Editorial: Enact statewide smoking ban

Publication Date: 2005-04-26

• Author:Editorial
• Publication:Milwaukee (WI) Journal-Sentinel

In Shorewood, Village President Mark Kohlenberg is calling for a ban on smoking in all public places, with exemptions for the four bars and restaurants where smoking is now allowed. The effort in Shorewood and other communities in Wisconsin reflects a growing public awareness of the health danger posed by secondhand smoke. While these community efforts are useful, the problem they address is not just local. What is needed is a statewide ban on smoking in all indoor locations that are accessible to the public.

A bill that would achieve this ambitious but worthwhile goal is being circulated in the Wisconsin Legislature by Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills). Although current Wisconsin law bans smoking in many public places, it authorizes smoking areas. The measure backed by Gottlieb and Darling would drastically reduce the number of these exempted places...

It is a carefully focused measure that, if enacted and enforced, would help more people in Wisconsin breathe easier.