WORTHINGTON -- While state legislators debate whether people should be allowed to smoke tobacco in public spaces such as bars and restaurants, local tobacco prevention groups continue their campaign to snuff out secondhand smoke.
On Tuesday, the Hardwick City Council became the fourth community within Nobles-Rock Community Health Services territory to adopt a smoke-free policy for public parks. Members of the Rock County Partners In Prevention, a student-based organization that promotes healthy lifestyles, took the request to council members. Previous communities that have already signed policies include Luverne, Ellsworth and Adrian.
"Statewide, the momentum for smoke-free law is directly related to what we've done at the local level," said Paula Anderson, NRCHS health educator.
In recent years, Anderson has helped establish coalitions in both Rock and Nobles counties to promote healthy, smoke-free spaces. In Nobles County, CAFE (Clean Air For Everyone) released data in December showing that more than 77 percent of its voting-age residents support prohibiting smoking in all public buildings and workplaces, including offices, restaurants and bars.
Just as those results were released, statewide polls were conducted on the smoke free issue. Those results show 69 percent of Minnesotans support a comprehensive statewide smoke-free law.
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"It appears that the issue is settled in the minds of the public -- it's just up to our legislators to listen," Anderson said.
CAFE members, and their S.A.F.E. (Safe Air For Everyone) counterparts in Rock County, are now working to remind political leaders of the overwhelming support for smoke-free spaces, she said.
"Secondhand smoke is a public health problem," Anderson said, adding that 100 percent of physicians in Rock and Nobles County have signed on to support the efforts of CAFE and S.A.F.E. "Now, we're working to keep the momentum going. Every worker deserves to work in a safe and healthy environment."
Creating a healthy environment is a side benefit to the work Anderson and local groups have done to promote smoke-free spaces.
"Our whole goal behind any smoke-free policy is to reduce the number of kids who smoke and increase the number of adults who quit," she said. "That's why we continue to work on youth prevention and community-wide smoke-free policies."
As for discussions taking place in the state legislature, Anderson remains optimistic the state could adopt a smoke-free policy in public places.
"I think that this could be the year," she said. "Science is clear, and the public is ready."
If Minnesota adopts a smoke-free policy in public places, including restaurants and bars, it would become the 18th state nationwide to do so. Ironically, Minnesota was the first state to enact a clean indoor air policy back in the 1970s. That policy created no smoking sections in restaurants.
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"We were a leader at that time at protecting worker health, and we've since fallen behind," Anderson said. "But, we know a lot more today than we did before."
