The Collegian

Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: Beyond

Media Credit: Andrew Dodson

A state-wide smoking ban was reintroduced on the Michigan House of Representatives calendar this September after the house denied three similar bills in the last year. HB 4163 would ban smoking in all establishments open to the public except Indian reservations, certified bingo holders, casino floors and cigar bars.

Michigan is one of 16 states without some kind of state-wide restriction on smoking.

Support for the bill comes mostly from health organizations like the Michigan State Medical Society and the Lung Association of Michigan. These organizations assert that second-hand smoke hurts the workers and people who are forced to inhale them.

Furthermore, supporters say most states already have such a bill, but opponents of the bill worry it would reduce business in an already depressed time and question whether it is government's place to enforce limitations on private businesses.

Rich Péwé, vice president of administration, said the bill's possible passage affected the college's decision to ban smoking in the Knorr Center snack bar last year and prevented the installation of a ventilating system in the Grewcock Student Union.

"We decided not to have a smoking section in the new student union," Péwé said. "It would be almost impossible to stop smoke from escaping the designated area, and it was definitely the way to go as far as the majority of students' opinions go."

The choice to install an effective ventilation system in Grewcock would cost $150,000 and be far too risky an investment to make with the possible passage of a repeatedly introduced state-wide ban, Péwé said.

Several organizations support the ban's passage.

The Lung Association of Michigan and its grassroots counterpart, Campaign for Smoke-Free Air, said they are committed to creating smoke-free workplaces to protect Michigan employee's health.

Through this campaign, representatives from multiple special-interest groups concentrate their efforts to pressure lawmakers and publicize the issue among congressional candidates eligible for election, said Susan Schechter, director of advocacy for American Lung Association for Michigan.

She said she and her constituents are tired of holding their breaths and are sick of lawmakers not doing anything.

Continued...

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