Smoke Free Mon County -- Letters of Support

Smoking ban benefits we’ll see in future
THE DOMINION POST -- January 15, 2012

The faculty, staff and students of the WVU Translational Tobacco Research Program, in partnership with the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center and the Prevention Research Center, applaud the Monongalia County Board of Health and the city of Morgantown for their decisive action in passing a highly protective clean indoor air regulation.
   Some of the health benefits we can expect in Monongalia County include the following:
   A decline in heart attacks among nonsmokers
   A decline in smoking related cancers, especially among hospitality workers
   A reduced rate of smoking among adults
   Lower smoking initiation rates among teens
   A decline in asthma attacks and respiratory illnesses
   Immeasurable benefits include a more pleasant environment in clubs, music venues and other places of entertainment.
   Even smokers’ health will benefit as their absorption of cigarette smoke toxins will not be compounded by exposure to high concentrations of smoke particles in bars and restaurants. An appealing, smoke-free environment will help us recruit faculty to area colleges and universities, and as importantly, skilled professionals and new businesses to our community. Moreover, because West Virginia has one of the highest youth smoking rates in the United States, this new regulation is critical for our town to set a positive example for our children — clean indoor air regulations are known to discourage children from taking up the habit.
   We extend our sincere congratulations and gratitude to every individual, professional and public official who played a role in achieving this historic public health policy. We also thank The Dominion Post for its continuous coverage of this issue over the past four years, demonstrating the invaluable influence of local media on positive public policy change.

Kimberly Horn, Professor of Community Medicine -- Morgantown

You cannot change all minds on smoking
THE DOMINION POST -- January 15, 2012

This smoking ban took way too long to get passed. I have read several articles in various papers stating that this process had to be thought out. By whom, and for what? And furthermore, what was there to think about?
   I cannot believe we have members who are on a Board of Health making decisions — a major one like this — and it takes four years to decide. Four years? This is uncalled for.
   I do believe that Ruby Memorial Hospital, or Monongalia General Hospital, should take four years to decide if any of the Board of Health members need urgent serious medical care. Gee, let me think ... it may take us four years to think this out.
   These board members do not know how to act on an urgent, important bill that affects everyone’s health, including their own. I do believe they may have been on the job too long. Maybe meetings have become boring to them. They could be tired of listening to people, or have lost interest in what matters to people. If you are tired of being on the Board of Health, maybe you should rethink why you are there and whom you serve.
   Why do so many of you think you have the right to smoke anywhere you want, and have no respect for those who do not? The bars, hot spots and gentlemens’ clubs just need to get over it. Also, smokers need to stop standing in doorways to have a smoke in a public place when people are walking through a door to get into a business.
   I have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and have never smoked — it’s all secondhand. I live it every day. If you are a smoker and have COPD, do I feel sorry for you? No! You have to make a choice: Smoke or breathe? And some of you just keep on smoking. Stay home, drink your beer, coffee or whatever and smoke yourself to death without harming others. That is the choice that you have. Think about the harm you are doing your children — ear infections, colds — who have no choice. They go to school smelling like smoke because you want to smoke. Think about how much milk you can buy your children when paying for fewer doctor’s visits. I could go on and on, but will not. Some minds you cannot change.

Odale Goodwin -- Morgantown

Thanks to city manager for smoking ban effort
THE DOMINION POST -- January 14, 2012

In December 1991, the Monongalia County Board of Health (BOH) enacted a smoking regulation. While modest (50 percent of restaurant seats were to be “smoke free”), it was the first regulation in our state. It went into effect the following spring. It took the Morgantown City Council to get things started by enacting an ordinance in July 1991.
Twenty years later, the City Council passed a very strong ordinance. And this week, our BOH enacted a very comprehensive smoking regulation. I applaud the actions of our Board of Health, as well as the City Council for bring this health protection to everyone who lives, works or visits our county. This means we have young adults that were infants and toddlers when the first actions were taken in 1991. Their children will live in a much healthier community then the one they grew up in.
In particular, I want to thank [city manager] Terrence Moore for leading the effort to bring the city and BOH officials together on a very good regulation. Moore has been in Morgantown for just more than a year. His leadership, experience and diplomatic skills all came into play. Council made a good choice when they selected him to be our city manager. I have seen him at Pedestrian Safety Board meetings, and I know he is making the rounds of meetings with neighborhood associations, all of whom have expressed their appreciation for his work.
With this ban going into effect, I will be but one of many nonsmokers I know who will now be able to go to establishments that up until now, we have not frequented.
What is still up in the air is WVU’s policy. It has been over two years since WVU first began to consider enacting a tobacco prohibition. More than 500 campuses across the country have done so. It is time for WVU to do the same.

Robert Anderson -- Morgantown

Others should follow smoking ban example

THE DOMINION POST -- January 13, 2012

My thanks and congratulations go out to the Monongalia County Board of Health members who voted to uphold the public health interests of all of Monongalia County’s citizens and who chose not to discriminate against those who work in and visit bars.
Other counties without such a ban should surely follow suit — and soon — if for no other reason than to avoid a lawsuit by an employee of a bar who develops a respiratory illness or any chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or autoimmune disorder (Raynaud’s syndrome) related to smoking.
Unfortunately, in many counties without such a ban, it will probably take a significant legal suit to combat the cronyism and narrow political interests that have so far trumped common sense.
Thank you again, Monongalia County Board of Health.

Nancy W. Parks -- Fairmont

Gratifying to see how far county has come
THE DOMINION POST -- January 13, 2012

Heartfelt congratulations to all the good people who worked so hard to encourage the Monongalia County Board of Health to adopt the wonderful comprehensive clean indoor regulation.
I was a Morgantown resident from 1985 to 2001. In the late 1980s and early 1990s I was privileged to be part of a group called GASP (Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution).
After much hard work and controversy, we were thrilled when Monongalia County adopted the state’s first county-wide clean indoor air regulation in 1992.
It is very gratifying to see how far Monongalia County has come in the past 20 years.

Kenyon Stebbins -- Harbor Springs, Mich.

Recent process to OK smoking ban exemplary
THE DOMINION POST -- January 12, 2012

The Monongalia County Board of Health and Morgantown City Council have every reason to be proud of their unanimous approval of a strong smoke-free law.
Soon everyone can enjoy all of what our county and Morgantown have to offer or take a job without having to ask themselves if it is worth the risk.
This action may well have the most far-reaching benefit of anything else these public officials accomplish in their service careers. Lives will be saved and illnesses will decline. Our quality of life and our city’s image will be greatly enhanced.
The collaboration over the past months between the two public bodies has been exemplary and City Manager Terrence Moore deserves special recognition for deftly navigating every challenge and planning for a smooth implementation.
May this process serve as a model for policy change throughout West Virginia and beyond. How wonderful for our community to be at the top of news for leading the way to improved health.

Catherine Whitworth -- Morgantown

Congratulation to all on Mon’s smoking ban
THE DOMINION POST -- January 11, 2012

Monongalia County took an enormous step toward improving health when our Board of Health unanimously passed a strong clean indoor air regulation Monday. My hat is off to everyone who had a hand in this effort.
Special thanks to City Manager Terrence Moore, Christina Mickey with the Smoke Free Initiative of West Virginia, members of the Breathe Easy Alliance of Morgantown, as well as Morgantown City Council and members of the Board of Health. What a wonderful, healthy way to start the New Year! Congratulations everyone.

Valerie Frey-McClung -- Westover

Smoking ban reflects best reasons for laws
THE DOMINION POST -- January 11, 2012

I was happy to hear about the recent unanimous vote to ban smoking at bars and restaurants in Monongalia County. It is amazing that it has taken so long to reach such a common sense decision, considering that the link between smoking and cancer was scientifically evident, even in the 1920s.
It seems to me that overall, cigarette smoking causes people nothing but harm. I do not consider our tobacco companies to be providing any legitimate goods or services. On the contrary, they are selling an unethical product that is addictive and health-destroying.
Eradication of smoking-related illness would in the long run bring about prosperity. I would never go into any restaurant that was full of smoke. How could I enjoy the food, how could I breathe?
Now that I know smoking is banned, I am more likely to go into a bar or restaurant (in Monongalia County).
What about the waiters, bartenders, cooks and the other employees in such businesses who would be subjected to cigarette smoke constantly while on the job? Is it right to say, “Well, of course secondhand smoke is bad for our employees and customers, but if we banned smoking, our business might lose revenue, we can’t have that!”
I applaud the Monongalia County Board of Health’s decision to put true prosperity and quality of life for everyone over shortsighted greed and fear. I hope that in the future our laws more often reflect reason and benevolence, as this one does.

Darien Flores -- Morgantown

EDITORIAL
Board of Health’s decision on smoking ban better late, than never
THE DOMINION POST -- January 10, 2012

The Monongalia County Board of Health’s (BOH) unanimous vote Monday on the Clean Indoor Air Act was a whole lot more than just a breath of fresh air.
It was confirmation that members of the BOH were ready to live up to their primary obligation — to protect the public’s health and safety.
Whether their decisions mirror public opinion or are in line with promises or threats, should never deter them from meeting their responsibility.
We applaud the Board of Health today for coming to this realization. Though this vote comes almost four years to the date when our newspaper first endorsed this initiative, it’s still good news.
It’s especially good news for thousands of employees and patrons of establishments that will be affected by this ban, which goes into effect in mid-March.
But it’s also good news for how our system is supposed to work. Of course, everyone wishes it worked faster, but no one ever promised that such great policy changes came in timely little packages.
This effort featured all the best and worst of self-government, ranging from raucous hearings and reams of public comment, to court action and ethics complaints.
No, government doesn’t regulate common sense, but it can regulate public health and safety in public places and it should. This was not a case where the facts were few, and the experts were many, either.
The facts were overwhelming. Only five years ago, the U.S. surgeon general warned there is no such thing as a safe level of secondhand smoke.
As for the experts, though science can be almost as tempestuous as politics, of late, there is no disagreement about the risks of secondhand smoke in the medical or health care community.
And anyone who chooses to believe that government cannot regulate how their business or bar operates ignores the fact that such establishments are already subject to many health regulations.
Our intent is not to upbraid the BOH for its delay on approving this law. Admittedly, we were disappointed at times by its actions: However, we were never discouraged.
Often it seemed like the BOH might do the right thing, but was cowed by fear of a backlash, which is not uncommon. Every appointed or elected official wrestles with making such tough decisions.
But in this instance, the BOH was obligated to act upon the science and in accord with its mission to protect the public’s health — not to comply with anyone’s opinion or the demands of special interests.
Fear of taking such steps sometimes can be stifling. But we think the BOH and the public is finally breathing a sigh of relief, today.

Congratulations to city, county on smoking ban
THE DOMINION POST -- January 1, 2012

This is to applaud both the Monongalia County Board of Health and the Morgantown City Council and City Manager for their on-going, collaborative efforts to pass and enforce a strong public and workplace smoking ban. Mon County and Morgantown will again be able to claim “being out in front” when it comes to promoting health of their citizens.
Passage of Clean Indoor Air Regulations (CIARs) is one of four major goals for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Tobacco Control and Prevention Program (of which West Virginia is a participant). Enactment of CIARs is also recommended by such agencies as: the Institute of Medicine, the American Medical Society, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, to name a few.
Hundreds of other agencies and organizations also conclude that the only way to effectively eliminate health risks associated with exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke (SHS) is to completely ban smoking.
Economic as well as epidemiologic evidence justifies the implementation and enforcement of no-smoking policies at the workplace and other public settings. Failure to implement and enforce such CIARs will have predictable adverse health and economic outcomes for both employees and employers.
Economic studies continue to prove that restaurants and bars do not suffer from lost revenue when smoking bans are implemented. In fact, business revenue is maintained or it increases. After all, 80 percent of West Virginia’s residents (and visitors) are NOT smokers or tobacco-users.
Congrats to the people of Monongalia County and Morgantown for its forward looking and progressive leadership, and for your soon-to-be even healthier environment! It is logical to protect the overwhelming majority of people of Mon County from the negative health impact of SHS by restricting public and workplace smoking. The benefits include not only better health but cost savings to businesses. “Smoking bans can have a substantial impact on public health. The savings, as measured in human lives, is undeniable.” (from Institute of Medicine Report, October 2009).

Bruce W. Adkins, M.S.; PA -- Charleston

Another plea for a smoke-free county
THE DOMINION POST -- December 22, 2011

I just wanted to say that I am completely in support of smoke free workplaces and the ordinance, regulations and actions to be implemented to make smoke free workplaces common throughout Monongalia County.
As the child of a father who died from COPD in 2004, I fully know and understand the impact and damage cigarette smoke and smoking does to people. Even if one is not the smoker, by breathing the secondhand smoke of smokers in the workplace compromises the viability of healthy lives. Therefore, I entirely support the initiatives to make Monongalia workplaces smoke free 100 percent.
While I respect the rights of persons who smoke, I also equally respect the rights of those who are non-smokers like myself to be able to work in places which are smoke-free and do not compromise our health.

Paul Templeton -- Morgantown

Keep air smoke free in Monongalia County
THE DOMINION POST -- December 18, 2011

I want everyone to be protected from secondhand smoke and keep smoke-free air in all workplaces, and I encourage them (the Monongalia County Board of Health) to pass this regulation (a countywide smoking ban).

Xinya Zhang -- Morgantown

EDITORIAL
Time to light smoking ban -- Morgantown should proceed with and enforce ordinance
THE DOMINION POST -- December 11, 2011

   A recent comment by the Monongalia County Board of Health’s (BOH) chairman confirms what some say about public entity.
   As recent as last week, he said that although he’s a nonsmoker, he could not stop someone from doing a legal activity — such as smoking — just because he didn’t do it.
   But the issue of a smoking ban in public places has never been about ideology or “rights” — it’s a matter of public safety.
   Almost four years ago — Jan. 20, 2008 — our newspaper, in an editorial opinion, first called on the BOH to extend a smoking ban to all public workplaces.
   Since then, we have published nearly a dozen such editorials and the BOH is still delaying its decision on this issue.
   We’ve come to expect that from the BOH, but not accept it.
   However, this year the BOH managed to infect Morgantown with its delay tactics.
   In June, City Council unanimously passed a smoking ban in public places. At that time, it agreed to delay the ban’s effective date from 60 days to 90 days to allow city officials time to work with the BOH on enacting a similar countywide ban.
   Then, just days before the Oct. 1 deadline, council again agreed to delay the ban’s implementation, to Jan. 1.
Now, council may allow its ban to take effect, but not enforce it. At least until the BOH passes a smoking ban and the city amends its ordinance to reflect a countywide law.
   We urge City Council to implement its ban Jan. 1 and to begin enforcing it with no exemptions.
   If the BOH ever approves a smoking ban, and only if, then council may want to amend its ordinance.
   Some often argue that a smoking ban will be bad for business. No, a smoking ban will be good for business.
   So let’s find out while we’re waiting on the BOH to fulfill its responsibility.
   April will mark the 20th anniversary of the first-ever restriction on smoking in West Virginia. That 1992 regulation passed by Monongalia County’s BOH was admittedly weak. For instance, it only required 50 percent of restaurant seating to be smoke free.
   Yet, that was progress then.
   Today our county is one of only a handful in West Virginia, never mind the nation, that allows work places to permit smoking, including bars and restaurants.
   And never mind that the U.S. surgeon general in 2006 said there are no safe levels of secondhand smoke or the EPA’s finding in 1993 that secondhand smoke was a Group A carcinogen.
   Public health is not a matter of opinion or business.
   Yes, it is complex, but it confirms the common good.

McDowell County still ahead of the curve
THE DOMINION POST -- November 27, 2011

It’s time that the Monongalia County Board of Health and the Morgantown City Council both enact clean indoor air regulations that will comprehensively protect its citizens from the deadly dangers of secondhand smoke.
It has amazed me that the “most educated” county in West Virginia is one of the last (19 counties have passed such laws) to pass such regulations.
With the clean indoor air movement in West Virginia and other states continuing strong, the strong science about the link between exposure to secondhand smoke and heart attacks, and the outpouring of community support — there is no acceptable reason to delay.
As a resident of McDowell County, I am used to the ridicule, scorn and embarrassment that our poverty, economics and health statistics award us; but in this case, we are proudly ahead of the curve. We have greater protection from secondhand smoke than Monongalia County.
Don’t delay. Lives and families are at risk.

Donald Reed Jr. -- Welch

EDITORIAL
There will always be a reason to wait; City Council should
agree to no further delays on implementing its smoking ban
THE DOMINION POST -- November 21, 2011

If we wait around until the smoke clears at the Monongalia County Board of Health (BOH), it might be too late. In case no one’s noticed, there will always be reasons to wait for the BOH to implement a smoking ban. Of course, there will always be reasons, not results. Earlier this year, Morgantown City Council agreed to delay the effective date for a smoking ban it approved in mid-June — twice — to allow time to work with the BOH on enacting a similar, countywide ban. The first time council delayed was during the actual approval of its ordinance, extending its effective date from 60 days to 100 days. Then days before the Oct. 1 deadline, Council again agreed to hold up its ban, to Jan. 1, 2012. Prior to that move, we wrote on Aug. 26, “Anyone familiar with the ebb and flow of the proposed countywide smoking ban knows all too well this issue has been smoldering for way too long.” For instance, up until this summer the BOH’s own proposal had been for three years ago — since May 2008. Last week, after two public hearings hosted by the BOH, it decided that any action on a countywide smoking ban must wait until at least January. That’s after Morgantown’s ban is set to go into effect. There will be always be another reason for the BOH to wait on a smoking ban. Businesses will always complain they are not prepared. Some smokers, who may not even smoke in their homes or vehicles, will always maintain it’s their right to smoke in a bar. And City Council may continue to trust the BOH is prepared to act. So what does council do now. Anything? Something? Here’s one thing it should not do: Agree to any further delays on the effective date of Morgantown’s smoking ban to appease anyone. Furthermore, contact WVU’s administration about a campuswide smoking ban. It’s only been considering that one for two years. Sometimes, we get the impression there are no reams of empirical data on the dangers of secondhand smoke. That many states, hundreds of counties and scads of metropolitan areas — from coast to coast — didn’t enact smoking bans years ago. Meanwhile, for some 20 years, our city and this county have just sat there waiting on the time to be just right. President Lincoln once said, “Things may come to those who wait ... but only the things left by those who hustle.” Lest we forget, the smoking ban in Lincoln County, W.Va. ... that one went into effect in 2001. And the ban in Lincoln, Neb. ... that got under way in 2007. Well, if nothing else, we can always hustle smokes.

EDITORIAL
Smoking proposal may be on the line -- Upcoming public
comment period is a chance to state the case for reason
THE DOMINION POST -- November 15, 2011

Any last requests?
And don’t say a cigarette, because that might not even be an option after Thursday’s meeting of the Monongalia County Board of Health (BOH).
Though it’s uncertain whether the BOH will vote on a proposed countywide smoking ban at its 9 a.m. meeting, we’re hoping it does after hearing from the public.
That session at the Health Department is one of two to provide an opportunity to anyone to sound off on this proposal. The other meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at Morgantown’s Public Safety Building.
This proposal does provide exemptions for business outlets that mainly sell tobacco products — and at least one that is primarily in business for using them. It also allows hotels and motels to set aside 20 percent of their rooms to allow smoking.
Otherwise, this ban will extend to every public workplace, including bars and restaurants.
The city of Morgantown has already passed a public smoking ban that will go into effect Jan. 1, 2012, despite whatever the BOH decides. But the best case scenario is the BOH approves a smoking ban by year’s end and the city tweaks its ordinance to match the county’s law.
Our newspaper has championed a countywide smoking ban in all public places for nearly five years, now.
During that time, practically every tactic known to bureaucracies has been employed to not approve a smoking ban. When all along, the primary obligation of this particular bureaucracy was to protect the public’s health in this county.
Most of us are willing to move on and forgive those who tabled this proposal for years. Who resorted to obfuscation and stalling any up-or-down vote on it. Who attempted to shroud public comments in anonymity. And who seemingly ignored the vast body of data on secondhand smoke that labels it a major health risk.
It’s time to put this measure to a vote. We hope this countywide ban on smoking is approved — unanimously. As important as this measure is there’s something else at stake here: Public opinion.
No, that doesn’t mean whoever makes the most noise will decide this proposal.
These public comment periods are designed to allow everyone a chance to state their case with reason. We often refer to it in our editorials as soft words, hard arguments. That’s not to say reason always bests popular opinion or loud demonstrations.
However, that’s where we have to trust our elected and appointed leaders — who are charged with making the tough decisions will not flinch.
Even if it means they will face a fussilade of protests without blindfolds, later.

Morgantown Health Board Members Obligated To Do Duty
THE DOMINION POST -- November 4, 2011

   Is ignoring one’s sworn duty to protect the public health OK?
   According to West Virginia State Code 16-2-1, local boards of health “are responsible for matters relating to the public health of their respective counties or municipalities.”
   “Environmental health protection is one of three areas of basic public health services each local board of health must offer,” and this includes “addressing clean air” and provision of protection from secondhand tobacco smoke in their respective jurisdictions.
   State Code also offers that, “A local board of health member may be removed for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty.”
   Question: Isn’t ignoring the proven facts regarding smoking,tobacco use, secondhand smoke and clean indoor air regulation inconsistent with a health board’s mission?
   Please know that I am writing this letter as somewhat of a bystander, as I am not a Monongalia County resident. However, I do frequently visit the area because of both work and pleasure, and I have close family members who live in, near Morgantown.
   My family’s health remains a major concern for me. While they live in one of the most progressive areas of the entire country, there remains a health concern for my family because of a indecisive health board who still allows a major toxic health concern that adversely affects the public.
   All residents and visitors of Monongalia County deserve better attention to their health!
   I am asking each member of the Monongalia County Board of Health to fulfill your sworn charge as a public health board member, and to pass and immediately enforce a comprehensive, no exemptions smoking ban for all of Monongalia County.

Bruce W. Adkins -- Nitro

The smoking ban is long overdue
THE DOMINION POST -- October 30, 2011

   I am writing in reference to the smoke-free ordinance for Morgantown and the impending ordinance for Monongalia County. Although many opponents have bemoaned the possible loss of income and the possibility of loss of employment for their workers, a 5-year study from the state of Washington found no negative effects on any sector of the hospitality industry. Another study that focused on the effects of smoke free laws on taverns in municipalities in Wisconsin had similar results.
   I want to commend City Council for their passage and continued pursuit of the smokefree ordinance.
   I would also urge the Monongalia County Board of Health to press forward and get this obviously healthy ordinance in effect for the entire county sooner rather than later.
   Servers who won’t be constantly subjected to smoke, diners and bar patrons who would prefer not to be inundated with another’s habits, and even the smokers themselves will gain benefits from the passage and implementation of the ordinance.
   The value of smokefree establishments for everyone cannot be understated. Let’s “git ‘er done.”

Stacy North -- Morgantown

City should stick to its 2012 smoking ban
THE DOMINION POST -- October 23, 2011

   Recently I attended my first Relay for Life meeting to discuss the upcoming fundraising event for the American Cancer Society on June 1-2, 2012. While there I learned that just 8 percent of the funds raised at Relay Life events are used for administrative purposes; the remaining 92 percent actually go toward cancer research, advocacy, education and service.
   One aspect of cancer education is teaching everyone about the consequences of secondhand smoke,which can affect everyone since there is no “safe level” of this involuntary smoke.
   Currently, the Morgantown City Council has passed an ordinance to make Morgantown a smoke-free city by banning smoking in all enclosed public places. However, implementation has been delayed until Jan. 1, 2012, as the Board of Health (BOH) and city officials consider extending this ban to cover a larger portion of Monongalia County.
   I ask that the BOH let the regulation stand as is and allow it to go into effect on the anticipated date of Jan. 1, 2012.
   While I appreciate the steps the City Council and BOH have taken to protect employees and patrons and thank them for their efforts, I urge them to take the final step to begin creating a cleaner and safer environment for Morgantown and Monongalia County.

Kathy J. Girod -- Smithfield, PA.

Thanks for effort to get Mon County smoke-free
THE DOMINION POST -- October 16, 2011

My wife and I want to thank you for creating a smoking regulation in Morgantown. My wife is a three-time survivor of brain tumors and we have a 9-month-old granddaughter that she and I want to watch graduate from high school and grow up cancer-free. There is nothing worse than having to avoid businesses because we can’t stand the smell of secondhand smoke. We long for the day when we will hear the words, “We have a cure.” Until then, we need to be as safe as possible against all cancer-causing agents. Thank you again for helping to save lives and billions of dollars in health care for us and our future generations. Please keep the process going to make Monongalia County tobacco free.

Brenda and Benjamin Bunner Jr. -- Fairmont

County, city need to OK comprehensive ban
THE DOMINION POST -- October 16, 2011

   Learn to pick your battles.
   What is it going to take for our “Well City” to step up to the plate and do the right thing in passing a countywide smoking ban? In the long run, what is more important, taking a stand to improve our indoor air and protecting all employees in the county, or exempting those who think their profits might be compromised if they have to change their way of doing business?
   One of my last memories of my father, who refused to give up cigarettes, is of his singed eyebrows and second degree burns on his face because he had to have a cigarette while waiting for transport to the hospital after a stroke that robbed him of his sight and coordination. Since he couldn’t operate his child-proof lighter he lit coffee filters on the stove to light his cigarette. He died weeks later. No matter what I did as an adult, I could not convince him to quit smoking. I lost that battle. He lost years of life.
   I come from a family of smokers. I smoked as a teenager (to aggravate my parents) and now cringe at the memories of actively smoking in my place of business that exposed children to cigarette smoke. While I can’t go back and correct that insensitive mistake, I can lend my voice to the efforts of the Breathe Easy Alliance of Morgantown to ask the Monongalia County Board of Health and Morgantown City Council to actively pass a regulation that is timely, comprehensive and in the interest of public health. Let’s put one in the “W” column for public health.

Sharon Brinkman-Windle -- Morgantown

Thanks to all for effort on smoke-free county
THE DOMINION POST -- October 14, 2011

   Thank you Morgantown City Council for passing the smoke free ordinance and standing firm.
   Thank you to the city manager, Terrence Moore, for working with the Monongalia County Board of Health to create a plan that will protect all the residents in Monongalia County. And thanks to the Board of Health for creating a committee to work on this issue that affects every life in Monongalia County. Please continue to work together to implement a countywide smoke-free ban as soon as possible.
   Each day, our residents are subjected to health risks as we enter public places that do not protect us from secondhand smoke.Secondhand smoke is linked to lung cancer, heart attacks, asthma and chronic respiratory problems.
   Many people are not aware of the dangers to themselves and others caused by smoking and secondhand smoke.Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of secondhand smoke.
   As a four-time cancer survivor, I know that smoking harms virtually every organ in the body. All cancer survivors would like to see fewer cancer diagnoses and fewer cancer deaths in West Virginia.
   This will be a good beginning for Monongalia County. Our children deserve to grow up in a smoke-free environment.

Gerri Angoli -- Morgantown

WV PRC Board urges county, city to enact smoking ban
THE DOMINION POST -- October 8, 2011

The West Virginia Prevention Research Center (PRC) brings academic researchers, community members and public health agencies together to formulate effective strategies to promote health and prevent disease. The PRC’s volunteer Community Partnership Board (CPB) includes health care providers and representatives from the business community, community organizations and public health agencies. CPB members share an interest in making a difference in their communities. Therefore, one of our key functions is to identify community needs and priorities and to seek public health policies that address these needs. Evidence based public health policies are policies that have been proven to have a positive effect on community health. Examples include requiring vaccinations for children, adding fluoride to public water supplies and adopting clean indoor air regulations.
Many members of the Community Partnership Board who have visited Morgantown and Monongalia County are surprised and dismayed to find that such a progressive, well educated and economically stable community has failed to protect residents, students and visitors from the preventable health hazards associated with secondhand smoke exposure. We urge Morgantown’s City Council and the Monongalia County Board of Health to implement a comprehensive clean indoor air policy that would prohibit smoking in all public places and workplaces, without exception. It is within these policymakers’ power to have an immediate, positive impact on the health of the citizens of this community.
Everyone — employees, students, residents and visitors alike— deserves protection from secondhand smoke in all indoor public places and workplaces.

John P. Giroir & Chuck Conner
W.Va. Prevention Research Center’s Community Partnership Board

Freedom up in smoke with such a mindset
THE DOMINION POST --September 22, 2011

I read with interest a letter to the editor about the smoking ban (DP-Sept. 14). I certainly see the writer’s point of view. But consider this:
Cigarette smoking kills 434,000 Americans each year, more than alcohol, car accidents, drunk driving, cocaine, crack, heroin, homicide, suicide, fires and AIDS combined.
The national health care related costs of smoking could fund West Virginia’s state government for the next 25 years.
Some 2,000 children start smoking each day in this country, they are all below 17 years of age.
Freedom is the greatest thing in the world — free to be dumb is not freedom.

V.K. Raju, M.D. -- Morgantown

Commission needs to fill BOH seat
THE DOMINION POST --September 14, 2011

   The Monongalia County Commission owes it to the public to name a qualified replacement to the county’s Board of Health (BOH). Although I appreciate the leadership of the commissioners, they are not doing their job this time. It is unconscionable that the summer has passed without filling this position.
   According to The Dominion Post, there are at least nine applicants who have submitted letters of interest for the position. There are undoubtedly some highly qualified applicants.
   In 2008, the commissioners did the right thing by appointing Bob Wheeler to the board. Wheeler is a retired [federal] National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health employee with a master’s degree in public health from Harvard. His professional life has been dedicated to examining complex health issues and working hard. When asked to do a job for the BOH, Wheeler does his homework and produces high quality recommendations that serve the best interests of Monongalia County’s residents.
   Now is the time for the County Commission to step up again and appoint a qualified person to help lead the area in dealing with life-and-death related health issues.
   The mission of the Monongalia County Health Department is to strive to achieve a healthy community by protecting and promoting public health through education, training, advocacy and the provision of health services. There are important issues confronting Monongalia County, such as consideration of a countywide smoking ban. The County Commission is urged to complete the board so the public can benefit from its leadership.

Dr. Bill Reger-Nash -- Stewartstown

Commission should do its job on health board

THE DOMINION POST -- September 7, 2011

The Dominion Post was right on the money in its coverage (once again) of the delays in getting something done about our county’s weak smoking regulation.
   In your news article and editorial of Sunday, you noted the [Monongalia] County Commission’s stalling on appointing someone to fill a vacancy on the Board of Health [BOH].
   A responsible commission would have addressed the upcoming vacancy by either reappointing Bob Bell to another term, or going through a process of recruiting and then appointing a replacement in time for that person to take that seat prior to July 1. Now we learn that the commission — more than two months later — has not even begun talking to people who expressed an interest in being appointed.
   I recall [commissioner] Asel Kennedy saying a few years ago that the BOH should be run like a business. I wonder how that squares with a failure to put someone on the BOH to run that “business.”
   With its current membership of four people, as you pointed out, two people are sufficient to delay anything being done, since a 2-2 vote is not sufficient to pass a motion.
   Voters who elected the three current County Commission members did not choose them with the hope they would shirk their duty, which in this case, they clearly have done.
   I agree with The Dominion Post that the commission needs to act now. They should review applicants immediately, go through their considerations and make an appointment. I do not buy the excuse that they don’t want to pick someone who could be a swing vote on amendments to the county’s smoking regulation.
   Candidates not comfortable with that possibility need only to remove their names from consideration. It is likely that most, if not all, of the nine people who submitted their names would have no problem casting their vote.
   People in Monongalia County deserve a Board of Health with five members. It may be months before the BOH actually brings possible amendments for a vote. We should not have to wait months and months for the County Commission to appoint someone.

Robert Anderson -- Morgantown

EDITORIAL
Appointment smoldering: County Commission
should fill Board of Health vacancy
THE DOMINION POST -- September 4, 2011

Do you smell something burning?
   We do. The burning need to fill the vacancy on the Monongalia County Board of Health (BOH) has been smoldering way too long.
   The fifth seat on the BOH became vacant June 30. Since then, the Monongalia County Commission has received nearly 10 applicants.
   Yet it has failed to conduct a single interview or show any sign it plans to fill this appointment anytime soon.
   One commissioner has indicated he would prefer to delay this appointment until the current four-member BOH has reached a decision on a countywide smoking ban. He does not want to be responsible for naming a possible swing vote to the board.
   Though that may indicate this decision will or won’t result in a 2-2 tie. This appointment should not hinge on any one issue.
   Clearly, basing this appointment on such criteria turns the task into a political one, and not one focused on the public’s health.
   Smoking bans aside, the BOH also looks after our Health Department, which offers many services not offered in most counties in our state.
   Among those services are programs like Women, Infants and Children, a dental clinic, family planning, an immunization clinic and many nursing services.
   The board also oversees the Health Department’s annual budget, which tops $325,000, making it one of the largest line items in county spending.
   Of course the BOH is also a policymaking board. And if God or the devil — depending on who you ask — is in the details of policy, so is politics. The county’s approach to these appointments is shrouded in self-interest.
   We are not encouraging the commission to abandon deliberation or make this appointment based simply on any timeline for a smoking ban.
   However, the commission should certainly not delay acting on this appointment in order to stave off a decision on a smoking ban or any other issue.
   Given the commission’s cavalier approach throughout the process of filling the vacancy on the BOH, don’t be shocked if this takes months.
   We are concerned that any good regulation, including a smoking ban, can now be blocked by a tie vote on the BOH.
   There is no good reason for the county to delay this decision. Conduct the necessary interviews, do the background checks and make a decision.
   The commission’s charge is to act in the best interest of this community — not special interest groups — no matter the consequences.
   A fire is burning under this appointment. Time to make a decision and put it out.

EDITORIAL
Time to light this smoking ban: Council should not delay
implementing smoking ban to accommodate BOH
THE DOMINION POST -- August 26, 2011

If there’s a deal, at least it won’t be in a smoke-filled room. Morgantown’s City Hall and Monongalia County’s Health Department facility, where its Board of Health (BOH) meets, are both smoke-free. The deal we refer to is the possibility Morgantown may delay its smoking ban’s effective date to accommodate the BOH on a countywide smoking ban.
Recently, we reported that the city manager may ask City Council to suspend implementing its ban in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, set to take effect Oct. 1. The city manager and city attorney recently met with the BOH’s representatives to discuss expanding the ban to cover the entire county. But now it appears the city’s administration is lobbying council to revise Morgantown’s timeline on its smoking ban in the interim. If City Council agrees to delay the effective date of its law, it would take nearly a month to make that change.
Although we unequivocally support the BOH passing a countywide smoking ban, the time for further delays on this issue are over. We encourage the city manager to continue negotiating with the BOH on achieving a countywide smoking ban. His initiative on this issue and that of several business owners who have had a change of heart on this ban are commendable. Yet, these talks should not stall the city’s law from taking effect.
When City Council unanimously passed its smoking ban in late June, it marked three years since the BOH had tabled its own proposal in May 2008. Anyone familiar with the ebb and flow of the proposed countywide smoking ban knows all too well this issue has been smoldering for way too long. Granted, City Council passed its law in quick order when it came on its agenda. However, it delayed action on a smoking ban — unrelated to the BOH — for nearly a year beforehand. And need we remind anyone that WVU has been studying, reviewing and thinking about a campuswide smoking ban for nearly two years, now.
We find it hard to believe that major metropolitan areas, such as New York City, where not only the population is as diverse as it gets, but the hospitality industry is as dynamic as it gets, can enact a smoking ban with little fanfare, but it cannot happen here? Council should not rescind its effective date for its smoking ban. If this fall or next year, the BOH finally approves a countywide ban that could be facilitated by the city tweaking its law, that should be negotiable. But in the interim, the city should not be blowing smoke at its own ban
.

Smoking ban about health, not rights
THE DOMINION POST -- August 25, 2011

   Jeff Baron’s letter to the editor about clean indoor air regulations (DP-Monday) is the same misleading and tired argument the tobacco industry has been using to rally people to protect their interests for years. Smoking advocates, whether they are citizens, bar owners or tobacco lobbyists, are always claiming that going smoke-free is taking away their rights.
   What rights? There is not, never was and never will be a right to smoke in public places. In our country, nobody has a right to endanger the health and welfare of others. Smoking bans are no different than laws against drinking and driving. They protect people from the risky behavior of others.
   When somebody smokes indoors, their cigarette emits toxins that others in the same room are forced to breathe. These substances have many immediate and long-term health effects. No one has the right to risk the health of others for their own gratification. Most smokers are considerate enough to agree with this.
   While the evidence is clear that smoking cigarettes wreaks havoc on the health of the smoker, killing about half of them, clean air laws are not aimed at forcing anybody to stop smoking. Advocates of smoke-free laws just don’t see a reason to allow smokers to take the rest of us down with them.
   So what action should responsible government officials take? Protect the health of the 80 percent of the population who does not smoke or fold to pressure from a minority of smokers or those who profit from the habit? It’s not about rights or economics. It’s about health.
   All evidence is firmly on the side of supporting smoking bans. Smoke-free laws are being successfully enacted in communities everywhere. Those communities prosper because protecting people’s health is simply the right thing to do.

Catherine Whitworth -- Morgantown

EDITORIAL
City, BOH catch smoke: New initiative to
enact ban countywide holds promise
THE DOMINION POST -- July 31, 2011

It’s hard to see what a compromise looks like anymore. And it’s even harder these days to see how we ever get there from here on anything.
   But last week when we figured there was little to no hope of a countywide smoking ban in Monongalia County, someone struck a match between the Board of Health (BOH) and Morgantown’s city officials.
   Though nothing is for certain, it appears that a comprehensive, consistent smoking ban for the entire county could be enacted this fall.
   During the BOH’s meeting last week it voted unanimously — 4-0 — to reconsider a smoking ban in conjunction with Morgantown officials.
What sparked this initiative was Morgantown City Council’s passage of its own ban on smoking. That and a lot of give and take by the BOH and city officials since then.
   We could leave this at just saying we are encouraged.
   But there’s something more to be said for this development and for the spirit of cooperation that the BOH has adopted and the city has extended.
   No smoke and mirrors here.
   Not only has the BOH put the countywide smoking ban back on the agenda — more than three years after it was tabled — but it also named a liaison panel to work with the city on this issue.
   And it appears at least one key opponent of a countywide ban in the past lobbied the BOH to try again.
On the city’s side of this issue, it proved it was willing to cooperate when it extended the effective date of its own smoking ban to give the BOH apt time to reconsider a ban.
   Certainly beats someone drawing a line in the sand for, let’s say, next week or else.
   There has also been a real interest on City Council’s side of the line by showing up, along with the city manager, at the BOH’s meeting this week.
   The city manager has also indicated in no uncertain terms he and council stand ready to make some concessions in the interest of a countywide ban.
   No one should be surprised if these negotiations run into differences of opinion between now and this fall.
   However, it would appear another year-long stalemate on a countywide smoking ban is not going to happen.
   It’s ironic that only last week we opined on the Monongalia County Board of Health. In that instance, we focused on the appointment of someone to fill a vacant seat on the BOH and its critical role in our region.
   A week later, this board seems to be willing to step up and fulfill its responsibility to this community’s public health and welfare.
   Now, if they could just get the White House and Congress in line.

EDITORIAL
Careful with appointment: Filling seat on Board
of Health deserves county’s full attention
THE DOMINION POST -- July 24, 2011

   Hurry up and slow down.
   That might describe the best way for the Monongalia County Commission to approach filling the vacant seat on the Board of Health (BOH).
   Hurry up because there’s the little issue of a countywide smoking ban that’s rekindled after Morgantown’s City Council approved a smoking ban last month.
   Slow down because in years past, some appointments to this board have gone awry, not to mention the responsibilities that come with this post.
   Last week, we reported that the commission has received almost 10 resumes from people interested in filling the empty seat on the BOH.
   For now, the BOH is operating with only four members instead of the usual five.
   Not only does the BOH oversee the Health Department, which provides for a host of health services in our county, such as the Women, Infants and Children program, family planning, an immunization clinic and many nursing services, it’s also a policy-making board.
   The Health Department’s annual budget tops $325,000, making it one of the largest line items among the county’s expenditures.
   And as for policy making — one that was proposed was tabled more than three years ago by the BOH: A countywide smoking ban in public places.
   The effective date of Morgantown’s impending ban was deliberately delayed until late September to allow the city and anti-smoking advocates time to spur the BOH to take this issue up before then. But it’s safe to say that until the vacant seat on the BOH is filled we can expect little to happen on this initiative.
   At the same time, we urge the County Commission to be deliberative, too, about who it names to fill the vacant seat on the BOH.
   In the recent past, there have been several embarrassing appointments and reappointments we would, at best, describe as misguided, at worst, wrong.
   One consideration we would urge the commission to look at to fill this seat is whomever it appoints have some background in health services.
   There are also some statutory considerations. The new member needs to live in the Central or Western magisterial districts of the county because two board members are already from the Eastern District. State code bars more than three from the same district.
   We would also urge the commission to look at more diversity on this board.
   It would be easy to dismiss this appointment as a matter of course.
   It’s not.

TO SUBMIT a resume of your qualifications for the Board of Health, write to: Monongalia County Commission, 243 High St., Room 202, Morgantown, WV 26505.

The Benefits of the Smoking Ban

We don't have permission this excellent piece by Sam Wilkinson on The City of Morgantown.com but here's the link.

City should stay vigilant on smoking ordinance
THE DOMINION POST -- July 7, 2011

   On behalf Breathe Easy Alliance of Morgantown (BEAM), we want to thank City Council for its unanimous support of clean, smoke free air for Morgantown workers, residents, students and visitors.
   Thanks to council’s leadership, Morgantown will enjoy immediate benefits in health, economy, aesthetics and quality of life. As demonstrated in a Kanawha County study and similar studies, we know that there will be major health benefits to the smoke-free ordinance. Our city is now eligible to host many conferences (by organizations) that require smoke-free destinations, including the state Bureau for Public Health and the federal Centers for Disease Control. Visitors from other communities will no longer be incredulous that they are exposed to smoke in indoor public places.
   Our students will be able to enjoy a normal college social life without being saturated with cigarette smoke. All workers will enjoy equal employment opportunities in safe environments free of secondhand smoke.
   After years of community advocacy that was unheeded by the Monongalia County Board of Health (BOH), council’s action marks the first substantial move forward on this important issue in 20 years. BEAM members intend to partner with business owners and again approach the BOH to ask them to follow council’s lead and extend protection to workers in the county.
   That is exactly what the BOH did when the City Council passed its first ordinance in July 1991. The best way to encourage the BOH to act appropriately now is to make sure that the city ordinance stands. You can expect challenges to arise from factions who believe they benefit from tobacco-related interests.
   If the opposition follows through on its threats for legal action, be assured that none of these suits have ever succeeded in West Virginia. Within days of implementation of the law, some establishment owners may claim economic catastrophe.
   However, data gathered from scores of cities, including those within or adjacent to cities or counties without smoke-free laws, demonstrate no sustained economic loss. Once a community has time to experience the benefits, support for smoke-free laws increases dramatically in the months following implementation from all segments of the population, including smokers and bar owners. Regardless of what the BOH does, Morgantown can and will thrive and benefit from this ordinance, even if the county does not respond with an equally protective regulation.
   We urge each member of City Council to remain steadfast in your support and defense of the smoke-free ordinance protecting the health of all workers and patrons in Morgantown.

Chris Roberts & Dave Harshbarger
Breathe Easy Alliance of Morgantown

EDITORIAL
No reason to keep blowing smoke -- WVU, Mon County
Board of Health should follow Morgantown’s example
THE DOMINION POST -- June 24, 2011

Only weeks ago, Morgantown was lit up about an amendment to the city’s clean air law. We were told that finally, after years — 20 of them — all public workplaces — including bars and restaurants — in the city were going smoke-free. Though the proposed draft of the amendment was presented to City Council about a year ago, it had never appeared on council’s agenda until May 31. City leaders admitted that amending this law was long overdue, but a number of more pressing issues took precedence until recently. We held our breath while urging City Council to approve this proposal. We are not going to absolve City Council for not acting on this smoking ban sooner. However, we applaud its willingness to take action once this issue was put on its agenda. It didn’t table this proposal, it didn’t appoint a task force and it didn’t become yes-men and yes-women to special interests. Instead, it acted upon empirically sound data and policy from the clash of ideas on council and listening to the concerns of the public. Then it voted — unanimously — to do the right thing. In three weeks, City Council resolved the same issue that’s still smoldering on the Monongalia County Board of Health (BOH), three years after the fact. And what WVU continues to let burn more than two years after its Student Government Association voted unanimously for a smoke-free campus. During the debate at council’s meeting on the smoking ban, it was decided to extend its effective date from 60 days to 100 days — Sept. 29. The idea behind that extension is to give council time to work with the BOH on enacting a similar countywide ban. Many suspect that WVU may also present a campuswide smoking ban to the university’s Board of Governors before then, too. Though we are not going to hold our breath again waiting on the BOH and WVU to act on smoking bans, there’s never been a better time for them to act. Clearly, what a countywide smoking ban would do is put all businesses on an equal footing. What a campuswide ban does is acknowledge the obvious: Institutions of higher learning should be teaching the best health practices. If WVU and the health board were taking a wait and see approach to find out how Morgantown’s council resolved this issue, they have their answer. Now, the burning question is: Will the BOH and the university continue to blow smoke at a ban or will they act in the best interests of public health? They need to give us something to glow about.

Let’s hope county has backbone on smoking
THE DOMINION POST -- June 24, 2011

   I was overjoyed to read about the decision of the Morgantown City Council to ban smoking within city limits.
   Now, we can only hope the Monongalia County Board of Health will find the backbone to do what it has been charged to do: protect the public health by initiating a countywide smoking ban.

Mike Breiding -- Morgantown

Thanks to City Council for action on smoking
THE DOMINION POST -- June 12, 2011

I would like to thank the Morgantown City Council for its recent action to protect workers, students and patrons from secondhand smoke.
Its considerations during the first reading of the clean air ordinance on Tuesday is a step toward a healthier city!

Bambi Bevill -- Valley Grove

Jacob Lubman
Smoking ban necessary step for enhanced public safety
THE DAILY ATHENAEUM -- June 7, 2011

This being my first column for The Daily Athenaeum, I felt it was appropriate to write about something important – a matter of life and death. And that is really crux of the issue, isn't it? Secondhand smoke kills people. It's a fact. Numerous scientific studies have shown it, and in other parts of the world and the US this issue has been all but laid to rest by laws prohibiting smoking in public places, limiting exposure to the deadly fumes. Yet the issue remains.
In Morgantown it is accepted that there are certain places where you are going to have to suffer through the smoke. But those places are too numerous and often too important. Right outside buildings on campus? Those are zones of high traffic, and thus high numbers of people are affected. That, more than anything, frustrates me about this.
How can someone in good conscience be so willing to endanger other people just for their own convenience? That is why we have things like speed limits. They keep those who are reckless from harming themselves, but most importantly, they are prevented from harming others. So why can't we move this ban along? These are public places. The Health Sciences Center ban is a nice start, but how about outside the Life Sciences Building? Clark Hall? I hated leaving classes just because I knew I was going to be exposed to the smell and ill-effects of smoke as soon as I left.
The director of the Center for Disease Control, Thomas Frieden, is coming to Morgantown next week. This is a chance for us to finally do something about this ban. He is is also going to meet with the Monongalia County Health Department. But who here will listen? Those who run the show in Morgantown have a vested interest in this issue and – news flash – that interest is not in your health. It's in their pocketbooks.
The bar owners who have worked so hard to keep this ban from happening are simply more powerful than those who are fighting to implement it. If it were just smokers who were against the ban, this would have been passed a long time ago. Now there is an outside force with much more clout coming in. Will this be the turning point? It certainly could be. Or instead of listening to someone with a wealth of experience and a track record of success, will our local leaders simply thumb their noses at him, spurning a great opportunity to come to a reasonable solution?
This issue isn't going away.Everyone has a strong opinion about it, whether it is because of convenience, their safety or their livelihoods. But the fact still remains that without this ban, the health of our population is at risk. And isn't that what's most important? For parents to know that their children attend a University that cares about their health and well-being? The University does so well in offering WELLWVU: The Students' Center of Health and providing police for our protection. Secondhand smoke is the easiest of fixes, with no cost at all to the University.
Those who argue that banning smoking is discrimination against smokers should realize that by not banning it, those who make the wise decision not to smoke are the ones who are truly being discriminated against. Why should those who make a good choice still be subjected to the dangers of others' bad habits? In all parts of my life, I am surrounded by smoke, yet I've never touched a cigarette in my life. At work, at school and at play, smoking is a constant presence in my life, and I'm sure it is the same way for many others.
I don't know if any progress will be made this upcoming week, but I can only hope that the University and city I love so much can show me they care for me and the rest of the non-smokers too. There is no one better suited to making progress on this issue than the director of the CDC himself – I hope we take advantage of this opportunity and come out of this a cleaner and safer city and University.

EDITORIAL

Council should send smoke signal Morgantown needs to
take action on comprehensive clean air proposal
THE DOMINION POST -- June 6, 2011

If only smoking were as simple as playing with fire. But then again, there are ambiguities about arson, too, in some Morgantown neighborhoods. Despite the overwhelming decline of smoking over the years, diseases caused by tobacco use are still the No. 1 preventable cause of death in the country, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. And the last time we breathed someone else’s smoke, it certainly had no known health benefits. Last week, Morgantown’s City Council discussed a proposal to ban smoking in all bars, restaurants and workplaces in our community. The city’s current 20-year-old clean air law is far from comprehensive. Bars are exempt and the provisions for restaurants are weak. Workplaces, aside from certain public offices, are also exempt. The Monongalia County Board of Health followed the city’s lead in 1992 with its own vague countywide clean indoor air regulation. Both of these regulations, by and large, have met with ambivalence. That doesn’t mean smoking is prevalent in restaurants and workplaces. On the contrary, many restaurants have gone smoke free over the years, as have most workplaces. Yet there are numerous exceptions, and most establishments offer few protections to their employees and inadequate measures to safeguard their patrons, who are all endangered by secondhand smoke. Let’s be clear about the proposal to ban smoking in public places in Morgantown, because for many, there are ambiguities about the dangers of smoking. First, smoking is still legal and cigarettes and other tobacco products are still a legally sold substance. Even if council passes this law, smokers still have the right to smoke in their homes, cars and other private domains. Some will argue this law threatens their individual rights or their right to operate their business as they see fit. But we disagree. Although we have the right to bear arms, we cannot walk into a school with a shotgun. Though we can drink alcohol in a bar, we cannot walk the streets swigging wine. Everyone and every business already complies with rules and regulations. Many of those rules and regulations are all that stand between public safety and chaos. We believe City Council is well advised to approve this ordinance without further delay for any number of reasons. But the first and foremost reason is enough: To protects us all from secondhand smoke. That’s simple enough.

EDITORIAL
It’s time for WVU to clear the air; Clements needs to acknowledge
sense of urgency on task force’s recommendations

THE DOMINION POST -- May 20, 2011

   In light of all the smoke that’s been blown at this issue, one thing’s clear: WVU’s president, James Clements, won’t light a match near a campuswide smoking ban until he’s certain it won’t blow up in his face.
   Of course, any such policy change will need the Board of Governor’s approval, too. But nearly two years after Clements arrival on campus, this issue is still smoldering in yet another study.
   Earlier this month, the task force Clements appointed 18 months ago to examine WVU’s existing smoking policy and make recommended changes did so. It recommended that WVU become smoke free.
   That recommendation comes more than two years after the Student Government Association unanimously voted to prohibit smoking on campus, and about three years after the Faculty Senate voted to support a countywide ban on smoking — that the Monongalia County Board of Health continues to blatantly dodge.
   Yet, Clements has opted — for now — to study how to put the recommendations in place. He’s asked legal and administrative experts to analyze several areas of consideration raised by the report.
   We understand that the logistics of transforming WVU’s campuses into smoke-free zones will entail some planning and work. However, what’s left to study?
   What we would like to hear is that WVU’s president intends to agree to the task force’s primary recommendation that the university become smoke free.
   Expanding cessation programs, fostering a culture of compliance, exemptions for special events and other circumstances appear to be secondary, here, at best.
   What’s needed — now — is WVU’s president to announce that he will submit a written policy change to the BOG calling for a campuswide smoking ban.
   Though the BOG has the last word, this decision falls on Clements. So why has nothing happened?
   To his credit, Clements has decided to forego the additional committees the task force recommended to review this issue and has actually advanced the process.
   Yet, our newspaper gets the impression there is no sense of urgency at WVU on this issue, much like our county Board of Health’s approach.
   Students are especially vulnerable to secondhand smoke. Many work in local bars and restaurant with few or no smoking safeguards. Not to mention, many students already have a tendency to disregard long-term health problems.
   This is reason enough for a sense of urgency. Not to mention potential liability issues. Task forces, studies and advice are fine and well, but do nothing to protect the thousands of people exposed to widespread secondhand smoke on campus.
    It’s time Clements cleared the air at WVU.

GUEST COMMENTARY
BY MARISA LEUZZI
The smoker isn’t the only one who’s smoking
THE DOMINION POST -- May 8, 2011

As a student at WVU, I am writing to you in regard to the dangers of secondhand smoke. I feel strongly about the air quality here in Morgantown as it can be a silent killer to those who are nonsmokers. To protect the community, Monongalia County should take the initiative to develop better air quality and establish a healthy environment for all to enjoy.
For almost 22 years, I have suffered with severe asthma. Asthma affects more than 20 million adults in the United States and almost 9 million children. Secondhand smoke can trigger asthma episodes and increase the severity of asthma attacks along with wheezing. It is also a risk factor for new cases of asthma in preschool-aged children who have not already exhibited asthma symptoms. Many of the effects of secondhand smoke, including asthma, are most clearly seen in children because children are most vulnerable to its effects.
During my childhood, I could not attend birthday parties at restaurants with my friends because I would always have to leave due to an asthma attack caused by secondhand smoke. I also could not go out and enjoy family dinners at a local eatery because even though smoking and non-smoking sections were established, the air quality is still poor. Not only did I have to miss out on playing sports and participating in activities like other children my age were doing, but I had frequent emergency room trips. According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2007-’08, approximately 88 million nonsmokers over the age of 3 in the United States were exposed to secondhand smoke and, of these, 32 million were children and adolescents (age 3-19). Children’s developing bodies make them more susceptible to secondhand smoke’s effects and because of their small size, children breath more rapidly and breath in more secondhand smoke. Those who receive high doses of the secondhand smoke at the greatest risk of experiencing damaging health effects such as lung cancer, ear infections and chronic respiratory illnesses like bronchitis and pneumonia.
Now as a college student, our social life consists of gathering with friends and classmates at local bars and restaurants. Not only did I miss special events in my childhood due to secondhand smoke in popular places but now I am missing out on memorable events during my college career. Many organizations and clubs I am involved in have fundraisers, socials and other similar events at Morgantown bars. Majority of the time I cannot attend or need to excuse myself to use my inhaler to just try to stay an extra hour.
I did not ask to be diagnosed with asthma; it was something I was unfortunately diagnosed with as an infant. After 22 years of having asthma, I am still not accustomed to it. Growing up with asthma is not only a struggle for me, but my parents also. I feel as if I missed out on a lot during my college career due to my asthma. I do not feel like I have had that experience like other students have had. In the past 3 years at West Virginia University, I’ve had more emergency room visits for breathing treatments than I ever had during my first 18 years of life when my asthma was more severe. So, why can’t we help those who are diagnosed with asthma or other diseases by making their life just a little bit easier by having cleaner air?
I would hate to see my future children or any children for that matter miss out on special and memorable childhood events just because of secondhand smoke. We cannot prevent asthma but we can prevent secondhand smoke. In Charleston and many other communities, profits have increased since going smoke-free. I feel as if we can make the same accomplishments for Morgantown and its’ businesses. The Surgeon General has concluded that the only way to fully protect nonsmokers from the dangers of secondhand smoke is a smoke-free environment. Separating smokers from nonsmokers, cleaning the air, and ventilating buildings cannot eliminate secondhand smoke exposure. Implementing smoking restrictions in workplaces, public places, cars and homes is strongly recommended by medical and public health professionals.
Together, we can make a difference to better our air quality and the health of our loved ones.

Why No Smoking Ban Beyond WVU Alumnus
THE DOMINION POST -- April 28, 2010