From: Joe@smokefree.org
Date: Tue, 01/24/06
Editorial: Time for Colorado to Join the Smokefree Parade
Parts excerpted from the Denver Post, 1/23/06
Public opinion polls show that most Coloradans favor a statewide smokefree
workplace law. It's a matter of health and comfort.
We hope state lawmakers will heed the sentiment and pass a bill introduced last
week by Republican Rep. Mike May and Democratic Sen. Dan Grossman and
co-sponsored by 24 other lawmakers.
Several Colorado cities have already passed clean indoor air laws, Boulder,
Louisville, and Longmont among them. Others, including Denver, are almost sure
to join them if a statewide law is not passed. The Colorado Restaurant
Association supports this year's bill, which would provide a level playing field
for bars and restaurants.
The dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke have been documented for decades.
Legislators will hear the concerns of proprietors who worry that their
businesses will dry up if customers can't light up. However, studies have
demonstrated that establishments in states like California, New York, and
Massachusetts, which have smokefree workplace laws, have flourished.
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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