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EDITORIAL: Nonsmokers Should Patronize Newly Smoke-Free Businesses

Posted on: Tuesday, 22 November 2005, 21:00 CST

By The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, Wash.

Nov. 22--Nonsmokers should make it a point to visit newly smoke-free bars, restaurants and other establishments after the new smoking ban goes into effect Dec. 8.

When voters passed Initiative 901 they banned smoking in all buildings and vehicles open to the public and places of employment. That means restaurants, taverns, bowling alleys and public places that were exempt previously now must be smoke-free.

We salute voters for making such a wise public-health choice.

Our editorial board argued years ago that laws that made it illegal to smoke in offices but OK to smoke in bars and restaurants were unfairly endangering the lives of workers in those latter establishments. Smoking in most workplaces was banned in this state in 1993.

Thankfully voters have closed this loophole.

People who run businesses that have traditionally allowed smoking are nervous, though. The industry groups that opposed I-901 ran around telling people that banning smoking would destroy businesses, particularly those like the Slo Pitch Pub in Sunset Square, which offer gambling and compete with tribal-owned casinos that are not subject to state smoking laws.

But getting rid of smoking hasn't hurt business in many of the places across the country where smoking has been banned. On the contrary, most studies show that sales either didn't change or improved after smoking bans were in place.

It makes sense once you consider that fewer people smoke than not. In Washington, only 21 percent of adults smoke.

The people at the dozens of bars and restaurants and other establishments in our area that currently allow smoking will be going through some big changes, including visits from health officials enforcing the new ban. Supporting them now will put some muscle behind the message that most of us in Washington really want our businesses, employees and customers healthy.

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To see more of The Bellingham Herald or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.bellinghamherald.com.

Copyright (c) 2005, The Bellingham Herald, Bellingham, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: The Bellingham Herald, Wash.

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