Burlington Bans Smoking
Jon <[email protected]>
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[YAY! I've been waiting a long time for this. Ok, maybe only a few years, but still. Now that I'm gone they enact it. Figures. -j ] Burlington Bans Smoking http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=1627523&ClientType=Printable Burlington, Vermont - February 2, 2004 One by one, the people sound off. "Protect those workers from deadly carcinogens," says a woman who helped implement Boston's smoking ban. "This is an issue about freedom, personal freedom," says one man. A potential smoking ban in Burlington sparks debate among bar owners, workers, patrons, musicians, and a variety of anti-smoking groups. Both sides come armed with health and economic studies. "I certainly wouldn't patronize a place I couldn't smoke," says a male smoker. "We would be saving lives," says another man who disagrees. Burlington's City Council considers a ban on smoking in all work places including bars and cabarets. Members say the measure would protect the health of workers and patrons subjected to secondhand smoke. "It's time for musicians and bartenders and waitresses to have dignified and safe working conditions," says musician Tyrone Shaw. "Life for us non-smokers would improve," says Sallie Rockwood, who supports a smoking ban. But bar owners worry the ban could send their smoking patrons elsewhere and their profits up in smoke. "People will be laid-off, unemployment will go up, revenues will go down for the city," Finnigan's Pub owner Patrick Finnigan. "The passing of this law will create a lot more problems between the city and the business community," says a Burlington bartender. "This town is turning into a gated community...there is no freedom left.. I want to opt out of your protect if your protection cost me my individual liberty-- I don't want it," says waiter Stephen Rigby. But in the end, a unanimous vote. The bottom line smoking will soon be banned in Burlington's bars. So the measure now moves to the License and Ordinance Committees who will map out the details of the smoking ban. By May first, all of Burlington's bars will be smoke-free. Darren Perron - Channel 3 News _______________________________________________ heads mailing list [email protected] http://ballistichelmet.org/mailman/listinfo/heads/ http://ballistichelmet.org/donate/