Boise, Idaho News, Weather and Traffic - KTRV Fox 12 - Banning Smoking In Bars

Banning Smoking In Bars

Boise, Idaho -- Keeping the Treasure Valley's air clean.

Smoke Free Idaho is lobbying to get smoking banned from local bars, and they say they've got new data to back up the need. We all know the affects of smoking and second hand smoke, but now new numbers are showing that the air quality in local bars and restaurants may be worse than expected.

"Everybody knows that second hand smoke is bad, but you can't ignore data," said Adrean Casper with Smoke Free Idaho.

Over the summer, Smoke Free Idaho measured the air quality in 19 different bars in the Treasure Valley -- five of those were non smoking. What they found was pretty shocking.

"People that work at bars are exposed to 36 times the levels of particulates in the air that cause cancer and heart disease than somebody just walking outside," said Casper.

They also discovered that bars that allow smoking on average are 15 times more polluted than non-smoking establishments.

"Being in the bar all the time with the smoke just makes you feel like crap every morning when you wake up," said bar manager Nate Shoemaker.

Bars are just one of many public places being asked to go smoke free. Boise State University took the leap on their own in August and now any smokers who step foot on the BSU campus, including students, employees, volunteers and visitors, will have to leave their cigarettes at home. And you may remember the city of Eagle considered doing the same, but that decision was tabled. Smoke Free Idaho says they plan on pushing for it again.

"Smoke Free Idaho's mission from the beginning has been to protect workers from the harm of second hand smoke regardless of where you work," said Casper.

But for many, smoking is a right they don't want to give up, no matter the statistics.

"You can smoke, that's the best part. If you decide to come to a bar that's smoking, you're the one choosing to be in a bar where it's smoking. That's your choice and it's my choice to smoke in a bar, and it's my right to do that," said smoker Michelle Rhodes.

The Coalition For A Healthy Idaho says on average 220 people in Idaho die from second hand smoke every year. That's more than people who die from traffic fatalities involving alcohol and murder combined.