that Pennsylvania lawmakers understand that their constituents (that’s you!) overwhelmingly support making all Pennsylvania workplaces 100% smokefree.
The Conference Committee is holding hearings on March 10 and 13 to begin working out the differences in SB246 and come up with a smokefree law for Pennsylvanians. The differences are significant. The House version of the bill is strong and would bring smokefree air to most workplaces including bars and casinos, and would protect local control. However, the Senate version exempts bars, casinos, and cigar bars, and would prohibit local governments from adopting stronger laws. There are big challenges ahead. Most of the Conference Committee members want exemptions that will leave many Pennsylvanians exposed to secondhand smoke in the workplace.
Your legislators need to hear from you that Pennsylvanians have waited too long to breathe smokefree air. Now is the time to join the rest of the Northeastern states and provide simple, strong and fair smokefree protections for all workplaces and public places.
What You Can Do:
1: Contact the Conference Committee members. Urge them to adopt a strong version of SB246 that does not exempt bars, casinos or other workplaces and does not include preemption.
- Senate Minority Leader Robert Mellow (D-Lackawanna); (717) 787-6481; Email: mellow@pasen.gov
- Sen. Chuck McIlhinney (R-Bucks); (717) 787-7305; Email: cmcilhinney@pasen.gov
- Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R- Montgomery); (717) 787-6599; Email: sgreenleaf@pasen.gov
- Rep. Robert Belfanti (D-Northumberland); (717) 787-5780; Web email: http://www.pahouse.com/contact/viaLDPC.asp?district=107
- Rep. Michael Gerber (D- Montgomery); (717) 787-9475; Web email: http://www.pahouse.com/contact/viaLDPC.asp?district=148
- Rep. Ron Miller (R-York); (717) 783-8389; Email: Rmiller@pahousegop.com
Also, the House leadership is not on the Conference Committee but they do not support strong smokefree legislation:
- House Majority Leader Bill DeWeese (D-Greene); (717) 783-3797; Web email: http://www.pahouse.com/deweese/contact.asp
- House Minority Leader Sam Smith (R-Jefferson); (717) 787-3845; Web email: http://pageneralassembly.org/?sectionid=66
2: Contact your Senator and Representative. Encourage your legislators to apply pressure on the Conference Committee members to do the right thing by adopting a strong version of SB246 that will bring smokefree air to all workplaces without exemptions or preemption.
3: Then please drop me (Liz at ANR) an email at anr@no-smoke.org to let me know you made the call. I’m keeping a tally. Thanks. (www.no-smoke.org)
March 8th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
This country was built on freedom of choice. I estimate about 75% of restaurants in the area are indeed smoke free. That leaves the 25 % that are not. If you own a business it should be your choice whether or not smoking is permitted. After all you as the owner, pay the bills and you sure know what your customers prefer.
This ultra liberal notion that “Big Brother” has to take care of me from cradle to grave is the height of irresponsibility. If you see a sign on a restaurant that smoking is permitted, and you don’t smoke,go to one of the many others who ban smoking. It’s a very simple decision.
Thank goodness for two Pittsburgh restaurant owners, Mitchell’s & Smithfield St. Inn for fighting for the rights of business owners to run their business as they see fit and not be dictated to by a bunch of bureaucrats in Harrisburg.
Amazingly, smoking was banned in pubs in Ireland a few years ago and approximately 800 Mom & Pop businesses were forced to shut down. That sure helped the non-smokers.
By the way, I enjoy a good cigar sitting next to that horrible smell a fireplace gives off.
March 8th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
You’re so wrong in so many ways, but we expected that. The facts are simple. Second hand smoke causes cancer to non-smokers and smokers alike. I should NEVER have to breath the contaminated air that is coming of your stink bomb cancer stick. I’m not saying that we should make cigars/cigarettes illegal, smoke em till you die, I don’t care, just do it in the privacy of your home.
It’s an addiction, we understand that, but you’re wrong, and you stink and you have no proof to back up the claims you are making so please don’t spread lies on here. Also, if you don’t like the fact that we 100% support a smoking ban, please don’t read this blog.
March 8th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
WOW!!! Aren’t we diplomatic!! So I stink and tell lies is it. You might want to change the name of your blog from 15211.org to 15211.dictatorship. Let me get this right, if someone disagrees with your point of view they’re liars. Freedom of speech is not permitted on your blog. Very interesting.
Hugo Chavez is looking for volunteers with your mindset.
Have a nice day and stay away from those nasty fireplaces.
March 8th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
My Grandmother died of lung cancer.
March 8th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Crime Watcher:
Please excuse 15211Advocate. He’s extremely passionate about this particular issue for very personal reasons.
I would actually like you to give you an opportunity to provide some facts to back up the statistics you quoted in your comment. Did you mean 75% of the restaurants in Pittsburgh are completely smoke-free or that they have non-smoking sections? There is a distinct difference.
If you visit http://www.nosmokedining.org/ you’ll see that the list of truly smoke free restaurants and bars isn’t that long. There are 62 smoke-free establishments in the entire city of Pittsburgh. There are 81 bars and restaurants that allow smoking in the South Side alone. Doesn’t sound like 75% to me.
You’re right to say that I can vote with my feet, but servers and bartenders may not be able to just up and quit a job. So they’re forced to sit and endure hours and hours of inhaling all the crap that smokers can’t stop sucking into their lungs.
And it’s interesting how anti-smoking legislation groups have made this a political issue. While it’s true that NYC and Massachusetts have passed smoking bans so too have Utah, Idaho, and Florida. In fact, one of the most restrictive smoking bans took effect in Florida—a state that elected Jeb Bush..twice.
MG
P.S. By the way, a truly dictator-like blog would never have allowed your comment to see the light of day.
March 9th, 2008 at 9:07 am
MG,
I think that this blog is doing great things for our community and have followed it from the beginning. But sadly, I do agree with Crime Watcher on one point.
Last week I questioned 15211 Advocates decision to delete all religious references. While not a religious person myself, I do feel that if a public blog is created then people should be able to discuss whatever they want. Not just topics that agree with your point of view.
I was very disappointed that your blog would take this stance as it seems very short sighted and (I hate to say it) dictatorship like. And the even more disappointing issue was that my post was deleted very quickly. Isn’t this censorship? I’ve come to expect so much more from the both of you. I wonder how quickly this post will disapper?
ED
March 9th, 2008 at 9:56 am
ED:
15211.org is a Mt. Washington community website. While anyone is free to broach any topic directly related to our community, I don’t see how a broad discussion of religion falls into that category.
Crime Watcher commented directly to a post I wrote, so although I don’t agree with him/her, the comment will remain. Religion was never brought up in a post and it won’t be because it’s a contentious and emotional subject that’s been debated for centuries. A discussion about it here distracts us from the important issues at hand that must be addressed to revitalize this community and improve the quality-of-life where we live.
A blog by its very definition is a commentary on a particular subject. I’m sure there are thousands of blogs out there about religion. I encourage you to seek one out, but please continue to visit this one if you’d like to talk about Mt. Washington.
MG
March 10th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
[…] hashing out the details of the smoking ban. If you’re so inclined, you may contact the Committee Members and/or Wayne Fontana; fontana@pasenate.com (412) 344-2551 and Chelsa Wagner; wagner@pahouse.com […]
March 16th, 2008 at 9:11 am
I must say I mostly agree with CRIME WATCHER. I live in Mount Washington now, but where I’m originally from, the city council passed an all out smoking ban without any voter approval. This caused an uproar on the infringement of business owner rights as well as the overall freedom of choice. The city I am referring to also had the highest number of restaurants per capita versus any other city with more than 250,000 people at that time, and many of these restaurants were all ready smoke free.
Obviously many small business owners were upset, reported heavy losses, and many went out of business. Finally, to settle the argument through organized efforts, enough voter signatures had been gathered to put this issue on the ballot in the upcoming election.
It was passed to have the smoking ban lifted, however there was a compromise. Some of the details were minor, but the main item was that any establishment who’s revenue is 35% or less from food sales was exempt from the smoking ban, and any establishment who’s revenue is higher than that threshold would be smoke free, unless they had a separate smoking section that was completely separately ventilated and enclosed.
Mostly everyone was happy with this outcome. Non-smokers had their clean air. Business owners had their rights to choose how they wished to run their establishments.
This of course was all changed by a statewide ban that outright said it’s no longer up to the choice of anyone. Due to this, many places have closed down, and many places still open ignore the ban and pay the fines just to keep their business open and running. A lot of people only smoke when they drink. Many patrons instead will buy their six packs and go home. The market for bars aimed at non-smokers is much smaller than bars aimed at smokers. Do we really want to see more empty storefronts on Shiloh???
This is why I do not like to see local issues going to state ballots. Let’s say with here in the Pittsburgh Region, having the two to three million people in this area having their rights imposed upon by those in other metro or rural areas of the state, but these rights are regarding issues that might pertain to this area more so than other metropolitan or rural areas in the state.
I’m not saying smoking is not an issue in other areas or a larger or smaller issue in those areas, but I feel that issues such as this should be decided more so on a local level.
I would be very much in favor of seeing the compromise here that I am used to in my old stomping grounds. I can understand a ban in most workplaces, hospitals, within 5 feet of the entrance to a building, restaurants, but is it just me, or are bars somewhat of the exception to this? It’s the last place someone can go to enjoy a beer and a cigarette. It’s the blue collar bread and butter.
But for the record, I am an ex-smoker. Even when I did smoke, I was not someone who would flick their cigarette butt anywhere, as I would usually put it out and dispose of it properly. I was not someone who would smoke in front of little children or the elderly. I would not blow smoke carelessly at people. And if I’m walking a dog, and it takes a 2 somewhere, I clean it up. I feel others could easily do the same to all those items listed above. I also have lost multiple relatives to smoking (Lung Cancer, COPD, etc…)
It is a bad habit, and I encourage those to quit who can. But not everyone who wants to smoke wants to quit smoking, habit or not. I quit several times in the past, but started again not so much in part due to the physical addiction (trust me, the psychological addiction is much much worse), but because I actually liked smoking. I enjoyed it, but after a while the health effects and cost gets to you, and eventually the nostalgia wears off.
Either way, I hope you all don’t think of me as a bad guy or that now my opinion on anything and everything is “shot” and “invalidated” because I’m an ex-smoker.
Maybe I’m just trying to provide a different set of eyes, a different take on the perceptions of reality that we in this community have. I just hope through all the efforts on this board that it doesn’t get as out of hand as “Hot Fuzz”.