Jump to full article: North Adams (MA) Transcript, 2008-04-02
Author: Ryan Hutton, North Adams Transcript
Intro: One of the last bastions of indoor smoking has disappeared in Adams as American Legion Post 160 abolished the practice a month ago.
"We had been kicking this idea around for a long time," said Post Commander Ralph Swartzer. "Once they started banning it in different communities and towns we looked at it. Then they banned it in bars and eventually the consensus was in favor of social change. We had more non-smokers than smokers anyway because of the health issues and the fact that people are more educated and worldly."
When the post sent out a postcard survey to all 292 members, the response was 2:1 in favor of the ban, but it wasn't without consequence. . . .
Selectmen and post member Donald Sommer said he had hoped the board of health would take the decision out of their hands.
"In fact we went to the Board of Health a couple of times and asked them to get smoking knocked off in all establishments that have a commercial liquor license," he said. "We have a commercial license, not a club license. They refused to do that."
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