Group forms to make Poplar Bluff businesses smoke-free

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A coalition has been established with a mission of passing a city ordinance in Poplar Bluff to make bars and restaurants as well as non-hospitality workplaces smoke-free, the Daily American Republic newspaper reported.

"People are allowed to smoke, but [non-smokers] also have the right to breathe smoke-free air, and that's not something we should have to give up when we eat, drink or earn a living," said Lucas Tieman, grassroots coordinator for Tobacco-Free Missouri, a not-for-profit organization based in St. Louis.

About 20 state, county and city officials along with business leaders and volunteers held their second meeting Wednesday at the Butler County Community Resource Council center to organize Breathe Easy Poplar Bluff.

The group will meet again at 1 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Altrusa room at Twin Towers, the new permanent monthly location, to discuss presenting a smoking ordinance for future consideration by the city council.

"I don't think we're going to hit as big of a brick wall as you may think," said Steve Halter, president of the Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce.

In his cursory review, Halter explained, several business owners that permit smoking appeared in favor of prohibiting it. For the first time in local history, he noted, it was recently decided that the newly constructed Westwood Hills Country Club would become smoke-free.

"It isn't about taking away people's rights, it's giving the majority of us back our right to breathe clean air," Halter said.

Guest speaker Tieman, who was on hand to provide technical support, said studies conducted by Americans For Nonsmokers' Rights have shown that establishments that have gone smoke-free, including those in Columbia, Mo., have increased business.

The latest statistic the chamber has indicates Missouri is among a dozen states that still permits smoking in public places, Halter added.

"If you look back 10 years, there were almost no states with bans in place," Tieman said. "I like how you're reaching out to the business and the faith community here because, to be honest, there hasn't been a lot of action down in this part of the state."

Cape Girardeau Breathe Easy was established in 2007, but the city has yet to vote on adopting an ordinance. Leah Wiggs, who recently took the position as project coordinator for the Cape Girardeau group, said talks are under way to apply for regional funding through the Missouri Foundation for Health to go toward educational and marketing materials.

"I've been speaking with area ministers and we have hundreds behind us, and we are feeling very positive about growing this effort," said Leah's mother Imogene Wiggs, the tobacco community policy specialist for the Missouri Department of Senior Services. "There are many arguments, and we have an answer for all of them."

The intent is to promote health, Tieman reiterated, not to "demonize" smokers.

"The best way I heard it said is 'it's your choice to smoke, but it's my right to breathe,'" said health educator Sarah Jane Faughn of the Butler County Health Department.

Linda Scheiffele, who retired as the family support coordinator for the South Central Community Action Agency, was appointed to chair Breathe Easy Poplar Bluff. Until the coalition creates a website, she can be contacted by e-mail at scheifelelinda@yahoo.com.