Smoke Free Workplaces - Policy Myths

Myth 1:  Why do we need smoke-free workplaces, including restaurants and bars, and other public places?    

Secondhand smoke is deadly. It is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States (Mokdad, 2004), causing at least 49,000 deaths per year in nonsmokers in the United States (Surgeon General's Report, 2006). Hundreds of studies have documented that secondhand smoke is a cause of serious health problems. Employees in restaurants and bars should be afforded the same right to breathe safe, clean indoor air just like employees in offices, stores, hospitals, factories, warehouses and other workplaces. 

Myth 2:  Doesn't banning smoking interfere with an individual’s freedom of choice?

Smoke-free policies don't mean smokers will no longer be able to smoke, it just means they can't smoke in shared spaces where the smoke may hurt others. The public, especially children, should have the freedom to access public spaces without suffering serious health affects as a result of breathing secondhand smoke. And employees should not be forced to choose between giving up their job or breathing chemicals that cause cancer and heart disease.

Myth 3: Shouldn't business owners decide for themselves whether their restaurant, bar or business should be smoke-free?

We all expect the government to act when the public's health is jeopardized. The government has a responsibility to pass and enforce public health ordinances that protect the safety of the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.  Voluntary bans an effective means because they are unenforceable and easily undermined. Restaurants and bars are not allowed to voluntarily agree to health and safety standards. Clean indoor air is just as important and should not be "voluntary." If anything, businesses should want to go smoke-free. By prohibiting smoking, a business' fire insurance rates will go down, cleaning costs drop and expensive ventilation systems become unnecessary. Another major benefit is the improved health of employees who will no longer be exposed to secondhand smoke.

Myth 4:  Don’t most people oppose smoke-free laws?

Local surveys prove that citizens in Meeker, McLeod and Sibley Counties are no different than people in greater Minnesota.  The vast majority of people support smoke-free laws and believe employees should be protected from secondhand smoke. 

Myth 5:  Won't forcing restaurants and bars to become smoke-free affect their bottom-line?

Studies that have looked at hard economic data such as sales tax receipts, income and employment, show that smoke-free ordinances do not hurt businesses. These studies have appeared in scientific journals and undergone a rigorous peer review.