The Smoke-Free Movement

Lawmaker: Don't smoke in car with children under 8 - State Journal-Register

Restaurants, bars to decide on ban - Chicago Tribune

Bartlet's new smoking law keeps status quo - for now - Daily Herald

St. Charles sends smoke signal to state legislators - Daily Herald

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:26 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Smoke ban won't hurt business - The Star

Statewide smoking ban is endorsed - Arlington Heights Post

Palatine to advertise smokeless eateries - Palatine Countryside

Hoffman Estates to consider smoking ban change for bars - Schaumburg Review

Was is worth $30,000? - Daily Southtown

Board of health sees proposed smoking ordinance - Daily Herald

Village to promote smoke-free places - Chicago Tribune

Vote on public-smoking ban faces new delay - Chicago Tribune

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:44 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Today in Springfield your voice and the collective voice of over 10,000 other supporters of Smoke-Free Illinois was heard loud and clear. Thanks to your efforts, this week over 1500 phone calls and 4300 emails were sent to the members of the Senate Executive Committee asking them to support Senate Bill 500. Your efforts did not go unnoticed.

Earlier this afternoon SB500 was passed out of committee on a 8 to 5 vote!

Our thanks to the following Senators for their courage to support this life saving legislation:

Ira Siverstein
Louis Viverito
Debbie Halvorson
James DeLeo
Iris Martinez
Ricky Hendon
Todd Sieben
Christine Radogno

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:38 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Illinois bill targets smoking with kids in car - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Naperville tables smoking ban - Chicago Tribune

Village passes own no-smoking rules - Chicago Tribune

Trustees lighten no-smoking ban - Chicago Tribune

Smoking ban issue drags on in Naperville - Daily Herald

Council leaves smoking ban issue on table - Naperville Sun

Hoffman Estates business owners appeal for smoking ban waivers - Daily Herald

Smoke gets in their eyes - Batavia Sun

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments   

This editorial from the Daily Southtown also deserves its own post:


March 6, 2007

The issue: The state is ready to take up the matter of a smoking ban in Illinois' public places.

We say: This is the best way to curb secondhand smoke and avoid a patchwork of local laws.

Illinois' influential state Senate Executive Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, and among the bills to be discussed is one that would ban smoking in virtually all public places.

A similar bill is progressing through the House, and the approval of the Senate committee would put more teeth into the effort to get the no-smoking legislation passed. Several Southland lawmakers are on the Executive Committee -- Senate President Emil Jones (D-Chicago), Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson (D-Crete), Lou Viverito (D-Burbank) and Christine Radogno (R-Lemont). Viverito and Radogno have added their names as bill co-sponsors. Two other local senators who aren't on the committee, Ed Maloney (D-Chicago) and Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago), also have signed on as co-sponsors.

The legislation would ban smoking in workplaces and in public gathering spots such as restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and casinos. It's important that this legislation proceeds through both chambers and eventually becomes law. Supporters point to the dangers of secondhand smoke as the primary reason the smoking ban is needed. According to the American Cancer Society, secondhand smoke contains more than 60 known or probable carcinogens and more than 4,000 chemicals, including formaldehyde, arsenic, cyanide and carbon monoxide. The U.S. Surgeon General last year said there is no risk-free level of exposure to secondhand smoke.

The legislation would not outlaw all smoking but would create an environment in Illinois that would limit exposure to secondhand smoke.

The legislation also is important because it would level the playing field among businesses in the state. As it stands now, counties and municipalities can adopt their own smoking bans. But that has created a situation in which businesses such as bars and restaurants in towns with smoking bans are claiming their patrons are leaving for towns where no bans are in place. With a statewide ban, no business would have an advantage over another.

We hope members of the Executive Committee take into account what's best for the health of the state's residents and what's sensible for businesses. If they do so, we believe committee members will wind up recommending passage of the bill.

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:59 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Here is an article from the AP Wire that we found in the Belleville News-Democrat. I think a story this powerful warrants its own post seperate from our daily news:


A lung cancer survivor and veteran casino worker is being fired from his job at the Tropicana Casino and Resort. There is a twist though: he is suing the casino claiming that their work environment gave him his lung cancer. The employee had 1/3 of his right lung removed in 2005 and his insurance will only cover him for 30 more days at which point he will have to pay $800 per month to continue treatment on his own. Here's the real kicker too, HE HAS NEVER BEEN A SMOKER.

Last Summer the U.S. Surgeon General issued a report stating that employees that work in smoking environments have a 25-30% increased risk of developing lung cancer. Working an 8 hour shift in a smoking environment is roughly equivalent to smoking 16 cigarettes.

Click here for more information from Americans for Non-Smokers Rights on the risk secondhand smoke poses to employees in the gaming industry.

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Let Illinois Be Smoke-Free - St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Letter to the Editor - Belleville News-Democrat

Naperville Should Enact Smoking Ban - Daily Herald

Letters to the Editor - Daily Herald

Palatine Wants You to Know It's Smoke-Free - Daily Herald

One Year Passed - NorthernStar

Measure Supports Smoking Ban - Kane County Chronicle

Aldermen Take a Look at Smoking Issue Again - Quincy Herald

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:25 PM | Permalink | Comments   

Bogie's awarded exemption to Mt. Prospect smoking ban - Daily Herald

Bartlett board a broken record on smoking ban - Daily Herald

Hanover Park says exemption will help businesses - Daily Herald

Time-saving tips from past leaders - Daily Herald

Orland makes one concession on smoking ban - Daily Southtown

Hawaii bars defy anti-smoking law - St. Louis Post Dispatch

Anti-smoking bill draws plenty of fire - Quad-City Times

Posted by Smoke-Free Illinois at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments