July 2nd 2006
Parts excerpted from the Daily World,
On Friday, Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed into law Senate Bill 742, known as the Louisiana Smoke-free Act, giving restaurants and offices six months to clear the air. The law does not regulate smoking in stand-alone bars and casinos.
"It's time that we focus on keeping our citizens and children healthy and encourage wellness," Blanco said late Friday afternoon. Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, author of the new law, said it will "afford our citizens the pleasure of having dinner with their families without the bother of secondhand smoke."
"Even though this does not cover 100 percent of workplaces (i.e. stand-alone bars and casinos), it does protect the majority of Louisiana's workers," said Berry Burnside, Louisiana government specialist for the American Cancer Society. "This small step will not only save lives but it will also help us to one day protect all workers, all of the time."
In a report issued last week, the U.S. Surgeon General's office said secondhand smoke is an even worse health hazard than had previously been reported.
Louisiana joins California, Delaware, New York, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Montana, Vermont, Washington, New Jersey, Utah, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Hawaii, Arkansas, North Dakota, Puerto Rico, Guam, and Washington DC in providing clean air in restaurants.
Joseph W. Cherner - "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the
world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
