Smoke Free Virginia Now

My Google alert just brought me a real treat: a very supportive editorial from the Bristol Herald Courier:

Some will argue that the smoker only harms himself, but that is patently untrue. Some 3,000 non-smokers a year die of lung cancer as a result of breathing someone else’s cigarette smoke, either in the home or at work, according to the CDC.

BETWEEN 7,500 and 15,000 infants and toddlers are hospitalized each year with lower respiratory infections and pneumonias linked to second-hand smoke exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency reports. Pregnant mothers who smoke increase the chances their baby will be born too soon and too small or die within the first year of life. Scientists are still finding new ways in which smoking causes harm. Of equal importance, they’ve found no health benefits from smoking. So why are we still having this debate?

Tennessee lawmakers finally voted to ban smoking in many public places this year. This took no small amount of courage in a tobacco-belt state that still smokes at higher rates than the nation as a whole.

Virginia lawmakers lacked the courage or the will to do the same. They need to do a search and locate their spines. Fewer than 20 percent of Virginians are smokers. Talk about tyranny of the tiny minority.

It looks like York County may be joining the growing number of localities looking for the authority to pass smoke free ordinances. From today’s Daily Press:

York County may be inching toward joining a growing list of Hampton Roads localities debating restaurant smoking bans.

At a Tuesday night meeting, Supervisors are expected to approve a measure asking state lawmakers “to sponsor and/or support legislation that would authorize localities to prohibit smoking in restaurants through the adoption of local ordinances.”

While they’re on board for local control, York County hasn’t made any decisions about an actual smoke free ordinance. Still, this is a good step in the right direction.

[York County's Administrator James] McReynolds said the York issue was raised in response to a letter circulated by Virginia Beach and Norfolk city councils. Both localities have voted to prohibit smoking in restaurants, however, Norfolk’s charter already provides for a ban while Virginia Beach would need General Assembly approval.

The letter asks other local governments “to join our effort to secure legislation to prohibit smoking in restaurants and thereby eliminate a serious public health hazard in Hampton Roads.”

Hats off to Virginia Beach and Norfolk!

The article goes on to mention that Isle of Wight and Smithfield are considering similar action.

That’s right! The Smoke Free Virginia Now! campaign has launched a blog (http://blog.smokefreevanow.org). Our goal is to provide timely updates on what’s happening with smoke free policy in Virginia, links to relevant news and information, and hopefully, informed discussion.

Speaking of links to news, be sure to check out this great editorial from Sunday’s Virginian-Pilot (bolding mine):

“City councils representing far more than a million Hampton Roads residents now have asked for the right to snuff out cigarettes while dining out.

Many members of the legislature have been loath to ignite the ire of their benefactors in the tobacco industry.

But on such a compelling issue of public health, state lawmakers should side with their constituents. Secondhand smoke is a proven danger. That’s especially true for the servers, busboys and entertainers who work in the restaurants and constantly inhale the noxious odors.

This week, city councils in Chesapeake and Newport News voted to join the no-smoking push. Chesapeake surveyed its restaurants, and those that responded overwhelmingly said they preferred a ban.

The decisions in those two cities follow similar moves in Norfolk, Virginia Beach and Portsmouth. According to census estimates, nearly 1.2 million residents live in these five cities. Given those numbers, state delegates and senators cannot ignore the push here and elsewhere in the commonwealth for smoke-free dining.”

Check back often (or better yet, add us to your RSS reader) and spread the word!