No smoking: Pelosi bans butts at the Capitol
Posted on Jan 10th 2007 4:30PM by Bethany SandersNancy Pelosi (D-California), the new House speaker, has taken it upon herself to improve the health of those wandering through the U.S. Capitol by banning smoking near the House floor. The Speaker's Lobby is apparently often hazy with smoke as lawmakers run for a quick cigarette fix during breaks. Ms. Pelosi felt that due to the overwhelming evidence available detailing the dangers of secondhand smoke, the practice should be banned.
She also believes that lawmakers should lead by example. Amen, I say. I guess since smoking is already banned in many federal buildings, and in all public areas in the District of Columbia, smoking in the Capitol shouldn't even be an issue.
Lawmakers will still be allowed to smoke in their own offices. In my state, there's a hospital that recently banned smoking from its campus -- workers can't even smoke in their cars in the parking lot. When you drive by, there are patients, nurses, and other employees standing on the sidewalk out front catching their smoke. It looks horrible, but the hospital is determined to stick to their principles. What do you think? Should smoking be banned entirely from the U.S. Capitol or in your opinion should Ms. Pelosi "butt" out?
She also believes that lawmakers should lead by example. Amen, I say. I guess since smoking is already banned in many federal buildings, and in all public areas in the District of Columbia, smoking in the Capitol shouldn't even be an issue.
Lawmakers will still be allowed to smoke in their own offices. In my state, there's a hospital that recently banned smoking from its campus -- workers can't even smoke in their cars in the parking lot. When you drive by, there are patients, nurses, and other employees standing on the sidewalk out front catching their smoke. It looks horrible, but the hospital is determined to stick to their principles. What do you think? Should smoking be banned entirely from the U.S. Capitol or in your opinion should Ms. Pelosi "butt" out?
