Smoking Ban Advocates Approach House Agriculture Committee

Advocates for a smoke-free workplace say restaurants employees should be protected from the effects of second-hand smoke.

The advocates made their point in front of a potentially hostile House Agriculture Committee today. The committee has long been a place where anti-smoking bills die.

The smoke-free proponents made the usual arguments for keeping air clean for children, but then they turned to the restaurant industry for support. Restaurant spokesman Ronnie Hart says about 275-thousand people work in restaurants in Tennessee, and the industry is concerned about protecting those folks while providing a good atmosphere for customers.

“It’s been an issue for us for many years, and based on that surgeon general’s report that we had last September, which basically says there is no acceptable level of second-hand smoke, We’re gonna do something for our employees.”

The committee deferred action on the bill, but members questioned clean air advocates on why state government should make a decision for businesses.

Chairman Stratton Bone says he expects something to pass, but it won’t likely give anti-tobacco advocates all they want. Bone says the size of the workplace where smoking is being outlawed might make a difference.

“Especially some of the smaller workplace environments, where … very very few people… I think we’ll see something involving the rest home. As one fellow talked about, if you’ve got a fellow over there, and he’s bed-ridden, and he’s 85 years old, and that’s maybe his only enjoyment every day, smoking that cigarette … I think we need to let him do that.”

The anti-smoking bills are due to come up again next Tuesday.

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Restaurant spokesman Ronnie Hart also told the committee that for the past three years, the hospitality industry has agreed to not oppose a smoke-free workplace bill if it affected all industries. This year they agreed to help pass it.

The House Agriculture committee deferred the bill mostly because a similar measure from Governor Bredesen is working its way through another committee.

Committee chairman Stratton Bone says some type of smoking ban will pass, given

the changes he’s seen in the last few years.

“I’ve said all along I feel like we’ll get some legislation out of here affecting smoking. Just how far that goes, I don’t know. I tell some of the people that hadn’t been here that long, I remember when I came here you could smoke anywhere. And then we had certain designated areas, and then we banned it in the building. We’re moving in that direction. I think we’ll see some change.”