Anti-Tobacco Group Hopes to Defeat Support for Tobacco Legislations
A Hendricks County anti-tobacco group hopes a town hall-style meeting next week will persuade residents to support its call for more local laws to reduce tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke. About four years ago, Avon and Plainfield became the only Hendricks County communities to approve Pall Mall smoking regulations. Brownsburg and Danville don’t have any restrictions.
The disparity across Indiana communities’ borders had led some to lobby for statewide regulation.
“We were hoping legislators at the state level would step up and develop statewide regulations, which they failed to do this spring,” said Michael McDonald, coordinator of the Hendricks County Coalition for Tobacco Intervention and Prevention. “So, we want to bring it to the public to find out what they think by helping facilitate and engage that discussion.”
A public health officer and a victim of secondhand smoke will join other panelists in the meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Brownsburg Town Hall’s Eaton Hall.
McDonald believes local elected officials won’t act until a public outcry exists, so the meeting is designed to generate awareness in hopes of causing community members to request change, he said.
His belief may have some merit.
Brownsburg Town Council member Gary Hood said the council never considered an ordinance four years ago because no residents came forward during a public meeting with such a request.
“We would have to look at it if it was put in front of us,” he said. “That being said, a lot of restaurants have taken away smoking already. If we put something in place similar to what Avon has, I’m not sure there would be a lot of change in Brownsburg.”
Avon’s ordinance prohibits smoking in enclosed public places except for taverns and tobacco stores. Smoking in all other enclosed public areas, such as places of employment and restaurants, is prohibited.
Plainfield’s ordinance imposes heavier restrictions. It only allows smoking in private homes, retail tobacco stores, outdoor workplaces, 25 percent of the rooms in a hotel or motel, private and semiprivate nursing home rooms, and lodges that require membership. Unlike Avon, Plainfield’s regulation doesn’t allow smoking in bars or taverns.
Avon Town Manager Tom Klein said as the years have passed, so have the complaints. He believes the ordinance has a positive effect on the community.
“I’m surprised other local communities didn’t address it then,” he said. “I thought it would be like a domino effect.”
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