EDITORIAL: Indoor public smoking weakens public health

Publication Date: 2005-02-15

• Author:Editorial
• Publication:Everett (WA) Herald

Washington has often been referred to as a bellwether state: if an idea catches on here, it's likely to take hold in other places, too.

When it comes to enacting a smoking ban in all public places we are, unfortunately, far behind other states, even other countries. Last week's ruling by the state Supreme Court that Pierce County's bold and admirable attempt to ban smoking conflicted with state law was understandable in legal terms, but felt as nasty as walking into a stale, smoke-filled pub...