Monday, September 05, 2005

Aldermen: Take Note

Today's SJ-R has some important polling data on the issue of a smoking ban in Springfield:
Nearly two-thirds of registered voters in Springfield support a ban on smoking in all indoor workplaces, according to a poll commissioned by the American Heart Association and the American Lung Association of Illinois and Iowa.

The results could boost an effort to prohibit smoking in most public places in the city. Ward 10 Ald. Bruce Strom has said he plans to propose a citywide indoor smoking ban, and a coalition of health and social service agencies also is supporting the idea.

Sixty-five percent of the 401 registered voters polled supported a prohibition on smoking "in all indoor workplaces, restaurants, bars, public buildings and other public places in Springfield."

I wonder if this news will reassure some alderman who might be squeamish about taking a stand for a smoking ban. I'm sure it will have no effect on Mayor Tim Davlin who seems determined to retain as much smoking in Springfield establishment as he can get away with.

Anther interesting factoid to come out of the survey: only 17 percent of Springfield residents are smokers, the second lowest number in the state behind Urbana-Champaign. This may help explain the support the proposed smoking ban is receiving.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I probably shouldn't admit this around these environs, but as someone who smoked off and on through the years (cough cough hack hack), I can attest that the smokers will get over it. Seriously.