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LETTERS OPPOSING POSSIBLE SMOKING BAN (2) City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. L- City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem,MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. .17 � � G City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem,MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. � r City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem,MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. ' r Z7 'A14 City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem,MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. 7-�7 F +Y, FEB k Feb. 28, 2000 CITY®FSA�,-M Open letter to Salem Board of Health, and other interested parties 9 North St. Salem MA 01970 Re: Proposed total prohibition on smoking in restaurants and bars. From: Edward Myskowski and Paulina Alexander 12 Clark St. , Salem MA 01970 Recent newspaper reports indicate that you are considering public input on the subject smoking ban. Conversations with local business people, particularly at the Salem Beer Works, suggest that there has been little input from the smoking public, and consequently little heed paid to the comments of restaurant owners. This letter is intended to help redress that imbalance. I enjoy a cigar more or less daily, frequently after dinner. This is not practical at home, since Paulina is very sensitive to ambient smoke. In any case, a smoke in a social context with other smokers is more enjoyable, and when accompanied by a fine cask conditioned ale, it is one of the most pleasurable moments remaining for an ageing dude. I and other cigar smokers have found that the back side of the bar at the Salem Beer Works is an area where there is sufficient overhead space and good ventilation so that we can enjoy a cigar without imposing unnecessarily on other patrons, both cigarette smoking and non smoking. In fact, when this area is not overly crowded, Paulina sometimes ,joins me to sit at the bar for an appetizer or glass of wine without being bothered by nearby smokers, myself included. On the other hand, Paulina is often unable to enjoy appearances by our many friends who perform in local bars because of the intolerable ambient smoke in the entertainment areas. It is unfair that she and others like her are deprived of this pleasure, not to mention the unfair imposition of an unhealthy environment on the performers themselves. It is likely that each situation will require its own design. It also seems likely that in the vast majority of cases, provision of a restricted smoking area in combination with suitable ventilation should guarantee a smoke-free ambient environment for those who are entitled to it, while still accommodating those who wish to enjoy a smoke with their meal or drink. Total prohibitions of any sort have a poor history of success in our free society. Conversely, well thought out compromises often bring out the best in people on all sides of an issue. We commend you for considering action on this difficult subject. We hope the action you ultimately take will be respectful of the rights of all visitors and citizens of Salem, and will not be so restrictive as to be unenforceable as a practical matter. February 25,2000 FEB 1 8 2000 City of Salem CITY OF SALEM Board of Health HEALTH DEPT. 9 North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board: I am writing in regards to the proposed smoking regulation for the City of Salem. I am a co-owner and the General Manager of The Tin Whistle located at 241 Jefferson Avenue. The Tin Whistle is a family- run, neighborhood pub. Since approximately ninety percent (90%) of The Tin Whistle's customers are smokers,the newly proposed smoking regulation will significantly decrease our business. I respectfully urge the board to reconsider the proposal to ban smoking in all establishments and consider the ramifications associated with passing this regulation. The City of Salem should be a leader, not a follower. I find it difficult to believe that a significant number of members of the Salem community were so outraged that they demanded the Board of Health create a new regulation pertaining to cigarette and second-hand smoke in restaurants and bars. In a period of increased pressure from non-smoking groups, cities and towns are scurrying to adopt tougher smoking regulations. It is quickly becoming a trend or a political game and communities are following one another without assessing the consequences. Instead of following the herd, the City of Salem should seriously consider new and creative altematives to remedy this delicate situation. I suggest a proposal requiring restaurants and bars to display posted signs at entrances warning customers that the establishment allows smoking. This alerts non-smokers of the possible hazards and allows the customer to make their own decision. I believe this type of regulation would cover the responsibilities the board may have in alerting the public about the health hazards associated with second hand smoke. Does the Board of Health have the authority to create and enforce this regulation? It has been reported in the Salem Evening News, and mentioned at last month's board meeting,that the counsel to the City of Salem does not believe that The Board of Health has the authority to create this regulation. In fact, the counsel stated in the newspaper that the proposed regulation is legislation, which the appointed Board does not have the authority to create. Is this true? If it is true, I strongly recommend that the Board research this issue. During the February 1 e Board of Health meeting,the Board proposed to inquire with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as to the authority the Board has regarding smoking bans. It was suggested that the Board receive confirmation in writing from legal counsel of the Department of Public Health. I would like to ask the Board this question,why does the Commonwealth of Massachusetts refuse to create a statewide smoking regulation? It appears that if this issue was absolutely clear,the Commonwealth would have already created legislation.Smoking is not illegal. What will happen if the proposed regulation is passed? As stated above, I believe sales will decrease for all restaurants and bars in the city. Although I agree that some smokers will travel to other cities and towns without smoking bans, I do not believe that this will cause the most significant decreases in sales. It is my opinion that smokers will refrain from going to bars and restaurants all together. Smokers will not feel welcome in smoke-free establishments and I believe this is a form of discrimination. Additionally, I do not agree that new non-smoking customers will replace the exiled smoking customers just because the air is dean. Decreased sales are not the only issue. What happens when a smoker visits an establishment and decides he or she wants a cigarette? The smoker must go outside in order to smoke. This will lead to increased trash from cigarette butts on the sidewalk and excessive noise outside of establishments as smokers huddle together, particularly in the cold weather. Business owners now have additional headaches to contend with besides monitoring the inside of the establishment, particularly rest rooms, o SAVED FEB 289 CITY OF SALEM HEALTH DEPT. City of Salem Board of Health Nine North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. ® OWED City of Salem Board of Health FLEB 2 8 2000 Nine North Street LEM Salem, MA 01970 CITY PT. HEALTH SH DEPT. Dear Members of the Board of Health, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem. /� r FEB 2 8 2000 CITY OF SALEM HEALTH DEPT. Joanne Scott Board of Health 9 North Street Salem, MA 01970 Dear Ms. Scott, As a customer, I wish to have the right to smoke in my favorite establishments. Please do not impose a smoking ban in Salem.