Online Chat about Clean Air Emporia
July 15, 2008
Teresa Walters of Clean Air Emporia will answer questions about their group and efforts to promote a smoke-free Emporia.
alanemporia: Are we still allowed to smoke outside in city limits.
Moderator: Welcome to The Gazette's online chat with Teresa Walters, a member of the Clean Air Emporia committee. The organization is proposing a ban on smoking in public places in Emporia, an issue that is likely to provoke much discussion. If you have a question for Teresa, post it here. She'll answer as many as she can in the time we have, which is about half an hour. Remember to refresh your screen often to keep up with the chat. We'll start with the question above, which was submitted in advance.
Teresa Walters: Currently any restrictions on where an individual can smoke are placed by individual businesses or workplaces. People are still able to smoke in their cars, in their homes (as long as they are not used as a day care, etc.), outside their homes on their property and outside of certain establishments although the owners of the establishment may enact a specific distance from the door that the smoking can occur. Thank you for your question.
bobhornet: Do you make the same efforts to prevent drunk driving as you do to curb smoking in our community? I'm just as worried about people driving drunk as I am with smoking issues.
Teresa Walters: Emporians for Drug Awareness has been working in the community since 1989, and one area we have focused on is the prevention of drunk and impaired driving. We have helped acquire grants for the police department to do saturation patrols and checks, and we have promoted Drunk and Drugged Driving Month each year as a way to draw attention to the dangers of impaired driving. We facilitate a Responsible Alcohol Server training each year in conjunction with the police department to train staff of taverns, bars and retail stores in Lyon County on how to prevent a customer from driving impaired. These are just a few of the events or activities we have used to address this problem behavior. Thank you, and we’d welcome your involvement on both issues.
alanemporia: About this effort there is a lot of kinks that need to be worked out. Where will it be allowed......and other rules. I am a smoker and i can understand both sides of peoples reason......but i would like to know more......it would be wise to place rules.....if passed on Emporias web site.
Teresa Walters: You make a good point. The committee is using ordinances from communities across the state as models to determine specific areas that we want addressed in our own local ordinance. One important factor for the committee is that a local ordinance create a level playing field in the community. Additional awareness and education following the passing of the ordinance will be done to make everyone aware of what to expect. Thank you for the suggestion.
bshippee: You will be sorry. Many of the cities that have already enacted "smoke free" towns have lost many tax dollars. And the anti-smokers never go out to eat to make up the difference. I'm not a smoker, but have lived through a no smoking ban and seen many of my favorite resturants close. Let the market dictate where one eats. Let there be smoke free eating area and smoking areas. If there is enought people who want smoke free businesses they will prosper and the smoking one will close. Don't give your local government the ability to take control of private industry in this matter. when it's all over the smokless crowd leaves town and you are stuck with their policies. Don't do it.
Teresa Walters: I would be interested in the source of your information. What we can tell from businesses that have gone smoke free, either voluntarily or through ordinances, is that they have not seen any significant loss of income that could be traced to the change in policy, and many have even seen an increase in business. I have a copy of a letter sent to us from the owner of a bowling alley in Lawrence that I can send you, if you like, that states how opposed they were to the ordinance originally then goes on to say what a positive move it has been for their business. He lists the sales figures for the months prior to the ordinance, as well as several months afterwards and his sales are actually increasing.
moderator: What is the mission and goals of Clean Air Emporia?
Teresa Walters: The mission states: Clean Air Emporia is a coalition dedicated to improving human life through education and implementation of a smoke free ordinance to protect all citizens. Short term goals: study previous surveys taken of community members to determine their support; develop our mission statement, problem statements and core messages; develop our awareness and education campaign... Intermediate goals: develop a presentation that we could use to educate the community; recruit community support and advocacy; begin putting our proposed ordinance together for consideration... Long term goals: introduce draft ordinance to city leaders; help advocate for ordinance; help businesses implement the new ordinance... Thank you.
moderator: Why does your organization want to prohibit smoking in bars and restaurants?
Teresa Walters: We want an ordinance that is covers all businesses and public places, including bars and restaurants, but does not solely target them. Thanks.
moderator: What does it take to get a no-smoking ordinance on the ballot and when do you plan to do it?
Teresa Walters: We are planning to propose this to our city commission for adoption by that governmental body. This is the approach other communities have taken. Our goal is to have it adopted in October which would mean it would probably go into effect around January 2009. Thanks.
Moderator: Several people are posting the same questions several times. The questions are answered in the order they come in. Please be patient. Also, look above and see if an answer to the question you asked has already been posted.
moderator: What towns in Kansas have no-smoking ordinances? Do you know if it has helped or hurt the bars and restaurants business in those towns?
Teresa Walters: There is a list of both communities and counties in Kansas that have adopted smoke free ordinances, and what types of businesses each ordinance covers, on the Clean Air website which is www.emporiansfordrugawareness.com/cleanair. There are a few recent additions that won’t be listed, such as Prairie Village, which recently passed an ordinance that included every type of business. We have had very positive comments from businesses who have changed their policies, both voluntarily and through ordinances. As mentioned earlier, I received a letter from a bowling alley owner in Lawrence indicating that sales had actually increased. Thank you, and let me know if you are unable to find the list.
romano1784: I'm curious, why should I give up my right to smoke where I please simply because it bothers you? Yes smoking is harmful, yes second-hand smoke can be harmful, no it isn't your position to tell others what they can and can't do irregardless of your personal beliefs. Cigarettes are not illegal in any way, means, shape, or form. So why do you feel the need to treat them as such? Is your next step going to be liquor? We know it is harmful if abused, how about cheese, one leading cause of heart attacks? I have the right to smoke where I please even if you don't like it. Remember those words, life, liberty and the persuit of happiness? Leave us alone.
Teresa Walters: Smoking is a very personal decision but an individual who wants to smoke shouldn’t be deciding that other individuals have to breathe secondhand smoke and suffer the health effects from the exposure. Secondhand smoke is a serious public health issue. We are not asking you to give up your right to smoke; we simply want you to do it where you are not causing others to be exposed to the smoke. Fortunately, one person eating cheese has not been found to cause cancer or other serious illnesses for a person sitting next to them, so you are safe with your Velveeta. We ALL have the right to breathe clean air. Thank you for your comments.
citizen1: If the smoking ban passes, will the city provided ashtrays for the business that normally were smoking? Will the city have to spend any additional money for an employee to clean the streets and sidewalks infront of local bars of cigeratte butts and additional litter, that may come from the ban? Will there be some sort of task force that will be used by the tax payers dollars, to make sure that the ban is upheld? What is the projected loss of sales tax to the city if the ban goes into effect? Will the city have any compensation for any small business owner who may have to close there doors due to drop of sales? If a business owner would have to eventually close there doors how do you feel about that? How do you feel about any job losses that may come from this, with the way the economy is everyone needs to keep there jobs. If i lose my job are you going to feed my children?
Teresa Walters: I have noticed ashtrays and garbage cans in the downtown area already that are not always used for either cigarette butts, soda cans, beer bottles, etc. I think it is important for all of us that care about the image of our community to help others understand the importance of preventing littering whether we have a smoking ban or not. The enforcement of the ordinance is handled differently in communities across the state - some use the health department, some the fire department, others the police. Part of our current research is looking into what the best format is for Emporia. Ultimately that decision will be made by the commissioners. I empathize with anyone who has to close their business and understand how it impacts the employees, the community, etc. However, there are varied reasons that a business might have to close and we've not seen any data to show that enacting an ordinance to protect everyone from secondhand smoke exposure has been the sole reason that a business has had to shut down. That is certainly not our intention or one of our goals.
Pollyanna: Tackling this issue is a hot topic for both sides of the coin. Many people talk about right infringement on the part of smokers as well as the rights of non-smokers to breathe clean air. What challenges have you faced during the launching of the campaign?
Teresa Walters: One challenge that the entire committee felt was important was that we focus on the dangers of the smoke, and not be viewed as attacking smokers. We understand people feeling that they have a "right" to smoke, but feel even stronger that everyone has the right to breathe clean air, wherever they work, play, eat, etc. Since there is irrefutable evidence now that secondhand smoke exposure is a known cause of death and illness, it seems an important challenge to take on to help raise awareness of this fact and help smokers and non-smokers alike understand that this is being done for the health of this community.
builderboy: I would just like to say thanks to Clean Air Emporia and Teresa for "taking the bull by the horns" on this issue. If this issue becomes a city ordiance then I will spend more money locally in smoke free facilities.
Teresa Walters: The Clean Air Emporia committee is a fantastic group of people who are genuinely concerned about helping businesses and community members be healthy and successful. I know that more and more people will follow your lead in supporting the ordinance and supporting local establishments.
Moderator: Thank you, Teresa for taking the time to answer more of the many questions that have come in. That's all the time we have for this caht. A transcript will be printed in Wednesday's Gazette. See you all for our next chat.