Green Bay Packer Demonstrates the Dangers of Secondhand Smoke/BARF ALERT

Yahoo News ^ | 17 July 2002 | Wisconsin Tobacco Control Board

[SheLion]

GREEN BAY, Wis., July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Green Bay Packer Ahman Green's participation in a Wisconsin ad campaign designed to raise awareness about the dangers of secondhand smoke was unveiled today. Green will be part of a series of television and radio advertisements that launched early-June and are being broadcast throughout Wisconsin. The new ads use personal stories told by Wisconsin residents who have suffered the effects of secondhand smoke.

Green is not a smoker himself, but he grew up in a household with a smoker and was diagnosed with asthma at age 14. The 25-year-old running back has to pay special attention to avoid smoke-filled environments in order to perform at his best. His personal experience and concerns for his own health and that of others has inspired him to share his story in hopes that it will lead to a smoke-free Wisconsin.

"Because my asthma is aggravated by secondhand smoke, I have to be very careful where I go. My options of which restaurants to eat at or what places I can go to often depend on whether there will be cigarette smoke in the air," says Green. "This can be frustrating and limiting, but staying healthy is important to me and vital to my career."

Green is featured in a television ad that takes place in a cafe. As he enters the smoke-filled cafe, he slips an oxygen mask over his face. The ad conveys the message that secondhand smoke can have serious effects on a nonsmoker. One of the most obvious places where cigarette smoke lingers is in bars and restaurants. Kathie Bundy, pub owner and performer from Manitowoc, WI is featured, along with Ahman Green, in the campaign ads. Bundy opened Stage Door Saloon, one of just a few nonsmoking pubs in Wisconsin. She is featured in a television ad that takes place in a smoke-filled restaurant. Bundy's story is meant to encourage other restaurants and bars to go smoke- free.

"Between concerns about my own health and complaints from nonsmoking customers, I decided that it was the right decision to go smoke-free," Bundy says. "Of course I had concerns about the repercussions this decision would have on my business, but the pub is as busy as ever and customers are happy they have a place to go that isn't filled with smoke."

Restaurant owners who are currently smoke-free or those owners who are considering making their restaurant smoke-free, can advertise their restaurant free of charge on the new Wisconsin Smoke-free Online Dining Guide. Owners simply log onto WWW.HADENOUGHWISCONSIN.COM , enter the Smoke-free Dining Guide section and submit requested information. All restaurant details will be verified and then posted. The new site feature was designed to encourage restaurants to go smoke-free and to support restaurant owners and customers that prefer a smoke-free environment.

The secondhand smoke media campaign is a component of the WTCB's statewide initiative for smoke-free restaurants, work sites, municipal buildings and homes. Each ad contains a tag line that directs viewers to the hadenoughwisconsin.com web site where visitors can share their own stories or seek help in quitting smoking.

The Wisconsin Tobacco Control Board is a Governor-appointed Board charged with developing a strategic plan, allocating funds and evaluating the effectiveness of Wisconsin's tobacco prevention and control efforts. The Board is comprised of state and local leaders representing businesses, education, health care, public health and political leaders from across the state.

[Just another Joe]

It is interesting to see the name-calling (from both sides) that pops up on these tobacco threads, and I usually just laugh and don't even bother to post anything on them. But for some reason, I felt like questioning you on your post.

I try to keep my head and avoid flaming. I never mind clarifying what I have posted.
Once in a while I do get hot and flame high, hot, and wide but it takes a lot to get to me.

[VRWCmember]

Just curious about what you're saying here. If you are in a public place (by this I assume you don't simply mean "public property" but rather any place that is open to the public such as a business establishment for example) then you will light up if you feel like it regardless of whether or not the area is designated by the owners or local regulations as non-smoking? Is this what you are saying?

[Madame Dufarge]

Unfortunately, I've found this not to be the case and often seen smokers take delight in rudely blowing their smoke in peoples faces

In the real world, and not the theoretical world where you apparently dwell, it's never been acceptable for smokers to blow their smoke in others' faces, including and maybe especially, the faces of other smokers. It's always been considered an insult and a challenge.

I've seen situations where smokers have done this to other smokers and it's always lead to a fight.

Maybe non-smokers should follow the smokers' lead, and show some guts.

Unless, of course, your idea of someone "blowing smoke in peoples faces" is someone smoking within a 500-yard radius of wherever you are.

[VRWCmember]

If a nonsmoker comes up to me and politely asks me to extinguish my cigarette for ANY reason, or no reason at all, 99 times out of 100 I will comply graciously.

I have a similar approach toward people that are smoking in non-smoking areas. If it appears that they are unaware that the area is a non-smoking area then I usually inform them very politely that they are in a non-smoking area and ask them to put out their cigarettes. If, on the other hand, it is obvious that they are defiantly smoking fully aware that it is a non-smoking area, just daring anyone to confront them for their violation (some of the more militant smokers appear to take great pleasure in this), then I'm a little less pleasant -- though even then I choose not to be abrasive, rude, or obnoxious. If they then choose to insist on smoking in a non-smoking area, then I have no problem with having them removed from the area by security (or if there is a local ordinance in effect having the police cite them).

[metesky]

Unless the law or the owner of the property forbids it, I will light up where and when I please.

I'm not often found where smoking is forbidden, but when I am I abide by the rules and regulations.

Is that good enough for you, sir and/or madame?

[VRWCmember]

Unless, of course, your idea of someone "blowing smoke in peoples faces" is someone smoking within a 500-yard radius of wherever you are.

Actually, Madame, my idea of "blowing smoke in peoples faces" is pretty much limited to holding one's cigarette or exhaling one's cigarette smoke in such a way that the smoke is directed into the face of someone else. This generally has to be done in a proximity of within a 1-2 yard radius for it to have any consequential effect.

[Madame Dufarge]

If, on the other hand, it is obvious that they are defiantly smoking fully aware that it is a non-smoking area, just daring anyone to confront them for their violation (some of the more militant smokers appear to take great pleasure in this)

Could you give us some examples of where this has taken place - the give and take, so to speak?

You know, what you said and what they said?

[GSWarrior]

Re: Post 19

I agree with you. I guess some here would rather see Green stick to being arrested for DUI, drug charges or sex crimes, etc. That is more in character for a rich, pampered black athlete, no?.

I, a smoker, have no problem with his actions.

[Madame Dufarge]

Actually, Madame, my idea of "blowing smoke in peoples faces" is pretty much limited to holding one's cigarette or exhaling one's cigarette smoke in such a way that the smoke is directed into the face of someone else. This generally has to be done in a proximity of within a 1-2 yard radius for it to have any consequential effect.

But is the area in question designated as a "non-smoking" area? If not, you have no call to complain.

I would suggest a therapy in effect for lo - these many years - called "growing up."

It's what you need to do when you go out in this thing called "public."

This is an unfortunate consequence of neurotics grabbing the megaphone from adults.

Besides, you people have become such a royal pain in the ass, I don't know of a smoker who will light up in the presence of the whining class, because who wants to listen

In fact, it's been my observation that smokers are far more polite than anti-smokers.

We just want to be left alone; you feel the need to demonize us.

Your problem, not mine. I don't defer to your self-presumed moral superiority.

[VRWCmember]

A few examples per your request:

Place - local grocery store, city ordinance prohibits smoking inside most indoor shopping areas except in designated smoking areas. Smoker lights up cigarette just inside the door (right beside ordinance notice sign). After being informed that smoking inside the store is prohibited, the smoker blows smoke in the person's face and continues to smoke. When another individual (store employee) advised the smoker that she needed to extinguish the cigarette, she gave the employee the finger and said in effect "F-you, I'll smoke wherever I want to." A policeman was in the store, and someone summoned him to the scene where he issued a citation for the violation of the smoking ordinance. That was about a $250 cigarette. I saw this incident but was not personally involved.

At a family restaurant, in the Non-Smoking section, as my family was having dinner, a smoker decided to stop right by our table and visit with someone while continuing his smoke. My mother, who had severe allergies and was very sensitive to cigarette smoke, politely informed him that he was in a non-smoking section and requested that he take the cigarette elsewhere. He responded with a very sarcastic and hateful "Oh thank you for being so helpful and informative." He then looked around for an ashtray (surprisingly there were no ashtrays in the non-smoking section) before finally going off and getting rid of his cigarette. He then returned to finish his visit with his friend. After finishing his visit, he turned to my mother and said "This world would be a nicer place with fewer helpful people like you in it." It took tremendous restraint not to say something to this @$$hole about how it would be nicer if people didn't smoke in non-smoking sections.

Final example (is 3 enough): I take my sons to Six Flags several times each year. The city of Arlington has an ordinance that prohibits smoking in waiting lines. The ordinance is posted at the entrance to EVERY ride. However, invariably there are smokers (usually teenagers or very young adults) that appear to deliberately smoke in line to flout the ordinance. For some of the rides where the lines are outdoors this is not a problem, but where the lines are enclosed, it becomes a problem especially for my son whose eyes react negatively to the smoke.

[VRWCmember]

Thanks for your reply. It's good to hear that you respect areas designated as non-smoking. I misinterpreted one or two of your comments as implying something to the contrary.

[Madame Dufarge]

When people are waiting in line somewhere (stores, banks, amusement parks, etc.)

Your fever dreams aside, could you cite a single example of someone, somewhere smoking in a line in a bank or store?

I'll concede an amusement park, in the interest of fairness.

[metesky]

Sorry to disappoint you.

[VRWCmember]

Sorry to disappoint you.

Actually I'm glad to find you apparently are more reasonable than I had inferred from your posts.

[VRWCmember]

could you cite a single example of someone, somewhere smoking in a line in a bank or store?

Until ordinances were passed prohibiting it about 15 to 20 years ago (at least in my hometown in the DFW metroplex) it was common for people to smoke in line in banks, grocery stores, the ticket line for the cinema in the mall, etc. I am particularly aware of the banks, because at the time I worked in one.

[VRWCmember]

Besides, you people have become such a royal pain in the ass, ...

What people am I?

[Madame Dufarge]

About 2 yards away. I think someone asked them not too, but I didn't really hear the conversation. I just heard the sound level go up and when I turned around saw the smoker and a 30 something male, glaring at each other. I went back to watching the parade. The smoker went right on smoking...

The e-e-e-e-v-i-l smoker went right on smoking.

I'll give you one and accept your anecdote as real.

You didn't hear the conversation.

Could it be that the anti-smoker acted like and a**hole and wasn't as polite as he/she could have been, leading to the confrontation?

Hey, I smoke and went to the Fourth of July parade downtown and didn't smoke the whole time.

Contrary to the opinion of the smoking Nazis, I could actually get through a whole parade without compulsively lighting up.

But this scenario interferes with the whole "Reefer Madness" view of smokers, doesn't it?

[justshutupandtakeit]

Have you encountered any more nasty attitudes than those of the Defenders of Smoking (D.S.s) around here? I suppose they will be claiming it is actually good for you before long.

[metesky]

Well, when other posters (who shall remain nameless) take what I infer to be a threatening tone to me, I do not appease them and when someone, such as yourself, is reasonable with me, I try to make a reasonable reply.

I don't always succeed, but I do try.