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that they would take their business elsewhere if a smoking ban were passed. She noted that many nonsmokers were against the ban as well since they supported freedom of choice. Thomas Healy, 455 East lsth Avenue, said that smokers were not criminals. He said that Americans were free to make choices. He said that adults could make their own choices. He said that underage smoking was a parental issue, but adults could decide for themselves. Bill Boyce, 4515 Northeast 86th Street, Portland, called for an exemption from the ordinance for bingo halls. He said that smoking was part of the bingo culture. He reiterated that Bingo Mania had created a separately ventilated area for smokers and noted that 55 percent of the patrons of Bingo Mania chose to use the smoking area. He said that the proposed ban would hurt Bingo Mania's business. Viola L. Smith, 1400 Candlelight Drive, spoke against the proposed ordinance. She stressed the importance of freedom of choice and noted that many Americans had died to maintain that freedom. Tom Tracey, 1570 Pearl Street, read excerpts from a Johns Hopkins study and commented that there was sketchy evidence, at best, about secondhand smoke. He urged the council to leave adult establishments alone and concentrate on underage smoking. Terry O'Donnell, 1715 Parnell Drive, commented that if bars were going to be exempted from the ordinance than other public places needed to be exempted as well. Joy Wells, 1573 Fetters Loop, spoke as a teacher who helped teens to quit smoking. She commented that it was a hard habit to break even for young people who had not been smoking very long. She urged passage of the ordinance. She urged the council to consider the human suffering caused by tobacco smoke. James Whetstine, 3924 Robin Avenue, commented that he did not want or need the protection of nonsmokers. He urged the council not to make pariahs out of 25 percent of the adult population of the City by passing the ordinance. He stressed the importance of freedom of choice and urged the council not to legislate morality in a fit of zeal for reforming someone else's bad habits. Dick Stafford, 1617 Adkins Street, spoke as a local bar owner. He said that the council was forgetting that the United States was founded on the concepts of freedom. He stressed that government should not dictate to its citizens how to live their own lives. He added that the proposed ban would hurt his business. Peter Kovach, 5255 West Amazon Drive, spoke as a cancer therapist. He said that he had treated patients who had contracted cancer from secondhand smoke. He reiterated that secondhand smoke was a Class A carcinogen with no safe level of exposure. He stated that secondhand smoke was a public health risk and that the issue of choice was important in that people should be able to choose whether to be subjected to secondhand smoke dangers. Jan Staff, 68 Constantine Place, spoke as a physician. He said that secondhand smoke was the third largest preventable cause of death in the United States. He urged the council to educate people about the dangers of smoking and not ostracize them. He stressed that people should be free to choose whether to be exposed to secondhand smoke. MINUTES--Eugene City Council September 11, 2000 Page 6 Regular Meeting