June 28th 2006
Parts excerpted from Channel 4 Action News,

PITTSBURGH -- The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association is changing its position and will support the elimination of smoking in the workplace, including bars, restaurants, casinos, offices, and manufacturing plants.

For years, restaurant owners have fought to keep smoking. But now, after a contentious debate, they're having a change of heart.  It all comes back to employees, bartenders and waiters, who are sometimes exposed to constant secondhand smoke, said restaurant association president Kevin Joyce.

"The recent studies concerning hospitality employees and the incidence of lung cancer and heart disease related to secondhand smoke... it's hard to not look at that evidence," said Joyce.

On Monday, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona released a report that found nonsmokers increase their risk of developing heart disease by 25 to 30 percent and lung cancer by 20 to 30 percent if exposed to secondhand smoke at home or work.

Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can cause immediate harm, the report found.  "The debate is over. The science is clear," said Carmona. "Secondhand smoke is not a mere annoyance but a serious health hazard."  The only way to protect nonsmokers is to eliminate smoking indoors, according to the surgeon general's report.

"Our employees are important to us, and their health is important to us, and the cost of their health insurance is important to us," said Joyce.

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