Cmte. mtg. begins at 10:00

Tune in to www.wiseye.org to watch live!

WI tavern owners: differing opinions, a stark contrast

Here's a gem from today's Wausau Daily Herald.

"It's dumb to take a job at a tavern and then complain smoking bothers you," [said Pamela Chahdi, a smoker from Schofield who used to own The Office, which is a bar in Schofield.]

Does that sound right to you?
Reading that quote made me mad, but I'm glad not all Wisconsin tavern owners feel their workers' health is expendable. The Green Bay Press-Gazette posted the following letter to the editor on their website Saturday:

Bar/restaurant owner endorses smoking ban
TWO RIVERS - All employees - no matter where they work in Wisconsin - deserve to work in a clean, smoke-free atmosphere. It's a matter of conscience. It's a matter of good health.

And it will eventually save the people of Wisconsin and the state a ton of money in health-care costs.

As the owner of a bar and restaurant in Two Rivers that has been in our family for 103 years, I strongly support the proposed legislation to ban smoking in all Wisconsin workplaces. We do not want to become the ashtray of the Midwest, since Illinois and Minnesota have recently passed smoking bans. Most smokers today understand the reasoning and will, if somewhat grudgingly, accept the ban. Now is the time. Support the proposed state Senate smoking ban legislation and let's make Wisconsin a truly healthy place to live and work.

James E. Christensen, Kurtz's Pub and Deli

Don't forget tomorrow is the committee vote on SB 150. We'll be live blogging and you can catch the committee meeting online at 10:00 a.m. at www.wiseye.org.

What to expect next Tuesday

We've been getting a lot of questions at the SmokeFree Wisconsin office about what to expect next Tuesday at the Senate Public Health Committee meeting. Here are some answers!

Q: Can I give testimony at the meeting?
A: No - a public hearing was held May 31, 2007. You can attend the meeting, but there will be no opportunity for additional public comment. If you'd like to let the committee members know you support the bill, you can contact their offices ahead of Tuesday. The members of the Senate Public Health Committee are Sen. Carpenter, Sen. Kreitlow, Sen. Coggs, Sen. Cowles, and Sen. Schultz.

Q: What can I do right now to help SB 150 pass committee and pass the Senate?
A: If your senator sits on the Public Health Committee, make sure you and all your family and friends have contacted him. A phone call can go a long way, and many legislative offices say phone calls are more meaningful than e-mails. If you're nervous about calling your senator's office, call after hours or over the weekend and leave a voicemail (but don't forget to include your name and address)!
If your senator does not sit on the Public Health Committee, write a letter to the editor of your newspaper. Positive media from real people like you will only add to our momentum. Urge the committee and the Senate to act swiftly and send SB 150 to the Assembly so WI can join the ranks of smoke-free states. Most local newspapers have a form on their website where you can submit your letter; others have e-mails where you can send your opinion. Legislators read the opinion sections of newspapers religiously, so your letter will reach the public and your lawmaker.

Q: How can I learn what happens on Tuesday if I'm not at the meeting?
A: SmokeFree Wisconsin will post updates on our blog - the meeting starts at 10:00 a.m. and we're 2nd on the agenda. You might also want to tune into WisconsinEye at www.wiseye.org - they stream live video of meetings at the capitol. We'll repost that link for you on Tuesday morning.

Vote scheduled on smoke-free bill!

Breaking news!!! SB 150, the Breathe Free Wisconsin Act, will be voted on in committee next Tuesday, Jan. 8. What a way to start out 2008!!!

IL is smoke-free today!

2008 is ushering in yet another smoke-free law: Illinois.

Congrats you flatlanders. Unfortunately, when you come up here in the summer to vacation in our beautiful northwoods you'll still have to breathe in secondhand smoke. Unless we can get our smoke-free law passed and implemented in 6 months.

Resolution #1 for 2008: Get WI to go smoke-free!!!