From: Joe@smokefree.org
Date: Fri, 06/18/04
New York's Leaders Keep New York Smokefree
Parts excerpted from New York Newsday, 6/17/04
ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York State legislative leaders said Thursday they favor
keeping New York smokefree and oppose attempts by two upstate legislators to
introduce exemptions for bars equipped with air filtration systems.
"Why would you want to undo something that is in the public's best interest?"
asked Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno, who has become an
increasingly vocal opponent of smoking.
In addition to the exemption for air-filtrated bars, the amendment proposed by
state Assemblywoman RoAnn Destito, D-Oneida, and Sen. Raymond Meier, R-Oneida,
would permit smoking in separately ventilated rooms in billiard parlors and
bowling alleys.
Bruno's counterpart in the state Assembly, Democratic Speaker Sheldon Silver,
said he also opposed weakening the smokefree workplace law. "I think the law
works well. Period," said Silver.
Bruno said the motivation for the smokefree law remains the same: to prevent
people from smoking in the workplace and exposing others to their smoke.
"Cigarettes kill people," Bruno said. "Cigarettes make people sick."
Elizabeth Miller, CEO of the American Lung Association of New York state, said
her group is delighted at the high-level opposition in Albany to creating new
exemptions to the smokefree workplace law.
"The dangers of second-hand smoke are irrefutable and well established," she
said. "Since the law took effect almost a year ago, predictions of doom and
gloom from opponents and the tobacco industry have not materialized."
New York State's smokefree workplace law went into effect last July. One year
sales tax data will become available soon and is expected to show a financially
healthy hospitality industry. The data is also expected to show an increase in
industry employment. New York City, which went smokefree four months before New
York State, released healthy sales tax data earlier this year.
To win smokefree air where YOU live, go to http://www.smokefree.net/alerts.php
Joseph W. Cherner
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
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