Student group propones state smoking ban

By Kari Kintner

Mirror Guest Writer
February 22, 2008

You may have seen them around campus, representing a cause against smoking.

But you might not know that the red “Kiss Me, I Don’t Smoke” t-shirts are part of a bigger project that the Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) group at Augustana has taken on.

The CAC is collaborating with the American Cancer Society to bring back a bill that would ban smoking in South Dakota public places such as restaurants and bars.

Freshman Casey Ring is among the Augustana students who support the bill.

“I don’t think anyone should go to a restaurant and have to smell smoke, especially at family restaurants, because you have kids coming in,” Ring said.

About a week ago, Ring snatched up an opportunity to represent Augustana and his views in Pierre, where he watched the bill being discussed.

A similar proposal to ban smoking in public buildings, originally presented as a ballot initiative, was almost accepted in 2002. The bill has made its way through almost seven weeks of consideration.

Ring has seen a smoking ban come into effect in bars and restaurants in his hometown in Minnesota and believes it’s had a positive impact in the area.

“The restaurants were cleaner and it was more enjoyable to be there,” Ring said.

Other than eliminating some coughing or unpleasant smells, studies have shown that reducing one’s intake of second-hand smoke helps general health. That’s a major reason why Lindsey Holmquest with the American Cancer Society is working with Augustana’s CAC group to raise awareness of the harms of smoking.

“With education, you can reduce your risk, catch it early and have a better chance to survive,” Holmquest said.

Holmquest has already seen positive results from South Dakota’s increased tobacco tax in 2006. She says the proposed bill is particularly important because it would reduce places where people could smoke, and she believes that the bill would also encourage people to stop smoking. With less smoking there would be fewer cases of lung cancer and other cancers diagnosed in South Dakota, according to Holmquest.

Ring has personally seen the negative effects of smoking when two of his grandfathers died of heart cancer. He does not know exactly what a smoking ban would do to businesses in the state, but he believes that any possible negative impact from the ban would be outweighed by the positive.

“You can walk away from smoke, but in public areas, no one should have to,” Ring said.

You can contribute to the cause by purchasing a “Kiss Me, I Don’t Smoke” shirt from the Augustana CAC. Extra money made from sales will go toward Augustana’s Relay for Life event on April 19.