Jump to full article: Casper (WY) Star-Tribune, 2009-02-10
Author: Star-Tribune Editorial Board
Intro: The controversy over the Wyoming Department of Health's campaign about the dangers of second-hand smoke demonstrates how blurry the line can be between state employees conveying information and lobbying lawmakers.
Did state health officials improperly cross the line with their ongoing billboard campaign, which has accompanied a print advertising blitz? Despite grumblings from some legislators and others, we don't believe they did.
Yes, state legislators are in the middle of an emotional debate over a proposed ban on smoking in public places that passed the House and is now in the Senate. But health hazards posed by second-hand smoke are hardly a new issue for the department, which has consistently conveyed the same anti-smoking message for years. . . .
But the Department of Health has nothing to apologize for in its statewide campaign against second-hand smoke. It is providing information that will aid critical thinking by everyone on the issue, including legislators. That's not lobbying, it's the department doing its job.
Don't take power away from Wyoming's EQC
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