Across the country, 24 states - including Wisconsins neighbors Illinois and Minnesota - have passed statewide smoking bans. Wisconsin, on the other hand, has failed to pass a similar statewide ban every year since 2003. On Thursday, the Dane County Board voted in favor of a county-wide smoking ban, placing greater pressure on state lawmakers to realize the pressing need for a uniform, statewide ban on public smoking.
Passing with a 21-14 vote in the Dane County Board, the ordinance is similar to the smoking ban passed in Madison in 2004. The ordinance will prohibit smoking in workplaces, bars and restaurants in all unincorporated parts of Dane County. Additionally, the new ordinance bans smoking within 15 feet of any establishment's smoke-free entrance or windows. The ban will take effect on Aug. 15, 2009.
This editorial board previously endorsed passing a statewide smoking ban due to the deleterious consequences of exposure to secondhand smoke, as well as studies revealing that variances in smoking bans enforced by individual municipalities lead to greater drunk driving fatalities. Though still a far cry from statewide enforcement, a uniform ban with jurisdiction across an entire county gives greater support to those in favor of enacting a statewide ban.
According to Smoke Free Wisconsin, secondhand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the country, killing approximately 53,000 people each year. Furthermore, Sup. Carousel Bayrd of Madison told The Capital Times that 73 percent of deaths related to secondhand smoke are a result of workplace exposure. Bayrd also noted that working in bars and restaurants as bartenders or wait-staff members is one of the three fastest-growing job markets in Wisconsin, employing students and stay-at-home parents due to the flexible hours it offers. Enacting this smoking ban is conducive to a healthy working environment for everyone in Dane county, and it ensures that workers in Dane County are not unfairly exposed to harmful carcinogens.
Passing this ordinance is a big plus for the state of Wisconsin, but it's only a small step. Nonsmokers should not have to submit themselves to the dangers of secondhand smoke simply because lawmakers have been unable to pass legislation in support of a statewide smoking ban. The state legislature must get serious about the health of its residents and pass a uniform, statewide smoking ban.
