Question 1

Myth: "It's already illegal to smoke inside."

Accepted Answer

Fact: "While there are laws that do prohibit smoking in most public buildings, state laws were written so that local officials could customize them. Without further action, casinos and bars are exempt from these smoke-free air laws."

Question 2

Myth: "Smoke-free air laws are restrictive of the right for businesses to operate as they see fit."

Accepted Answer

Fact: Secondhand smoke is a public health and employee health issue, not a business freedom issue. Businesses that welcome and serve the public are regulated in many ways to ensure safety including fire codes, food preparation, business hours and more. This is a widespread and accepted practice. If left to do whatever they please, businesses could operate in ways that are unsafe and harmful to the public. Smokefree air laws are no different than widely accepted regulation and oversight.

Question 3

Myth: "Smoke-free air laws are restrictive to personal liberty and freedom."

Accepted Answer

Fact: Personal liberty and freedom has never granted the right to an individual to put the health and safety of others at risk. We have laws and regulations that govern many aspects of public life that protect both individual freedoms and the public good. Smokefree air laws only address public places where people should have the right to not be exposed to secondhand smoke. This is not an infringement of personal liberty but a protection of all people's personal freedom to use public spaces safely.

Question 4

Myth: "Service employees can just get another job or shouldn't have accepted a job in the first place."

Accepted Answer

Fact: ALL workers in ALL workplaces have certain rights that we have collectively agreed upon. Service employees shouldn't be treated differently than any other employee and be forced to choose between their health and their job. We have an obligation to protect people's ability to find and keep gainful employment without being forced to breathe secondhand smoke.

Question 5

Myth: "Individuals have the choice to avoid smoke if they want to."

Accepted Answer

Fact: Everyone deserves the right to breathe clean air, especially service workers who cannot choose their workplace environment. Smoke-free laws ensure equal protection for all individuals, regardless of their occupation or location. Individuals that choose to smoke are not prohibited from doing so as long as their choice does not become a burden for others.

Question 6

Myth: "Smoke-free laws hurt the bars and casinos and negatively impact the economy."

Accepted Answer

Fact: Studies have shown that smoke-free policies do not have a negative impact on the sales at casinos and bars. In fact, smoke-free environments can actually help businesses in certain circumstances, opening them up to a wider range of customers.

Question 7

Myth: "Smokefree laws drive away tourists and will hurt the economy."

Accepted Answer

Fact: Smokers don't make travel plans based on smokefree air laws and the studies of the 8000 plus cities that have them prove it. Visitors from out-of-state actually often comment that our laws are behind the times and need to be updated.

Question 8

Myth: "The tobacco industry supports local economies."

Accepted Answer

Fact: While the tobacco industry generates revenue, the long-term costs to public health and healthcare systems far outweigh the economic benefits. Implementing smoke-free policies can reduce healthcare costs associated with smoking-related illnesses, ultimately benefiting the local economy.

Question 9

Myth: "If they ban smoking in public places, they'll ban it in our homes, cars and golf courses next."

Accepted Answer

Fact: "Smokefree air laws are not anti-smoker. They're about smoking in PUBLIC places where secondhand smoke is dangerous. These laws are simply about protecting all people and their right to breathe clean air while in public."

YOU WORK HARD. YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BREATHE SMOKE TO DO IT.

If you're a bartender, dealer, server, or staff member who wants a smoke-free workplace, you're not alone. Share your name—and your story—to help push for change.

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