On March 8, the Indiana House voted to approve the long, sought-out, statewide smoking ban bill. The bill was passed with a 28-22 vote. Supporters were not certain if they had the votes, and health advocates still call it too weak. The House voted in favor 60-33 Thursday night. State Sen. Earline Rogers of Indiana’s 3rd District cites her role in the legislation of this bill as “being in charge for necessary votes for smoking ban”.
The state’s first statewide smoke-free bill bans smoking in all public places, save for quite a few exemptions: bars, gaming facilities, cigar/hookah bars, retail tobacco shops, private clubs and fraternal organizations. On July 1, all remaining public places–including restaurants–must go smoke-free.
“The main thing is trying to have a smoke-free atmosphere for people,” Rogers said. “The main thing regarding this bill is no smoking in all public places, with exemptions to the original ban on smoking.”
Rogers claimed that many who were not totally against or in support of the bill simply wanted casinos and bars exempt from the smoking ban.
Rogers also stated that the Senate disagreed for some time debating over whether or not bars and casinos should be exempt. This caused for a breach and put a halt to progress in the legislation of the bill; however, the House made an agreement to allow smoking in bars. Although some disagreement over the ban remains, hopeful Indiana citizens relish in the fact that the bill could be amended in the future to include bars and taverns.
But for those under 21 that frequent restaurants that currently have smoking sections, the passing of this bill is a great advancement. How exactly does the smoking ban affect us? It certainly creates a smoke-free environment in restaurants and other public, often family-oriented facilities. It also minimizes many chances of inhaling second-hand smoke, which is a major health concern of not only supporters of the smoke-free air ban but also physicians.
In a survey of 100 Bishop Noll students, roughly 35% come from households that have at least one person that smokes cigarettes, and only 1% admit to smoking cigarettes habitually. Come July 1, the smoking ban in Indiana will be greeted with pleasure by young adults disgusted by sitting in a public facility surrounded by second-hand smoke.
“I believe the legislation of a smoke-free air ban does affect us, for it creates a cleaner environment for us,” said senior Milana Golich, a Chicago resident that has already witnessed a similar ban when Illinois went smoke-free in 2008. Golich is happy to see the neighboring communities in Northwest Indiana also go smoke-free.
Cigarette-smoking, a dying habit, is not only losing popularity due to the price of cigarettes, but also because of the awareness of the health risks. Less than 20% of American teenagers smoke cigarettes, which is the lowest percentage of adolescent smokers since the 1920s, according to the CDC in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. In 1965, the percentage of teen smokers was up at a whopping 43%.
Bishop Noll students graciously accept the new ban. Forty-percent of Noll students say that an establishment being smoke-free will definitely influence whether or not they will go there.
Indiana is the 3rd state after Arkansas and Nevada to legislate a smoking ban with exemptions for casinos and bars.