After approximately an hour of public testimony Monday night, Madison is once again on the verge of regaining its place on the national anti-smoking forefront. The city's Public Health Commission gave its approval of a controversial measure which would increase the number of establishments where smoking is banned.
\The Public Health Commission needs to support this ordinance and the City Council needs to pass it, so the residents of Madison have a healthier place to live,"" commission Chair Jean Dye said.
In what Barb Mercer, President of the Madison-Dane County Tavern League, called a ""forgone conclusion,"" the commission decided to recommend the City Council pass the ordinance, which would eliminate smoking in all parts of current restaurants and increase the percentage of alcohol sales an establishment needs to sell to be considered a bar from 33 to 50 percent. If an eatery is considered a bar, it is exempt under the proposals.
Commission members heard testimony from UW-Madison assistant professor of Public Health Science, Patrick Remington, on the effects of second-hand smoke before they heard public testimony from local eatery owners, health experts and local activists.
""You can put environmental tobacco smoke in the group of known carcinogens,"" Remington said. ""I don't think our public health response is not comparable to our response to [asbestos, lead and mold].""
Jim Martine, president of the Local Chapter of the Wisconsin Restaurant Association and owner of Pedro's Mexican Restaurante, 3555 E. Washington Ave., said he felt the law would create an unfair competitive advantage for bars that are exempt from the regulations.
""It will draw customers from the restaurant/bar to a bar/restaurant a few blocks away,"" he said. ""It'll create an unfair playing field.""
Amy Miller, a nurse practitioner at University Health Services, spoke in support of the ordinance on behalf of UHS and said she felt students often choose to work in the restaurant and bar industry, leaving them open to the dangers of second-hand smoke.
""Students who are exposed to second-hand smoke are more vulnerable to upper respiratory illness,"" she said. ""This short-term disability causes a large number of visits to our clinic and interferes with the academic success of affected students.""
Mercer said she felt the measure will have a difficult time passing the full City Council next month.
""Prohibition did not work for alcohol and its not going to work for smoking issues,"" she said. ""It's not an enforceable law.""
