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Action on Smoking and Health
A National Legal-Action Antismoking Organization Entirely Supported by Tax-Deductible Contributions
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Madison, WI Approves Workplace Smoking Ban [04/21-1]
Excerpts from: Council approves smoking ban
By Dean Mosiman Wisconsin State Journal [04/21/04]
As a big crowd shrank through the night like a burning cigarette, the Madison City Council early today finally snuffed smoking in bars, restaurants and nearly all workplaces.
After nearly three hours of public testimony from more than 50 speakers and over an hour of debate by members, the council voted 15-5 to enact the state's first full smoking ban in bars, prohibiting smoking in virtually all workplaces by July 2005. The result was met with loud cheers.
The city, once in the forefront of smoke-free laws but behind in many areas in recent years, joins New York City, California and at least four other states and more than 70 municipalities in the nation with sweeping smoking rules. The ban exempts private clubs, retail tobacco stores, up to 25 percent of rooms in bed and breakfasts, motels and hotels, and until Jan. 2, 2006, existing separately-ventilated smoking rooms.
The penalty for violating the ordinance will be $125 for a first offense and up to $500 for the second and later offenses.
The council rejected amendments that would have allowed smoking in bars after 10 p.m., tobacco bars, and bars with more than 75 percent alcohol sales.
Let Madison send a strong statement," said Teresa Ryan of Smoke Free Dane County. "Let our residents and workers benefit from it."
Gayathri Vijayakuman of Students for Smoke Free Madison, said cities must take the lead and that county and state efforts will follow
Currently, only small percentages of bartenders and waitresses benefit from smoke-free laws, said Gretchen Peterson of the American Cancer Society. "All workers have a right to breath clean air," she said. "We all know there is no safe level of exposure to second-hand smoke." <
But managers and owners of bars, tobacco bars and bowling centers spoke against the ban, saying it will be bad for business and create other problems
The ban was endorsed 7-1 by the city's Economic Development Commission and unanimously by they Health Commission.
Only 16 months ago, the city passed a hard-fought compromise law to toughen smoking rules in restaurants. But smoke-free advocates argued that the compromise has been hard to enforce, delayed major restrictions until 2005 and 2006, and perpetuated an uneven playing field because it didn't apply to bars.
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