Louisiana Tobacco Control Program

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Smokers relegated to the outdoors - Seven citations written since law went into effect

Publish date: Feb 13, 2007

THE LAW IN BRIEF Louisiana's Smoke Free Air Act 815 went into effect Jan. 1. Citations would mean fines of $25 to $100 for smokers who light up in most indoor public places. It's a $100 to $500 fine for the businesses that let them.

Act 815 prohibits smoking in most indoor public places and workplaces, including all restaurants "” with or without a bar "” sandwich stands, cafes, school campuses, sports arenas, banks, hotel/motel lobbies and 50 percent of their rooms and bowling alleys.

Act 838, smoke free in vehicles with adolescents, went into effect Aug. 15. This prohibits smoking in motor vehicles when children under the age of 13 are present. Violations for Act 838 mean a fine of up to $150, or a sentence of no less than 24 hours of community service.

QUITTING Smoking cessation programs are available through local hospitals. Christus Schumpert Health System offers a free six-week program. The next class will be held at 5:30 p.m. March 3 at the Christus Schumpert Cancer Treatment Center. Due to limited space, registration is necessary. Call (318) 681-6231.

Forty-three days into Louisiana's Smoke-free Air Act, workplaces and restaurants are noting a welcome change in the air while smokers are feeling a little bit like social pariahs.

"I can walk in the door in the morning and notice it right away," said Rick Sloan, owner of the Blind Tiger Restaurant and Bar in downtown Shreveport. He has seen no drop in business.

"Not at all." Other restaurants claim the same unwavering clientele yet have saved their ashtrays. Both Posados Cafe in Bossier City and Buffalo Wild Wings Grill and Bar have outdoor patios planned.

"We're bringing the whole atmosphere outside with 17 televisions and the trivia games," said Michael Vince, general manager of Louisiana Boardwalk's Buffalo Wild Wings, who plans to showcase the new space in about a month. "But I really haven't seen a change in business."

So where have the smokers gone?

"They're outside in the elements," said Vickie Cullen of Fibrebond Corp. in Minden, one of a growing number of employers offering smoking cessation classes through the company. They're even giving $100 for everyone who finishes it.

"With rising health-care costs and the new laws, we knew it was time to jump on the bandwagon."

Fibrebond is working with Christus Schumpert Health Systems. Employers can also find help at Willis-Knighton Health System and Health Plus of Louisiana in Shreveport, a subsidiary of WK Health System.

In the meantime those who are still smoking, such as Fibrebond employee Patrick White, are regulated to the outdoors, no matter what the weather.

"If we can bear it, we're out there," said White, hanging onto the habit for its relaxing effect. "We tried to put up some type of cover for the smoking area, but they told us to take it down."

Smokers seem to be outcasts, but so far only a few have become outlaws.

No citations have been written to enforce Act 815, which was put in place to protect people in the workplace, restaurants and other public places from the dangers of second-hand smoke.

But seven citations have followed from the Smoke-free Air Act's sister law, Act 838, which prohibits smoking in motor vehicles when children under the age of 13 are present. Act 838 was passed at the same time as Act 815, but went into effect Aug. 15.

Shreveport police have written three tickets, Bossier City Police have written four. Bossier City officer Chris Estess wrote up one of those tickets.

"I was westbound on East Texas when I looked over and saw the kids in a car filled with smoke. I felt sorry for them confined to that closed space," said Estess, who said the driver was a young mother who didn't know about the new law. "Maybe by writing the citation I have given them a chance for it to change."

Violations of Act 815 mean fines of $25 to $100 for smokers, while Act 838 is a fine of up to $150, or a sentence of no less than 24 hours of community service.

New smoke-free campuses, like Christus Schumpert Health System, are also using verbal warnings for now.

"The only negative feedback that I have really received is that we needed more signage in dealing with new patients and visitors regarding the policy," said Elizabeth Maddox, education specialist with Christus Schumpert human resources. "But for the most part I've gotten very positive feedback. A lot of smokers seem to want to quit, but just needed to have that motivational push to help them."

Smoking by patients is also prohibited at Schumpert; before Jan. 1 they could be taken to the first floor smoking area.

"We are trying to be as sympathetic as possible and if they are able, we offer nicotine gum or something else as an option," Maddox said. "Being a health-care facility, it's just a logical choice to be a smoke-free environment."

Schumpert offers free smoking cessation classes for its employees as well as smoking cessation related products.

More employees have taken advantage of the products than the classes, said Maddox.

It's too early yet to tell if more people are actually quitting, say program directors of local smoking cessation programs, but it is apparent employers are taking a more proactive approach.

"I've had a lot more interest by employers who are looking for a program to help their employees," said Willis-Knighton Health System smoking cessation class coordinator Beverly Byrd.

While smokers don't argue the health risks associated with tobacco, many wonder how far is too far for government control over personal choices.

Shreveporter Teresa Beard was visiting her mother at Christus Schumpert recently.

Parked in the farthest space in one of Schumpert's parking lots on Fairfield Avenue, she leaned against her car while she took her smoke break.

"They used to wheel my mother down to take a smoke break; now she can't do that. At work we have to go search for a place to have a smoke at lunch and at home I have a little place outside I go," said Beard, who agrees with the intentions of the new law, just not the method. "I need to quit myself. But if it's against the law, why didn't they just make it illegal?"