Rep. Mundy’s floor remarks on the proposed smoking ban

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

I rise in support of a ban on smoking in public places.

I support a person’s right to smoke. Tobacco is a legal substance and people have a right to use it. I would not take that right away.

But a person’s right to smoke ends at my nose.

We place restrictions on all kinds of legal activities.

It’s legal to drive but we restrict your speed.

It’s legal to drink but we restrict how much you can drink before you get behind the wheel of a car.

It should be legal to smoke but not in a place where you put the health of others at risk.

Why do we place restrictions on legal activities? Because we have an obligation to protect the public health.

I won’t belabor the point or prolong the debate by repeating the scientific evidence on the dangers of second hand smoke to people’s health or rehash the terrible negative impact of second hand smoke on health care costs.  We’ve heard all those facts presented over the last several days.

The evidence is clear. A vote to ban smoking in public places is a vote to improve worker productivity, reduce health care costs and to protect the public health. I will cast my vote in the public interest. I hope my colleagues will do the same.