Mayor John Street recently announced that one of his main legislative goals for 2005 is the implementation of a smoking ban in Philadelphia's restaurants, bars and other public spaces.
The Philadelphia City Council is currently not in session, but the smoking ban will be one of the possible bills discussed during the first meeting on Jan. 26th.
Student smokers are likely to find their indoor smoking possibilities further limited; University regulations currently prohibit smoking in nonresidential buildings except in certain designated areas.
"Currently, it seems as if there would be little opposition to the ban," said Street spokeswoman Deborah Bolling, "but we can't be sure, since the Council isn't in session."
Bolling added that though some bar or restaurant owners might be opposed to the proposal, they should be open-minded to the bill due to the dangers of second-hand smoke.
The city-wide smoking ban parallels New York City's own 2003 legislation, which was heavily supported by Mayor Michael Bloomberg. The ban was opposed by many restaurant owners, but seems to have garnered sufficient support to remain in place.
Internationally, a smoking ban is not a novel concept and has even been embraced by several countries. Starting yesterday, Italy imposed a nationwide smoking ban in all of its enclosed bars and restaurants, following in the footsteps of Norway and Ireland.
The reasons for these initiatives mainly center around health concerns. Every year an average of 400,000 Americans die of smoking-related causes. One in every five deaths in the United States is smoking-related, and an estimated 20 percent of cancer cases could be prevented if research subjects did not smoke.
Cigarette smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the United States, according to a study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Banning smoking
- January 1998 - California begins a trend that other states soon follow by banning smoking in restaurants and bars.
- September 1999 - Maine follows suit and bars smoking in bars and restaurants
- November 2002 - Delaware passes legislation banning smoking in offices, bars, restaurants, casinos and most indoor public spaces.
- March 2003 - New York City adopts a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. Owners who do not comply risk a $200 fine for their first offense and being shut down for subsequent offenses.
- March 2003 - New York State passes legislation mirroring New York City's ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.
- May 2003 - Boston bans smoking in workplaces, nightclubs, restaurants and bars.
- July 2003 - Lexington, Kentucky passes a smoking ban in restaurants and bars. After a challenge, the state's Supreme Court upheld the ban in April, 2004.
- March 2004 - The California cities of Santa Monica, San Clemente and Solana Beach barred smoking on beaches.
- March 2004 - Ireland passes a smoking ban in pubs, restaurants, workplaces and public transportation.
- November 2004 - Columbus, Ohio residents voted in favor of a proposition banning smoking in public places.
- December 2004 - Philadelphia mayor John Street announced plans to ban smoking in restaurants and other places serving food in the city. The ban will be one of the possible bills discussed once the Philadelphia City Council reconvenes on Jan. 26.
- January 2005 - Italy enacted a nationwide smoking ban in restaurants and bars. Many restaurant and bar owners are currently refusing to carry out the ban.
- Ongoing - In England, lawmakers are now considering a ban on smoking in all "enclosed public spaces." This would include workplaces, restaurants and bars.
-- David Field
