Pierce County urges wider smoking ban

EVERETT — The head of the Tacoma-Pierce County Board of Health, which has enacted a controversial smoking ban in bars, restaurants, bingo halls and casinos, is urging the Snohomish Health District to consider a similar move.

"That’s our goal, to see other health departments go this route," said Kevin Phelps, a Tacoma City Council member and chairman of Pierce County’s board of health. He is also leading a statewide initiative to ban smoking in public places.

The Snohomish Health District invited Phelps to Tuesday’s meeting to learn more about the action taken by Pierce County, which enacted the state’s first comprehensive indoor smoking ban.

"What a lot of people fail to remember is the issue is a workplace safety issue," Phelps said.

While state law bans smoking in offices, "they decided not to protect people who worked in the hospitality industry," he said. "We think the state’s policy is somewhat discriminatory."

The action has been challenged in court by a group representing restaurants and bars. It is still under legal review.

Snohomish Health District board member Richard Marin, an Edmonds City Council member, said he intends to have the board talk about the issue over the next few months because of the health problems caused by secondhand smoke.

"If we’re going to step up and be leaders, we should make hard decisions," said Kirke Sievers, a Snohomish County Council and health district board member. "One hard decision is banning smoking in public places."

No health district board member spoke against the idea during the meeting.

However, Linda Matson, executive director of the Entertainment Industry Coalition, called the action by Pierce County "an extreme smoking ban" that has cost the jobs of 125 waitresses, dealers, cooks, vendors and distributors.

The group has proposed its own statewide initiative that would ban smoking in public spaces open to minors, such a family restaurants, but not in bars or nontribal casinos.

County-by-county smoking restrictions cause a patchwork of regulations that drive customers from places where they can’t smoke to others where they can, she said.

"Prohibition didn’t cause people to stop drinking," she said. "This smoking ban won’t cause people to stop smoking. It will just move where they do it."

State law bans smoking in offices, waiting rooms, libraries, classrooms, schools, colleges, universities, shopping malls, health care facilities, public transportation, public restrooms and elevators, said Mandi George, health educator for the Snohomish Health District.

Bars, taverns, restaurants and bowling centers are exempt.

Lobbies, concert halls, theaters, auditoriums, exhibition halls and indoor sports arenas are allowed to have designated smoking areas if they are physically separated from other public areas, George said.

Pierce County took its action in December, citing state law giving it authority to enact local regulations to improve public health. The law went into effect in January and was immediately challenged in court.

In Snohomish County, which has 950 restaurants, 492 are smoke-free. And Evergreen Lanes, an Everett bowling center, is going smoke-free in its bowling alleys and restaurant on May 1.

Everett also is considering joining Marysville, Arlington, Granite Falls, Mukilteo, Gold Bar, Monroe and Index, which have signs in parks and around ball fields asking people not to smoke, George said.

Reporter Sharon Salyer: 425-339-3486 or salyer@heraldnet.com.

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