Louisiana Public Health Institute
FACT:
In young children, exposure to secondhand smoke is associated with an increased risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.

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From the Opinion Page Staff The Town Talk- "Our View: Smoking ban would make La. Healthier"

A state House committee has sent a proposed smoking ban, Senate Bill 105, to the House floor for a vote. It isn’t as restrictive as it could have been, but it begins to address the damaging effects of secondhand smoke.

The proposed law bans smoking in restaurants and restaurant bars (unless completely walled off from the dining area) but exempts casinos, bars, outdoor restaurant areas and hotel rooms as long as 20 to 50 percent of the rooms are non-smoking. Restaurant owners with bars will have until 2008 to separate their bar areas from dining rooms before they have to ban smoking there.

The proposed law isn’t as restrictive and doesn’t give as much protection from secondhand smoke as Alexandria’s smoking ordinance. The local ordinance bans smoking in restaurants that don’t serve alcohol and prohibits smoking in city vehicles, parks and buildings; in line at a theater; within 50 feet of the entrance or exit to a health-care facility; and in public areas of businesses such as hotel lobbies.

There is one area where the proposed state smoking ban does provide a tighter restriction—restaurant bars. Some local restaurants planned to try to get around the city smoking ban by applying for liquor licenses. If this state bill passes, however, just selling liquor won’t ensure a restaurant’s ability to continue to allow smoking. The proposed law would require a bar area be completely walled off from the dining area.

The one failure both Alexandria’s current ordinance and the proposed state law have in common is neither protects employees from secondhand smoke. The city ordinance protects clients and customers by prohibiting smoking in the common areas of businesses, but neither addresses employee break rooms or work areas.

California has had one of the nation’s strictest smoke-free policies since the 1990s. Since that time, California has steadily improved its state health ranking, according to the United Health Foundation, a nonprofit foundation funded by the United Health Group health-care company. California, which was 33rd in 1990, ranked 22nd in the foundation’s 2004 State Health Rankings. The proposed smoking ban, called the Louisiana Clean Indoor Act, would start Louisiana on a path to a healthier future.