Madison's smoking ban has taken effect and lungs all over the city are breathing a sigh of relief. There are many compelling reasons to forbid smoking in public places. In fact, cities such as Wausau and Oshkosh have also passed smoking bans and Appleton is following suit with a ban of their own. Bar and restaurant workers — as well as patrons — who have consistently been at risk for health problems have reason to be excited.
There is a downside to this particular ban, however. Business is hurting in Madison. Bar owners are begging the city council to change their position. As was demonstrated Sept. 20 at the City Council debate, the aldermen seem almost completely disinterested in hearing their complaints as their businesses lose money and they are forced to move out of Madison. This is not the way to ban smoking in public places in Madison. Small businesses have a hard enough time starting up and succeeding in today's economy. They should not have to deal with their customers going to establishments down the street in Middleton to be able to have a smoke with their drink. Cigar bars in Madison such as Maduro have been having a specifically hard time with the ban considering it has been made impossible to obtain an exemption.
Don't get me wrong; I'm all for a smoke-free Wisconsin. Public health issues need to be considered carefully alongside and weighed against the economic consequences at stake. As hokey as it sounds, second-hand smoke kills. The research has shown conclusively that sucking down tobacco, nicotine and tar is not only harmful to you, but everyone around you as well. Children in restaurants and innocent non-smoking bystanders at bars should not have to suffer the dangers of the poison sticks known as cigarettes.
Smoking bans can be and have been successful in other parts of the country. My home state of California currently has a working and fair smoking ban. It is enjoyable to walk into restaurants and bars all over the state. Businesses are not rebelling and attempting to override the ban as they are here. Owners are not being forced to lay off workers and cigar bars do not have such a hard time getting exemptions to help their business stay afloat. The reason it has worked so well is that it covers the entire state. It is simply unfair to have a citywide smoking ban and not a statewide ban. If a smoker can go a few minutes out of his way to smoke, local businesses will lose customers left and right as has been the case in Madison.
Madison does not need more negative press concerning business right now. Major attractions that have lured business and tourists such as Kites on Ice and the Blues Fest are gone, the City Council is being blamed for numerous anti-business moves and Madison is looking less accommodating to business than ever.
Madison is an incredible city. With this smoking ban however, the city is creating a persona for itself that will hurt us all in the long run. Businesses will be afraid to set up shop here and our local economy will suffer. All the new facelifts around town will have been in vain and Madison will no longer be one of the greatest places to live in the country. What Wisconsin needs is a statewide smoking ban; one that will benefit the health and well-being of all the citizens of the state without punishing businesses for being located in certain cities. This would be the only fair way to take the health of the state as well as the health of the economy into consideration.
Julie Isen ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science.
