Let the Voters Decide on Smokefree Worksites

Last year, the Legislature came close to passing a bill making Michigan worksites smokefree. That legislation included certain exemptions, which in my opinion was a serious flaw, and the bill died at the end of session. The need for smokefree worksites is as great as ever, and because it is so important, I am introducing a bill to put the smokefree worksite question on the 2010 ballot.

My bill would not carve out exemptions for restaurants, bars, or casinos. The ballot proposal would simply say that, with voter approval, ALL worksites would be smokefree. Last year many of my colleagues and I supported a version of the bill that included restaurants, bars, and casinos. However, many of our colleagues and special interest groups disagreed with those provisions and the legislation failed. At this point it is time to let the voters have their say in what they think is best for the state of Michigan.

For the past 10 years, the Legislature has tried and failed to pass a smokefree worksite bill. New bills have been introduced again this year, but I fear that they will again be so watered down with exemptions and concessions that they will not help anyone. This is why I want to go to the voters. Over the years, public support for smokefree worksites has grown. Recent studies show that nearly 2/3 of Michigan voters support a workplace ban that includes bars and restaurants.

It is wrong for legislators to pick and choose which worksites should be smokefree. If you work in a bar or restaurant that allows smoking then you are likely to be at a greater risk than the general population for lung cancer and other smoking-related diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing 38,000 to 65,000 nonsmokers every year. This is an unnecessary risk that we are forcing workers to take. It is unfair to say that the health of workers in certain professions is worth protecting, but that others are worth risking. Every worksite should be included in the smokefree ballot proposal.

Smokefree worksites would mean that workers would not have to choose between a paycheck and their health. Contrary to what some argue, smokefree laws do not harm restaurant sales. Data from the New York City Department of Finance shows that tax receipts increased by 8.7 percent, or approximately $1.4 million, after that city went smokefree. Between March 2003, when the city went smokefree, and December 2003 there were 10,600 new jobs in its bars and restaurants. Florida saw similar results, and reported that retail receipts for taverns and bars that served food remain unaffected by its smokefree law.

Michigan has a 30 year history of enacting and updating laws to protect nonsmokers. It is high time that we extend these laws to cover Michigan workers. The best way to handle this much needed change in Michigan law is to go to the voters with a total ban on workplace smoking and let them have the final say on this issue.

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Sen. Hunter represents the 5th district, which is comprised of Northwest Detroit, Dearborn Heights and Inkster. He serves as Minority Vice Chair of the Banking & Financial Institutions and the Homeland Security & Emerging Technologies Committees. He is also a member of the Commerce & Tourism and the Economic Development & Regulatory Reform Committees.