Restaurant Related News

Smoking Foes Move To Clear the Air

By: James M. Odato, Capitol Bureau
Source: Albany Times Union
Published: Thursday, January 16, 2003

Tobacco lobbyists were working the halls on the Capitol Wednesday as a coalition was calling for a statewide ban on smoking in all workplaces and two prominent legislators were drafting tough anti-smoking legislation.

Indeed, this may be the year that a clean indoor air bill becomes law.

With the clout of the New York State Restaurant Association behind them, a host of health groups Wednesday called for the Legislature and Gov. George Pataki to adopt a statewide ban on smoking in all workplaces, similar to prohibitions adopted in Nassau County. Such a ban was attempted last year by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York City, but a compromise, covering most but not all workplaces, eventually passed.

Sen. Charles Fuschillo, R-Merrick, said he met Monday with the American Cancer Society and other groups, and was encouraged by the Restaurant Association's move to back a ban.

"I'm confident that with the new support we have this year we are going to enact a strong public health policy in the state," said Fuschillo, who plans to introduce a bill shortly. He added that he likes the outright ban adopted by Nassau, his home county.

The momentum has been building toward a statewide ban on secondhand smoke and many observers on both sides of the issue are saying a deal is likely this legislative session. More and more counties and states have adopted or proposed restrictions, and in a year when lawmakers will have very little money to spread around to pet programs, smoking restrictions are viewed as a no cost, popular measure.

Tobacco companies and the Empire State Restaurant and Tavern Association say across-the-board bans of smoking would hurt privaate industry, infringe on personal freedoms and block business owners from accommodating smokers.

Last year, Assemblyman Alexander Grannis, D-Manhattan, and Fuschillo nearly pulled off a compromise bill that would have required restaurants to segregate smokers or ban smoking under the "Clean Indoor Air Act." But that bill was only a an incremental step to what activists have been seeking -- full prohibition of smoking in workplaces.