Louisville Courier Journal Likes David Williams' Smoking Ban Stance!
Editorial | Williams on smoking
Kentucky Senate President David Williams has taken some shots from this page in recent years, but he got one right the other day — on an issue of great significance to the health and welfare of the entire commonwealth.
During a candidates' forum at a Kentucky Press Association meeting in Louisville, Sen. Williams offered a strong endorsement of proposed legislation to ban smoking in most public places statewide. Sen. Williams, who is a Republican candidate for governor this year, said he would vote for such a prohibition if it comes before the state Senate. He argued that secondhand smoke is a workplace safety issue and not a matter of private property rights, as many other conservatives insist.
A bill introduced by Rep. Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, would prohibit smoking in all indoor workplaces with at least one employee, including restaurants, bars and private clubs. Sen. Williams, of Burkesville, expressed support for a statewide ban several years ago as an alternative to increased taxes on cigarettes, but his KPA remarks represented a stronger stance and weren't tied to wrangling over other legislative issues.
The need for such a ban should be clear to anyone who can read. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming about 440,000 lives annually. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke each year causes an estimated 46,000 premature deaths from heart disease among nonsmokers and about 3,400 deaths of nonsmokers from lung cancer. Among children, secondhand smoke is a cause of severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections and sudden infant death syndrome. The dangers are especially stark for Kentucky, since the commonwealth is consistently at or near the top of surveys of state smoking rates.
Sen. Williams' forthright stand was harshly condemned by an opponent in the Republican primary, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, a tea party candidate who said that a smoking ban is an infringement on property rights. He also said that Sen. Williams' position shows he isn't a real conservative, and that the dangers of secondhand smoke are exaggerated.
All are typical tea party reactions — ignore the evidence if it's inconvenient, assign property rights or limiting government powers a higher value than protecting citizens' health, and call your opponent names.
Meanwhile, the Democrat in the race, Gov. Steve Beshear, backs smoking cessation programs and local action to restrict smoking, but has not yet supported a statewide ban. He should. This could be an area where Gov. Beshear and Sen. Williams could cooperate and accomplish something meaningful.
Kentucky Senate President David Williams has taken some shots from this page in recent years, but he got one right the other day — on an issue of great significance to the health and welfare of the entire commonwealth.
During a candidates' forum at a Kentucky Press Association meeting in Louisville, Sen. Williams offered a strong endorsement of proposed legislation to ban smoking in most public places statewide. Sen. Williams, who is a Republican candidate for governor this year, said he would vote for such a prohibition if it comes before the state Senate. He argued that secondhand smoke is a workplace safety issue and not a matter of private property rights, as many other conservatives insist.
A bill introduced by Rep. Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, would prohibit smoking in all indoor workplaces with at least one employee, including restaurants, bars and private clubs. Sen. Williams, of Burkesville, expressed support for a statewide ban several years ago as an alternative to increased taxes on cigarettes, but his KPA remarks represented a stronger stance and weren't tied to wrangling over other legislative issues.
The need for such a ban should be clear to anyone who can read. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, claiming about 440,000 lives annually. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, secondhand smoke each year causes an estimated 46,000 premature deaths from heart disease among nonsmokers and about 3,400 deaths of nonsmokers from lung cancer. Among children, secondhand smoke is a cause of severe asthma attacks, respiratory infections and sudden infant death syndrome. The dangers are especially stark for Kentucky, since the commonwealth is consistently at or near the top of surveys of state smoking rates.
Sen. Williams' forthright stand was harshly condemned by an opponent in the Republican primary, Louisville businessman Phil Moffett, a tea party candidate who said that a smoking ban is an infringement on property rights. He also said that Sen. Williams' position shows he isn't a real conservative, and that the dangers of secondhand smoke are exaggerated.
All are typical tea party reactions — ignore the evidence if it's inconvenient, assign property rights or limiting government powers a higher value than protecting citizens' health, and call your opponent names.
Meanwhile, the Democrat in the race, Gov. Steve Beshear, backs smoking cessation programs and local action to restrict smoking, but has not yet supported a statewide ban. He should. This could be an area where Gov. Beshear and Sen. Williams could cooperate and accomplish something meaningful.
Labels: Kentucky politics, Property rights, Public health
posted by KYJurisDoctor at 7:27 PM
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