Healthy Communities News

BALTIMORE—Restaurant and bar owners and their employees today joined public health officials, City Council bill sponsors, and health advocates to call on members of the Baltimore City Council to support a citywide, smoke-free bill for bars and restaurants. Currently, Maryland state law protects employees from the deadly dangers of secondhand smoke in all workplaces with the exception of bars and restaurants. Montgomery, Prince George’s, Howard and Talbot counties currently have smoke-free bar and restaurant laws. The Baltimore City Council will hold a hearing on the proposal on October 25 at 5 p.m. in City Hall.

“Over the years working in bars and restaurants, I have watched friends die from cigarette smoking. It’s absurd that all employees in Maryland are protected from secondhand smoke except for our industry’s employees. For this reason and for the comfort and safety of my customers, I decided to go smoke free in September. I would like to see a citywide, smoke-free law in effect to protect all hospitality workers,” said Timothy Dean, chef/owner of Timothy Dean Bistro in Fells Point, who hosted the press conference.

Also urging public support for smoke-free legislation was Ken Horseman, owner of Illusions, a bar scheduled to open later this month in Federal Hill.

“My decision to open a smoke-free bar was an easy decision. I hate cigarette smoke, most of my customers hate cigarette smoke, and secondhand smoke kills innocent bystanders. People are excited about the opportunity to enjoy themselves in an environment that not only smells good but is healthy,” said Horseman. “It is hard to find a big city along the East Coast that still has ash trays on their bars and tables. It’s is embarrassing that Baltimore hasn’t stepped up to the plate to protect employee and public health.”

Advocates for smoke-free work and public places have been gathering support for the city bill, collecting the names of thousands of citizens at local fairs and festivals who support smoke-free legislation. Leading health organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Maryland PIRG, American Heart Association, American Lung Association of Maryland, Smoke Free Maryland and others, have been lobbying city council members urging them to take action.

“When individuals take an oath of office, their primary responsibility is to protect public health. This bill will protect public health, save lives, reduce illness, and safeguard the right for all workers to breathe healthy air,” said Bonita Pennino, director of Government Relations for the Maryland/DC region of American Cancer Society.

Similar public health laws have been approved in other large cities and states nationwide. Currently 14 states and hundreds of local jurisdictions have passed smoke-free laws for bars and restaurants, including Delaware, New Jersey, Washington, DC, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Maine.

The leading opponent to Baltimore City’s proposed smoke-free law is the Restaurant Association of Maryland. Other trade organizations, including the Pennsylvania Restaurant Association, and the industry’s leading trade publication, Nation’s Restaurant News, support smoke-free laws for bars and restaurants, stating such efforts help protect the health of hospitality workers. Recently, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh voted to ban smoking in bars and restaurants.

“The Restaurant Association of Maryland’s claims that going smoke-free will hurt business are completely baseless,” said Johanna Neumann, policy advocate for Maryland PIRG. “RAM and their allies in big tobacco use bogus science to argue their case. It’s time our elected officials see through the industry’s smoke-screen and protect people’s lives.”

“My health and wellbeing should not be left to a restaurant owner or manager’s discretion. I should have the right, like all other employees in the state of Maryland, to a smoke-free work environment,” said Dana Koteen, a server at an upscale restaurant in Baltimore City. “As a restaurant employee, I am the only classification of employee that is not protected by law from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke in my workplace. I am not quite sure why the right to breathe clean air, free of secondhand smoke’s carcinogens, is reserved for everyone else but us.”

Working an eight-hour shift in a smoky bar or restaurant is the equivalent of smoking 16 cigarettes. Secondhand smoke contains 69 different chemicals that cause cancer. Secondhand smoke kills at least 53,000 non-smokers a year, including 1,000 in Maryland. Baltimore has the highest rates of oral cancer deaths and second highest rates of lung cancer deaths in the state, according to the Baltimore City Health Department.

“The bottom line is that secondhand smoke kills and I must do everything I can as an employer to protect my crew’s health. I expect nothing less from those officials that we elect into public office. Their number one priority is to protect our health and safety,” said Dean. “Everyone deserves the right to breathe clean, healthy air, including all workers and patrons of Maryland’s eating and drinking establishments.”

Smoke-free bill sponsors, City Council Members Robert Curran and Kenneth Harris, Sr. will hold a hearing on October 25 at 5 p.m. Advocates urge citizens to call the Baltimore City Council and ask them for their support of a citywide smoke-free legislation. For more information, visit www.smokefreecharmcity.org.