Advocate wants smoke-free state

By Staff
Melissa Cason
A Franklin County woman is doing her part to help make Alabama smoke-free.
Belinda Johnson, of Russellville, recently met with local lawmakers in Montgomery urging them to pass legislation that would stop smoking in public places.
Johnson met with State Sen. Roger Bedford and State Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow asking them to support a smoke free Alabama when the motion comes up for a vote.
The day, called American Cancer Society Lobby Day, was created to give a legislative voice to cancer survivors, cancer patients and their families.
Johnson is a breast cancer survivor and is an active volunteer for the American Cancer Society.
"They didn't promise me that they would support the bill, but they did tell me they would do what their constituents wanted," Johnson said.
Statistics show that workers who are exposed to second-hand smoke are much more likely to develop lung cancer than those who work in a smoke-fee environment.
Currently, the bill is before the state senate.
The bill would prohibit smoking in all workplaces and public areas, exempting hotels and motels, private clubs with no employees, outdoor workplaces, tobacco retail stores and cigar bars.
The bill also asks the state health department to enforce the law.
"We encourage everyone who supports this bill to contact our lawmakers so our voices can be heard," Johnson said.
Alabama will follow the lead of Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee in becoming smoke-free states should this bill be passed into law.
According to a recent poll conducted by Opinion Research Associates, the majority of Alabamians asked were in favor of the law making all workplaces in the state smoke-free.