05/05/1980 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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, . e the May 4 editorial in the Eugene Register-Guard, the attack on Ms. Schue, he feels that not to pass this because it will be costly to enforce is not a valid reason. If the, council passes this it will be taking a stand that smoking is detrimental and setting a standard for raising the level of consciousness. John Minor, 3850 Vine Maple, an allergist, stated there was a good article in the New England Journal of Medicine dated March 27, 1980. This article stated that there is an injurious effect on pulmonary functions for those who don't smoke and are in a work environment with those who do. He feels it is essential that these proposals involve the working place as well as non-work places. The non-smoker needs the right to tell smokers not to smoke. With this kind of law, it would be self-policed. . Albert Zarth, 4315 Hilyard Street, stated that the ordinance would not be against smokers but against the activity of smoking. Licenses and rules have been used for regulating all kinds of activities and they could regulate smoking as well. Peoples' rights to activities stop when someone else's needs begin. This would ensure people the right to breathe. Ray Gilden, 170 East 37th Avenue, read a letter he wrote to his employer after a smoking ban had been implemented in his work place. Petitions had been passed and it was only when they were told that the employer would be financially responsible for any damage caused by smoking that the ban was implemented. Krai~ Jacobson, 2500 Chuckanut, an allergist, referred to the same New n land Jo rnal of Medicine article as Dr. Minor. This article state t at non-sma ers expose to passive smoking suffered significant decrease in lung function. Passive smoking is a more direct irritant to the asthmatics which he and his partner take care of than to the average person. Karen DuPriest, 225 Dartmoor Drive, faces this every day. The quality of life is something the State of Oregon and the City of Eugene have been working on. Since 1963, when she came to Eugene, she has seen bike riders taken into account. If this proposal would become a law, it would add to the quality of life. Pregnant women and people under the age of 18, who are not legally allowed to smoke, are subjected to passive smoke. Some may say that this is an infringement of a person's rights to smoke but she views it as a health hazard and feels that smokers infringe on her right to breathe. In times past, miners took canaries into coal mines with them so that when the oxygen was getting in too short supply, the canary would die, signal ing the miners, to go back above ground. She likened herself to that canary. She is not asking that smoking be eliminated, but controlled. , 5/5/80--17