breathe easy Missouri - Clean Air News

Down and Dirty Fact About Tobacco...

Smoking related economic expenditures cost each Missouri household $592 each year.

breathe easy Missouri > News Articles > Viewing Article

Dooley signs smoking bill; voters to decide
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
8/28/2009

CLAYTON --St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley signed a bill Friday
morning that will let voters decide on Nov. 3 whether to ban smoking in most
indoor public places.

"I think it is imperative that the people of St. Louis County deserve to be
heard at the polls," Dooley said before signing the bill in his office at the
county administration building.

The bill, passed Tuesday night by the County Council, exempts casino floors,
the smoking lounges currently in operation at the Lambert-St. Louis
International Airport, and "drinking establishments" whose income from food is
25 percent or less of gross income.

The exemptions prompted some groups, including the American Cancer Society, to
urge Dooley to veto the measure.

Dooley, a former smoker, said he recognizes that "this is not a perfect bill."

"But at the same time, I recognize as well that people should have the
opportunity to vote on this important health issue."

This website was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number U58/CCU722795-01 between the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS), Health Promotion Unit. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of CDC or DHSS.

Copyright 2003-04 breathe easy Missouri, Last Updated:
Email Webmaster