October 18th, 2006
Ohio voters are being treated to the most deceitful, despicable, dishonest tobacco cartel measure to date. Tobacco interests have put before Ohio voters a constitutional amendment (Issue 4) that appears to protect health, but actually repeals all clean indoor air laws (past, present, and future) and replaces them with a weak state law that would allow smoking in many places.
The proposal is being presented as a health initiative under the grossly misleading name of SmokeLess Ohio. A massive ad campaign never tells voters that it would repeal strong local clean indoor air laws (like the one in Columbus) or that it is actually the tobacco cartel behind the measure.
"The tobacco cartel will likely break all Ohio records in terms of campaign expenditures," explains Joe Cherner, president of SmokeFree Educational Services, Inc. "Most people who vote for Issue 4 will never realize that it is being funded by the tobacco cartel."
Issue 4 is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It's a deceptive trick. If tobacco interests are successful in duping Ohio voters, similar measures will no doubt begin to appear on other state ballots.
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