During this past weekend’s Strawberry Festival in Troy there was a woman on the Adams Street Bridge collecting signatures for two petitions that seek to put two different tobacco issues on the ballot. She was getting paid by a professional contractor to collect signatures. The contractor in turn was being paid by the political action committees of both issues. She didn’t care which one you signed, just so long as you signed something. Since the woman was getting paid by the signature, hopefully passersby would sign both.
The first petition was sponsored by a group known as SmokeFreeOhio. Their aim is to provide smoke-free environments in enclosed workspaces such as restaurants and bars. Their proposed law would provide exemptions for private residences, certain small businesses, tobacco stores, not for profit private clubs, among others. The SmokeFreeOhio effort is an initiative petition, which allows the voters to directly vote on this law. They have a website, www.smokefreeohio.org. SmokeFreeOhio is sponsored by a coalition of health groups, including the American Cancer Society and the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners.
The second petition is sponsored by a group that goes by the very misleading name of Smoke Less Ohio. Their petition is designed to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would invalidate all previously passed local smoking legislation. It would prevent local governments from passing smoke-free laws in the future, particularly in bars, restaurants and work places. In essence, it turns the clock back to the good old days of smoke filled public spaces. The Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and the R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company sponsor this initiative. They have no known website for more information.
In reality Smoke Less Ohio means More Smoke in Ohio. This is another example of how big tobacco companies, in a desperate attempt to hold on to their market share of deadly and addictive products, use deceit to weasel their way into voters’ minds. Voters need to be informed.
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