Tobacco.org

BENANTI: Smoking: Ban it everywhere indoors 

Posted 4:44 p.m. Tues. June 23 - Clayton is close to having a ban that would take effect in July 2010. Ballwin is already smoke free. What about the rest of the area? Health considerations should count there, too. . . .

Of the 30 largest cities in the United States, St. Louis and Detroit are the only two left without smoke-free protections. I think Mayor Slay said it best in his state of the city address: "Nothing quite says 'regressive place to live' to young people like resisting a change already made in 29 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico."

We look forward to the day when our entire region is smoke-free. Now is the time to start making positive changes in our communities. Wildwood, Kirkwood, Creve Coeur and others are in the process of making the switch. Eliminating smoking indoors is an effective, cost-free way to improve our community's health in a tangible and measurable way. What are we waiting for?

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