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Big Tobacco is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to bully voters into allowing the industry to sell more cigarettes that kill people.
The proper response on Tuesday: Kansas Citians should vote yes on Question 3.
It’s a citizens’ initiative containing a strong smoke-free law that will protect the health of thousands of fellow citizens.
Tobacco giant Reynolds American is almost totally fueling the campaign to stamp out the initiative.
True, the company has the legal right to sell a product that causes cancer and sickens many people in other ways.
And I’m sure Big Tobacco companies realize anything that curbs smoking damages their ability to keep people — including youth — hooked on cigarettes.
But Kansas City voters have rights, too. They get to decide where smoking is permitted.
In this case, the City Council has failed the people.
Earlier this year, Mayor Mark Funkhouser and the council irresponsibly passed a hodge-podge smoke-free ordinance. It bans smoking in restaurants, but only until 9 p.m.
And the law permits smoking in bars.
The citizens’ initiative is tougher. It would get rid of the silly exemption for restaurants. And it would ban smoking in bars.
Tavern owners gripe that some of their businesses will fail if people can’t go to their establishments to smoke. Single moms who are waitresses will be thrown out of jobs, goes the warning.
Say what?
Almost 80 percent of the 50 largest U.S. cities have smoking bans. So do almost two dozen states.
And so do four of the five other largest cities in the Kansas City area — Overland Park, Olathe, Independence and Lee’s Summit.
Guess what? People still flock to bars in these cities and states to drink. And they smoke outside. Or, to the consternation of Reynolds American and Big Tobacco, people give up the habit and don’t smoke at all.
A smoke-free law is not the destructive economic force that critics claim. In city after city, revenue for restaurants and bars has been largely unaffected by smoke-free laws.
Sure, some bars and restaurants have failed in cities with no-smoking measures. Yet other restaurants and bars often took their places; the food and drinking industries are particularly volatile.
Finally, it’s exasperating to continually hear the claim that “nanny” government shouldn’t tell people where they can smoke.
Use some common sense.
In this case, Kansas Citians get to decide the issue, not the big, bad government.
And the people have the perfect right to prohibit smoking in enclosed places as part of an admirable effort to govern themselves and protect society.
Many laws have been approved over the years, at the national and local levels, to defend the health and welfare of Americans.
Just consider how many thousands of people are alive today because of government-mandated or influenced improvements regarding vehicles, such as seat belts, air bags and speed limits.
A smoke-free law makes sense for Kansas City. It improves the city’s image.
A vote for Question 3 would put in place a law that will save lives and save money on future health-care costs. It deserves to pass.
This week:
• My view on KC’s bus tax
• KU fans: Get off Roy Williams’ back
• Funkhouser fires back at Chamber of Commerce
• The fall of Wayne Cauthen
• Parks board should keep services, cut management
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