As a musician who has worked in smoke-filled bars in and around Mobile for 37 years, I am well aware of the dangerous realities of secondhand tobacco smoke.
I am deeply concerned about my health, the health of my band mates, and that of all musicians. This also includes the health of bartenders, waitresses and waiters who work to make a living in this environment.
No one should have to surrender the right to breathe clean air. Everyone knows the dangers of secondhand smoke. It is not about anyone’s constitutional rights. It is about a known health hazard.
This is why I am urging our elected officials to pass a smoke-free law that would prohibit smoking in bars, restaurants, music venues and all workplaces in our city.
As of July 1, according to the American Nonsmokers Rights Foundation, 81.8 percent of the U.S. population lives under a ban on smoking in “workplaces, and/or restaurants, and/or bars, by either a state, commonwealth or local law,” with 52 percent living under a ban covering all workplaces and restaurants and bars.
Please, don’t let Mobile be among the last to get on board with a good thing. We have too many good things happening now in our beautiful city. This law will help present a positive and progressive image of Mobile.
CORKY HUGHES
Mobile
