Saturday, July 29, 2006

By MOLLY PARKER

Of the Journal Star

It's the first step in an educational campaign to warn residents in Peoria and East Peoria that the air you breathe in restaurants, bars and even work- places that allow smoking could slowly be killing you.

But it could be at least a year before there's any real campaign in the area to encourage city councils and county boards to snuff out smoking in all public places - bars included.

"You just get a feeling when you go into a community," said Kathy Drea, director of public policy for the American Lung Association. "We just really felt like the people of Peoria needed a little more information."

While 22 cities in Illinois have passed no-smoking ordinances of some type and dozens of other cities have debated the issue, the idea of a smoking ban hasn't been on the radar in Peoria or the surrounding communities.

A lot of it has to do with political will. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis and East Peoria Mayor Charles Dobbelaire share the same opinion on the subject: They hate smoke but think the government should butt out.

"It's the principle of the thing," Ardis said. "If our state lawmakers have the guts to make it statewide so it's a level playing field for everyone in the state, I wouldn't be happy about (that), but I wouldn't have the heartburn that I do" in considering it for only the city.

Ardis doesn't believe Peorians are any less knowledgeable about the dangers of secondhand smoke than residents in other communities. Rather, he sees the lack of movement toward a smoke ban reflective of a "city council that's sensitive to businesses."

Dobbelaire said the area's mayors' association has discussed the issue informally, and town leaders largely agree that the status quo should remain.

But Drea's not discouraged by such remarks. While there's no momentum yet, she said attitudes are likely to change once the facts are presented.

"The city council or county board will always make a statement that it will never happen (in their town)," Drea said, adding "every single place that we've ever gone now has a smoke-free law."

"I think Peoria, because of the nature of the environment in the city, needs more education," she said.

Molly Parker can be reached at 686-3285 or mparker@pjstar.com "

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