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Association for Nonsmokers – Minnesota |
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Smoke-Free Restaurants |
Poll: support for new St. Paul smoke-free law is strong Citizens Value Health Benefits and Don’t Want Law Changed Minneapolis, Minn., July 7, 2006 – An overwhelming 72 percent of St. Paul citizens support their new smoke-free law, according to a new survey released by the Ramsey Medical Society today. Strong supporters of the new smoke-free law, which prohibits smoking in all St. Paul restaurants and bars, outnumber strong opponents by more than a 3-to-1 margin. Sixty percent favor the law strongly and 12 percent favor it somewhat, for a total of 72 percent supporting the law. At the same time, 18 percent oppose the law strongly and 7 percent oppose it somewhat, for a total of 25 percent opposing the law. "The opponents of this law have been boisterous, but a large majority of St. Paul citizens value the health benefits of the law and want to keep it as is," said Roger Johnson, chief executive officer of the Ramsey Medical Society. In a survey conducted about three months after the law was implemented on March 31, 2006, 84 percent of respondents indicated that they considered secondhand smoke a serious or moderate health hazard, and 73 percent do not want the law changed. Eighty-seven percent of respondents
also said they now go out to St. Paul bars and restaurants as much or more than
they did prior to the smoke-free law. More respondents said that they go out
more frequently (27 percent) than less frequently (12 percent). When it comes to the new law, St. Paul citizens are finding a lot to like. A strong majority agree that bar and restaurant workers should be protected from exposure to secondhand smoke in the workplace (82 percent agree), and that the establishments are healthier for customers and employees now that they are smoke-free (86 percent agree). "St. Paul’s smoke-free law is obviously good news for workers and customers," said Johnson. "But there is good news for the hospitality industry, too. St. Paul citizens now find their local restaurants and bars healthier and cleaner, and they are frequenting them more often. The smoke-free law has made our great city even better." Opponents of the law have stressed the rights of tobacco users to smoke inside public gathering spots. But by more than a 7-to-1 to one margin, respondents indicated that the rights of customers and workers to breathe clean air is more important than the rights of smokers to smoke inside public gathering spots. "When you’re in a smoke-filled restaurant, bar or bowling alley, you are involuntarily smoking other people’s cigarettes, and that can be dangerous," said Johnson. "Now that St. Paul citizens have the right to breathe safe smoke-free air, they don’t want anyone to take that right away." KEY FINDINGS
ABOUT THE SURVEY The survey was sponsored by the Association for Nonsmokers-Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota Partnership for Action Against Tobacco. The surveys were conducted by The Mellman Group, an independent research firm based in Washington, D.C. Among the Mellman Group’s dozens of other clients include the federal Health Care Financing Administration, which oversees Medicare and Medicaid and the U.S. Departments of Justice, State and Labor. The Mellman Group also conducts polls for respected news media outlets, such as Fortune magazine. To read the entire results for the
survey, visit www.mpaat.org. The Mellman Group of Washington, D.C., conducted a survey of 500 registered voters in the City of St. Paul, who were interviewed by telephone June 26-30, 2006. The poll has a weighted sample size of 400, and includes oversamples in some city council wards. The study used a registration-based sample including all registered voters in St. Paul. The margin of error for this survey is +4.9 percent at the 95 percent level of confidence. The margin of error is higher for subgroups. The Ramsey Medical Society is the professional society of physicians in all specialties and medical students with over 1,500 members in Ramsey, Washington, and Dakota Counties. |
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