From: tac@cheztac.com
Date: Fri, 12/08/06
<http://www.smokefreedc.org/>
Smokefree DC News
December 2006
Dear Smokefree Supporter,
Urge Strong Smokefree Regulations, No Loopholes: Write a letter to the
Council! <http://www.smokefree.net/dc-regs/>
The time is drawing near for the District to go smokefree -- Jan. 2 is
the magic date. That's when all public indoor workplaces -- including
bars and restaurants -- must go smokefree.
Believe it or not, even though the law has passed and its enactment is
imminent, the restaurant association, which takes money from the tobacco
industry, is still trying to undermine it. The association has
successfully urged the mayor to write weak regulations that would make
it ridiculously easy for businesses to obtain an "economic hardship
waiver" (they could do so if they showed that business was off just 5
percent, which can happen when a snowstorm hits).
There are other problems with the proposed rules. For instance, they
would set up a board that would have the authority to issue the waivers.
The board would consist of political appointees of the mayor and could
be dissolved at any time. You can read about these and other problems in
the letter that Smokefree DC sent to the Council this week. View a copy
of the draft regulations here.
<http://www.smokefreedc.org/word_files/draftregulations.doc> (Word DOC
format)
So we need your help one more time. Please take a moment to send a note
to the Council now. <http://www.smokefree.net/dc-regs/> Tell
Councilmembers that you want strong rules, similar to those of New York,
and that you don't want the tobacco industry to undermine the law.
Please tell them that you can't wait for DC to become smokefree! They
need to hear from you. They are the ones who have the final vote on
which rules will be used next year. Send a letter now.
<http://www.smokefree.net/dc-regs/>
Also please take a moment to go to Smokefree DC's Web site and let us
know where you plan to go when the city goes smokefree. What great bars
have you wanted to frequent but have avoided because of the smoke? Let
us know where you will go in 2007! Go to Smokefreedc.org/Where
<http://www.smokefreedc.org/where/> .
We also plan to put together a pub crawl -- or possibly a series of pub
crawls -- to celebrate the new law taking effect. If you would like to
help organize a pub crawl in your neighborhood, please contact
angela@smokefreedc.org.
Once again, please send a note to the Council today. We worked so hard
to get this law passed -- let's not let the tobacco industry and the
outgoing mayor gut it.
Thanks again for all your support! Together we will help make the
District a much healthier place!
Smokefree DC (www.smokefreedc.org) <http://www.smokefreedc.org/> is a
non-profit, 501c(4) membership organization made up of Washington, DC
residents and employees who believe everyone deserves to breathe clean,
smokefree air. We support 100% smokefree environments for all
workplaces, including offices, restaurants and bars, because no worker
should be forced to breathe smoke on the job.
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