Another Ban Failed: WY Gillette

Smoking ban issue not on Gillette’s radar

By WENDILYN GRASSESCHI, News-Record Writer
December 12, 2007
Although three more Wyoming cities enacted partial or complete bans on smoking in public places this fall, the Gillette City Council likely won’t face the issue anytime soon.

Local advocates of a smoking ban say their best bet is to wait for the state Legislature to enact a statewide ban — something that legislators killed last winter and so far this year appear reluctant to consider.

But even if the City Council was to take up the issue, council members appear split as to whether they would approve a ban.

Councilman Everett Boss, who owns Boss Lodge, said he is not interested in bringing the subject up if a ban includs bars and restaurants.

“Now, public buildings are another issue,” he said. “In light of public safety, I might be willing to look at it depending on how people bring it up to us.”

Councilman Tom Murphy Jr. said he was torn. While he would consider a ban on smoking in public buildings, he thought businesses were going smoke free without any City Council action.

“I think most smokers are pretty considerate and I believe smokers need a place to go,” he said. “I don’t think the government should be banning smoking in private buildings such as bars. I don’t think we need it, really.”

Murphy, on his fifth day of trying to quit smoking, acknowledged the difficulties of trying to force people to end long-term habits.

“This (quitting smoking) is one of the hardest things I have ever tried to do,” he said.

Councilwoman Louise Carter-King and Councilman Steve Hughes both said they would like to discuss the subject again.

Carter-King favors some type of ban. “I would have to think about it if bars were included … but I would be in favor of some kind of ban,” she said.

Hughes said he would be interested in looking at possible compromises. Councilman Robin Kuntz said he believes economics will take care of the issue.

Councilman Mike McInerney would not comment and Mayor Duane Evenson did not return calls.

The last time the council looked at the topic was in the spring, after a group of local non-smoking advocates — including several doctors and nurses from Campbell County Memorial Hospital — urged the council to consider a citywide smoking ban.

Donna McMahill, a registered nurse at Campbell County Memorial Hospital, and her husband, oncologist Philip McMahill, spoke to the council in March — prompted, she said, by their work with cancer patients.

“Eighty percent of our cancer patients were tobacco users, and tobacco interferes with cancer treatment in a very negative way,” she said. “We now require all of our patients to quit smoking and they have risen to the challenge.

“I wish the city would pass a ban for the sake of public health.”

Loretta Wolf is the government relations director for the Wyoming American Cancer Society, based in Casper. She thinks it is just a matter of time before Wyoming joins the rest of the West in banning smoking.

“We have some private sponsors for a new bill, and the vote on this (measure killed by an interim committee in the fall) was really, really close,” she said. “We had the House and we were close in the Senate. I think 2009 will be the year to watch.”

At least one restaurant worker in Gillette has no regrets that his restaurant is now smoke free.

“We went smoke-free in January because I started getting sick,” said Armando Robles, a waiter at Las Margaritas and the son of restaurant owner Jose Robles. “I told my father about it, and he said, ‘let’s just cancel the smoking section.’ So we did. Our business has gone up this year and I have had many, many people thank us for going smoke-free.”
WYOMING CITIES BANNING SMOKING

These cities have enacted total bans on smoking in public places, including bars and clubs:

– Laramie, 2004

– Cheyenne, 2006

– Evanston, 2007

– Green River, 2007

– One city has enacted a more limited version of a smoking ban: Rock Springs (2007) allows smoking in bars, taverns and private clubs only.

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Smoking ban vote sought

3/31/07

GILLETTE – As city officials talk about enacting a smoking ban here, several City Council members say they would like a public vote on a prohibition in restaurants, bars and other public places.

“I think that if we’re always talking about taking stuff to the voter, this is a good one,” Councilwoman Louise Carter-King said.

Laramie and Cheyenne have enacted smoking bans in recent years, but a proposed statewide smoking ban didn’t get far in the recent legislative session.

Councilman Everett Boss questioned how much a smoking ban would improve residents’ health. He said most secondhand smoke is passed to children at home or in the car.

“Is this really addressing the issue, or is it a Band-Aid?” he asked.

But cancer nurse Donna McMahill, one of many community members pushing for the ban, said a ban would be significant.

She and other proponents of a smoking ban said such bans don’t hurt local economies. She said breathing even a small amount of secondhand smoke poses health risks.

But Ed Vanscoy, owner of the Chophouse Restaurant, said people in effect vote on smoking when they choose what restaurants to visit.

“Smoking is stupid,” said Vanscoy, a smoker.

But he said the government shouldn’t tell business owners what to do.