Post by harleyrider1978 on Jun 25, 2008 22:47:42 GMT
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www.pr-inside.com/majority-want-smoking-banned-in-all-r665258.htm
2008-06-25 21:36:33 - A clear majority wants smoking banned in all homes, even if children are not present, and even if the smoke is not drifting into an adjoining dwelling.
This could expand the latest front in the war to protect nonsmokers, says the man who started the nonsmokers' movement by getting smoking first restricted and then banned on airplanes and then in workplaces and public places, and who is racking up victories in the battle to ban smoking in private dwellings and cars.
According to a new survey, 57% of the people in Ireland support a ban on smoking in all homes and cars.
This could indicate growing support for smoking bans both here and abroad, says public interest law professor John Banzhaf of Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) -- America's first antismoking organization, and the group behind restrictions on smoking in
homes in almost three fourths of the states -- because the percentage of smokers in Ireland is substantially higher than in the US. However, '
Ireland led the way by being the first country to introduce the smoking ban in the workplace in 2004," notes ASH Ireland.
"As politicians in many states continue to debate whether to ban smoking in restaurants, bars, casinos, and other public places, it looks like legislators are once again far behind the growing public sentiment for smoking bans, and also far behind how far judges and regulatory agencies are willing to go," says Banzhaf.
Banzhaf -- who have been called "The Man Behind the Ban on Cigarette Commercials," "The Ralph Nader of Tobacco," and "Mr. Antismoking" -- notes that:
* judges in almost three fourth of all states have not hesitated to ban smoking in homes to protect children in their jurisdiction involved in custody disputes;
*judges in many states have sided with nonsmokers complaining about smoke drifting or re-circulating into their apartment or condo;
* both regulators and legislators have now banning all smoking in private homes and cars when foster children are present; and that a flurry of new laws are banning smoking in cars to protect children.
"Court after court and judge after judge has ruled that there is no right to smoke, so that courts, regulators, and legislatures are free to ban it in homes and in cars.
Indeed, several courts have gone even further, holding that both private companies and governmental bodies can fire persons who smoke off the job, even if they do it in the privacy of their own homes or in other places where it is perfectly legal," says Banzhaf.
Indeed, as more and more companies face the specter of bankruptcy or an inability to compete because of ever escalating health insurance costs, and are finding that providing smoking cessation assistance and/or financial incentives for employees to quit smoking are ineffective, more are insisting upon having a smoke free workforce, just as they may insist on a drug free workforce, notes Banzhaf.
Smoking imposes a huge financial burden on society of over $140 billion each year, most of which is paid by nonsmokers in the form of higher taxes and bloated bills for health insurance.
Since restrictions of smoking are one of the most effective -- and virtually the least expensive -- way to help smokers quit, it is no surprise that there is growing support for smoking restrictions, even if no nonsmokers' health is being put at risk by the smoking, suggests Banzhaf.
PROFESSOR JOHN F. BANZHAF III
Executive Director and Chief Counsel
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)
2013 H Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006, USA
(202) 659-4310 // ash.org
