I don’t know about y’all (sorry about that; I guess I still haven’t been able to shake off all the Wyoming), but July 5 cannot get here fast enough. In just a few days, those who walk into any restaurant, workplace or bar will be able to breathe a little easier, thanks to the new Smoke-Free Wisconsin Act that goes into effect Monday. Personally, I couldn’t be more thrilled.
Granted, I believe every individual has the right to do with their body what they will, whether that be covering it with tattoos, filling it with holes or ingesting substances like tar and nicotine. It’s a personal freedom to be able to make those kinds of decisions. But while the choice to smoke is up to the smoker, the state has every right to put a statute of limitations on it, especially when cigarette smoke is proven to be hazardous, not only to the smoker, but also to bystanders who inhale the smoke.
With so many other things in this world that cause cancer and put an end to the lives of many who are far too young to die, I can’t help but wonder why people are increasing their risk of contracting cancer on a voluntary basis. I, for one, went through a horrendous ordeal watching my grandfather slowly succumb to emphysema, which was the product of all his years as a chain smoker.
Believe me, I don’t have anything against people who smoke; they’re not bad people. Quite a few of my friends picked up the habit while we were in high school and, to this day, I still give them grief about it. As much as I would love them to just wake up tomorrow and quit, I realize that it’s easier said than done.
While I was at Country Fest over the weekend, I had numerous people ask me if I had a lighter. My comeback was usually, “No, I don’t smoke. It’s a disgusting habit.” About 95 percent of the time, the smoker was in complete agreement with me, acknowledging that they have either tried to quit at least once in the past or intend to do so when the smoking ban goes into effect. It’s just a very difficult habit to break and it really sucks for those who really want to quit, but simply can’t.
I also understand that some bar and tavern owners may be perplexed by the new smoke-free ordinance, but I really don’t think they should be overly concerned that their establishments will be negatively impacted. Contrary to popular belief, going smoke free will not ruin a business. If anything, the opposite happens.
When I waited tables at a brew pub back in Pinedale, Wyo., the business went through an ownership change. The pub, in turn, went from a smoking to a non-smoking establishment. In the beginning, there were quite a few regulars who didn’t particularly like the change, but eventually grew to accept it. In fact, business actually picked up because people who didn’t like the smoking aspect before started to frequent the place once it became a non-smoking establishment. Overall, I think there were maybe one or two people who refused to come back and chose to go elsewhere because of the no smoking policy.
Regardless, when you have an entire state making the switch, I have a hard time believing that all the people who smoke are going to boycott bars and taverns because they’re not allowed to light up. I mean, after all, this is Wisconsin ... we’re pretty much known for three things: the Green Bay Packers, exceptional cheese and our love of beer. Sure, it’s going to take a bit of time to get used to the idea, but, once that happens, I have a feeling it will lead to good things ... like a decrease in cigarette sales. For all those who have been toying with the idea of quitting, now is the perfect time to do it.
Jennie Oemig,
Editor
Arcadia News-Leader
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