Washington latest state to ban smoking in public

In light of Washington becoming the 10th state to enact a statewide ban on smoking in work… In light of Washington becoming the 10th state to enact a statewide ban on smoking in work places earlier this month, some advocates are hoping Pennsylvania is next in line.

Washington passed a law that bans smoking in bars and restaurants, in addition to making smokers stand at least 25 feet from doors, windows or vents outside public establishments.

“This is a victory for the people of Washington, but we would like to be the next state on that list,” said Joy Blankley, executive director of the Pennsylvania Alliance to Control Tobacco. “Exposure to tobacco smoke is a leading cause of death in our state, too, so Pennsylvania’s workers deserve the same protection. We will continue to provide education about smoke-free workplaces.”

According to the Pennsylvania Alliance to Control Tobacco, 80 percent of Pennsylvanians support prohibiting smoking in workplaces, including restaurants and bars.

But some local managers are hesitant to support the ban.

“When people go to a bar, they want to relax,” said Pia Das, manager of Spice Cafe. “I wouldn’t support a smoking ban because my business would slow down, especially with the cold weather. Eighty percent of my customers are smokers.”

Rachael Werntz, a bartender at Pittsburgh Cafe, agreed.

“Eight out of 10 people that come in here are smokers,” Werntz said. “People would be very upset. I am a smoker and I would hate having to go out in the cold.”

There are currently two pieces of legislation in the state government that would prohibit smoking in all workplaces throughout Pennsylvania. Both of these propositions have had committee hearings, according to Blankley.

Pennsylvania could join such smoke-free states as California, Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Montana (bars in 2009) and now Washington. Countries like Ireland and Italy already have national laws against smoking in public places.

Student opinion is hardly unified.

“It gets really distracting when smoke gets blown in your face,” said Bill Brown, a junior majoring in history. “They say secondhand smoke is worse than firsthand smoke and how bad it is for you, so I would support a smoking ban.”

Mike DeBlasio, a junior mechanical engineering major, agrees and disagrees with smoke-free laws.

“I hate it when I’m trying to eat and people are smoking around me, so if they want to ban smoking from restaurants, I understand that,” he said. “But people should be able to smoke in bars and outside public places if they want to. Too many smokers will be upset if they pass smoking laws.”

Voters in Washington passed the ballot initiative by a margin of 62 percent to 26 percent. Unlike Washington and most states, Pennsylvania does not allow ballot initiatives or recall elections at the state level. It gives power to the legislature, not the voters, to decide what issues get on the ballot.