Issue 5
As many Ohioans know, Election Day was November 7th 2006, Ohio became the 15th state to become completely Smoke-Free. Ohio's voters supported Issue 5: Smoke-Free Ohio, and rejected Issue 4: Smoke-Less Ohio. Issue number 4 was sponsored by tobacco executive R.J. Reynolds. In reality, the name "Smoke Less Ohio" was the exact opposite of what it really would have done, had it passed. The League of Women Voters describe the issues: Issue 4 would have required all public places such as restaurants to have smoking sections. If the facility already had a smoking area before, then nothing would have to change. But if there wasn't a smoking area before, they would have to create one. So in what way does that make Ohio smoke less? It made no sense to me, and thank the Lord it didn't pass. Issue 5, on the other hand, was called "Smoke-Free Ohio", and thanks to Ohio voters, that is exactly what Ohio will be from now on. The issue was sponsored by the American Cancer Society and proposed that all public places, including restaurants, hotels, nursing homes, outdoor patios, etc., ban smoking all-together. I think that issue 5 is for the better of Ohio's citizens and since we're the 15th state to do so, I think it's only a matter of time until most of the country becomes smoke-free.
Now that Issue 5 has passed, the only thing we really need to worry about now is smoking inside the home around innocent friends and family members, especially infants, who have no control over the second hand smoke abuse. Now of course, I don't believe that we will ever be able to have much control over eliminating smoking in the household. All we can do is try and inform everyone how healthy the new clean air is in restaurants and what a difference it can make.
The information about the harmful effects of second hand smoke is everywhere; all over television, billboards, radio, etc. If we can keep the awaraness going, I think only more great changes will come of it.
League of Women Voters of California Education Fun. 2006
<http://www.smartvoter.org/2006/11/07/oh/state/issue/5/>
League of Women Voters of California Education Fun. 2006
< http://www.smartvoter.org/2006/11/07/oh/state/issue/4/ >
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<http://www.undp.or.id/gallery/2004_election/original/Voting%20behind%20the%20screens.jpg>