Smoking Ban Proposed in New Hampshire

In previous sessions, Representative Sheila Francoeur, a Republican from Hampton, has voted against a smoking ban.

She even spoke on the House floor in opposition to prohibiting smoking in bars and restaurants.

But this year, she says, change is due.

Francoeur: One of the reasons that I voted against this type of leg in the past was the economic concern: if our restaurants were smoke free, would the business go across the border? As I live in a tourist area with close proximity to both Maine and Massachusetts that was a legitimate concern. That issue no longer exists as all the other New England states have gone smoke free.

In fact, this year Francoeur decided to become the prime sponsor of a bill to ban smoking from public restaurants and bars across the state.

If the bill becomes law, New Hampshire will join eleven other states—including all New England states—in reducing second hand smoke exposure.

Francoeur: This is no longer an economic issue, this is a health issue.

Francoeur’s position was backed by Harvard School of Public Health researcher Gregory Connolly.

Massachusetts enacted its smoking ban about a year and half ago.

Connolly’s group looked at meals tax payments and employment in Massachusetts, and found no decline in taxes and no worker loss to smoker-friendly New Hampshire.

Connolly: So based on this research we would conclude that if New Hampshire did go smoke free there would be no economic impact on the hospitality industry.

Not everyone is convinced that business won’t be hurt by a smoking exclusion.

One cigarette vendor said she might not renew her license if the bill passes.

The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association Chairman, Kevin Sullivan, said his group is split on whether or not the bill is a good idea.

Sullivan: All of our members still strongly believe in minimal government intervention. We believe we are over regulated in a number of areas already. For a variety of reasons, however, opinions within our membership on this issue of a statewide smoking ban have been shifting.

This has led the Association to change this year from opposing the bill as it has in the past to a neutral position.

According to the American Lung Association over fifty six percent of New Hampshire restaurants have already gone smoke free.

Which has led opponents of the bill to ask: why is the mandate necessary?

Don Gorman from the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance calls the bill a nanny state proposal, stuffing rules down people’s throats.

Gorman: Testimony after testimony has said more and more restaurants voluntarily are getting rid of smoking. If people have the freedom to make the choices, economics will determine whether this becomes a smoke free state or not.

Some, like democratic Senator Lou D’Allesandro and republican Representative Jim Pilliod, see the economic benefits as apparent.

Even a small loss in business will be more than made up by saving money on treating the health problems associated with smoking.

The Society of Actuaries estimated the annual medical cost of second hand smoke in America to be five billion dollars.

Warrenburger: There is no doubt among the medical community that second hand smoke exposure is detrimental to one’s health.

Doctor John Warrenburger from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center was one of many from New Hampshire’s medical community that spoke to the Commerce Committee.

Like they’ve done in years past, The American Heart Association, the American Lung Association, medical students at Dartmouth, the American Cancer Society, and the New Hampshire Medical Society all testified about the public health fallout from second hand smoke.

Peterzini: Exposure to other people’s smoke increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Smoger: Asthma rates in new Hampshire are among in the nation.

Devine: In a year it contributes to 150 to 300,000 lower respiratory tract infections such as pneumonia in children under 18 months.

Ames: Over 163,000 American died last year from lung cancer.

Soucy: So I’m here today to say that I think New Hampshire’s ready to make a statement about how we’re going to treat our workers, how we’re going to treat our people.

The bill goes to a Commerce subcommittee next.

If it does pass the House, it’s likely to face an uphill battle in the Senate.

SOQ