TOUGH ANTISMOKING LAW UPHELD

Voters in Mesa, Arizona passed the toughest anti-smoking law in Arizona and one of the strongest in the nation. The law passed in spite of strong opposition from the tobacco industry including more than $127,000 in contributions from the Tobacco Institute in Washington, D.C.

The law bans smoking in all public places, including workplaces, bars and restaurants in Mesa. Only Class 6 bars can apply for a variance.

Not content to honor the vote of the citizens of Mesa, hotels asked the City Council to begin carving exceptions to the new law which went into effect July 1st.

Mesa citizens felt strongly that the City Council shouldn't tamper with an initiative that Mesa voters had overwhelmingly supported. If there are to be any changes, the opposition needs to go back to the citizens through the same initiative process which passed the ordinance.

Recognizing that requesting seemingly minor exceptions is a typical tobacco industry ploy, Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) joined with local activists in urging the Council not to start down that path. "If you give the tobacco industry and its allies an inch by granting one exception, they'll be back to take a mile. Mesa's ordinance can quickly be undermined if not destroyed," said John F. Banzhaf III, ASH's Executive Director.

The Mesa City Council withstood the pressure. They voted 5 to 2 against amending the ordinance to give hotels the exceptions they wanted.

The decision of the voters of Mesa has been upheld. The City Council joined its citizens in saying no to tobacco smoke pollution.

ASH - ACTION ON SMOKING AND HEALTH 2013 H Street, NW / Washington, DC 20006 / (202) 659-4310