Posted on 11/15/2006 4:27:09 PM PST by frankiep
Belmont to be first U.S. city to ban all smoking By Dana Yates, Daily Journal Staff
Belmont is set to make history by becoming the first city in the nation to ban smoking on its streets and almost everywhere else. The Belmont City Council voted unanimously last night to pursue a strict law that will prohibit smoking anywhere in the city except for single-family detached residences. Smoking on the street, in a park and even in one’s car will become illegal and police would have the option of handing out tickets if they catch someone.
The actual language of the law still needs to be drafted and will likely come back to the council either in December or early next year.
“We have a tremendous opportunity here. We need to pass as stringent a law as we can, I would like to make it illegal,” said Councilman Dave Warden. “What if every city did this, image how many lives would be saved? If we can do one little thing here at this level it will matter.”
Armed with growing evidence that second-hand smoke causes negative health effects, the council chose to pursue the strictest law possible and deal with any legal challenges later. Last month, the council said it wanted to pursue a law similar to ones passed in Dublin and the Southern California city of Calabasas. It took up the cause after a citizen at a senior living facility requested smoke be declared a public nuisance, allowing him to sue neighbors who smoke.
The council was concerned about people smoking in multi-unit residences.
“I would just like to say ‘no smoking’ and see what happens and if they do smoke, [someone] has the right to have the police come and give them a ticket,” said Councilwoman Coralin Feierbach.
The council’s decision garnered applause from about 15 people who showed up in support of the ordinance. One woman stood up and blew kisses to the council, another pumped his fist with satisfaction.
“I’m astounded. I admire their courage and unanimous support,” said Serena Chen, policy director of the American Lung Association of California.
Chen has worked in this area since 1991 and helped many cities and counties pass no smoking policies, but not one has been willing to draft a complete ban.
“I feel like the revolution is taking place and I am trying to catch up,” Chen told the council.
The decision puts Belmont on the forefront of smoking policy and it is already attracting attention from other states.
“You have the ability to do something a little more extraordinary than Dublin or Calabasas. I see what they’ve done as five or six on the Richter Scale. What the citizens of Belmont, and of America, need is five brave people to do something that’s a seven or eight on the Richter Scale,” said Philip Henry Jarosz of the Condominium Council of Maui.
“The whole state of Hawaii is watching” he said.
Councilman Warren Lieberman said he was concerned the city will pass a law it cannot enforce because residents will still smoke unless police are specifically called to a situation. Police cannot go out and enforce smoking rules, he said.
“It makes us hypocrites by saying you know you can break the law if no one is watching,” Lieberman said.
However, both Feierbach and Warden argued it is the same as jaywalking, having a barking dog or going 10 miles over the speed limit. All are illegal, but seldom enforced.
“You can’t walk down the street with a beer, but you can have a cigarette,” Warden said. “You shouldn’t be allowed to do that. I just think it shouldn’t be allowed anywhere except in someone’s house. If you want to do that, that’s fine.”
The obese will be next and then drinkers.That great experiment that we once called freedom is dying quickly.
I was raised in that town. I suppose I should be grateful that I "escaped".
Well, someone needs to manufacture cigarettes that look and smell like a joint. Money-making opportunity, right there for the taking!
There are LOTS of outdoor places where smoking is now forbidden and frankly, that's insane.
How recently did Serena Chen of the ALA California come over FROM Red China?
Where's this at?
I get the mental image of Counsilman Dave Warden weeping like the sissy nanny-stater while saying this too.
Cripes! Give me a heart attack! I thought this was Belmont, WI! Home to our FIRST Capitol...until they moved it to Madistan. Bad move, IMHO. Wisconsin would be a very different place these days; Yuppie Socialists would NEVER have bothered to move to a Cow Town with no cable TV, only a modicum of running water and spotty e-lec-tricity, LOL!
I used to work for the Cuba City/Belmont Phone Company right before I was called to duty for ODS. Even in the early 90's our CEO's were drinking hard liquor and smoking cigars every day at lunch. But then, the tide WAS turning and we WERE on the cusp of the "Clinton Era" when CIGARS and drinking at lunch were par for the course each and every day. *Rolleyes*
For now.
Looks like the antismoking nazis are getting creamed. LOL
The similarity of these leaders to a certain National Socialist (Nazi) is uncanny. Hitler was an anti-smoking fanatic too, banning anyone from smoking anywhere near him.
I bet if you polled these clowns, they would think that a 14-year-old girl should be able to get an abortion without parental approval, that the death penalty for murderers is cruel and unusual punishment, and that NAMBLA is a good adult-child "mentoring" program... but by all means don't smoke! That makes you evil!
Complete and total idiots.
The inconsistency would never be apparent to them.
The rest of us want you to move there too, ray.
Sadly, that's Madistan, WI in a nutshell. Luckily, I still live outside of the City Limits. ;)
I noticed they elected a Muzzie, too. My family lives there and I don't have the desire to call them and ask them how in the heck that happened.
I always liked the way Rush took this one on:
Caller: "If my teenaged child is going to have sex, I'd rather she did it in MY home. That way, I know she'll be safe."
Rush: "That's nice. You will, of course, be leaving a pack of cigarettes on the nightstand for her, right?"
Caller: "OF COURSE NOT!!"
Folks better stock up on those.
I think they'll soon be needed.
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