a) You should.

b) if you live in Ohio and care either way about smoking laws, keep reading…

I got this in an email from Rick Rohl:

        Don’t be confused by the two issues on the upcoming Ohio ballot concerning smoking. Issues 4 and 5 are seemingly similar but in actuality completely different.

        Issue 4 is called Smoke Less Ohio. It is not Smokeless, but Smoke Less. It is backed by the tobacco industry, namely RJ Reynolds, and the alcohol industry. It would eliminate smoking in public places except bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, bingo halls, retail stores, offices, and factories. Not much of an elimination, is it?

        Issue 5 is called SmokeFree Ohio. It is much more effective, and is backed by the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, American Heart Association, and other health organizations. It eliminates smoking in all workplaces. Workers in restaurants, bars, and bowling alleys no longer have to inhale other people’s smoke. Patrons do not have to inhale the smoke either. Smokers can still enjoy their tobacco; they just cannot submit others to the second hand smoke that inevitably lingers in the air.

        The big catch is that Issue 4 is a constitutional amendment and Issue 5 is only a statute. This means that if both pass, Issue 4 trumps Issue 5. Issue 4 would nullify all of the local laws and ordinances that were already passed eliminating smoking in workplaces. It would also prohibit any local governments from passing any more laws to that effect. Issue 4 is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. It is trying to dupe Ohioans into helping the tobacco and alcohol industries from losing revenue from their bar and restaurant crowd.

So if you really would like to have all workplaces smoke-free, vote NO on Issue 4 and YES on Issue 5.

Be sure to tell everyone the difference between these two issues.

Check out this website for more info.

http://www.smokefreeohio.org/oh/