Philadelphia Smoking Ban - Clean Indoor Air Act
September 11 2008
The Clean Indor Air Act was passed on June 13th 2008 after many months of debate. However it was deemed very weak and failed to get the backing of many smoking opponents, who said it does not do enough to protect the people at work. The U.S. Surgeon General has linked this specific type of second-hand smoke to cancer.
The clean air act has”too many exemptions and therefore creates too much confusion as to what is smoke-free and what isn’t smoke-free,” Deborah Brown said, who is the spokeswoman for the American Lung Association. “We want to protect everyone from second-hand smoke.”
There are 24 statewide smoking bans currently in our nation and Pennsylvania’s is by far the weakest because it has so many loopholes. One of the many exemptions is bars that have food representing less than 20% of the sales. Also portions of casinos and private clubs will have exemptions also. The Philadelphia smoking ban also bars any municipality from enacting its own sanction.
“It’s going to be extremely effective,” says State Senator Steward Greenlea. Greenleaf was the first to introduced antismoking legislation fifteen years prior. “It’s going to cover 90 to 95 percent of all workplace and public buildings. I think it’s a major step forward in Pennsylvania.”
This would help protect the health at workplaces, and also make businesses more equal. Because someone cannot go to another bar and light up a cigarette just because one place won’t let him. The law does have an exemption that a bar can establish a smoking type area with its own ventalation system if they want to still allow smoking.
Violations for the Clean Air Act of Pennsylvania range from $250 to $1,000. This is not a big fine at all, but remember the legislation is in its early stages and this is just the first of many steps many people feel.
What do you guys think, is this a good law, this Philadelphia smoking ban, specifically for the local area? Your favorite bar and restaurant will probably be effected by this, will be a positive effect or a negative effect? Time will sure tell.
Tags | bars, philadelphia, restaurants, smoking ban