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Dear Elected Officials:

I think that the health and well being of every citizen in
Philadelphia is in your hands. How you vote on this legislation
will decide how many people will die or suffer from diseases
casued by second hand smoke. Your no vote will condemn some
workers to death and some yet unborn children to illness.

Do the right thing, ban cigarette smoking.
Sincerely,
Rabbi Mordechai Liebling

Dear Elected Officials:

Please pass the pending ordinance to ban smoking in all
workplaces. As a liftime person suffering with asthma I can
personally attest to the physical problems smoking in the
workplace, and any public place for that matter, has caused me.
You should also ban smoking in all eating establishments as well
for the same health reasons. I think twice before heading out to
dine in a restaurant these days, and definitely prefer totally
smoke free environments.

Please take this one small step towards decreasing cancer in our
society now!

Ellen Neylan

Dear Elected Officials:

Please pass the pending ordinance to ban smoking in all
workplaces. As a liftime person suffering with asthma I can
personally attest to the physical problems smoking in the
workplace, and any public place for that matter, has caused me.
You should also ban smoking in all eating establishments as well
for the same health reasons. I think twice before heading out to
dine in a restaurant these days, and definitely prefer totally
smoke free environments.

Take this one small step towards decreasing cancer in our
society now!

Dear Elected Officials:

Save lives, save money, save quality of life and prevent the
unnecessary suffering of people without health problems (trying
to prevent them) and with health problems (dying of cancer,
heart disease and other smoke related illness). California,
Boston and New York City all have stepped up to the plate and
business that have gone smoke-free are thriving.

Everyone has the right to breathe clean air. I urge you to
support Bill 000314.

Thank you,

Gina Trignani - very concerned citizen
philadelphia pa 19128

Dear Elected Officials:

I am writing in support of Bill No. 00314, which provides
protections from environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace
and other public places. This is an historic opportunity for
Philadelphia City Council to help create a healthier and safer
experience in Philadelphia.

Ten reasons to support this historic legislation

There are 4,700 chemicals in cigarette smoke, and at least 43
are known to cause cancer in humans.
Nonsmokers have rights too. Three out of every four people in
Southeastern PA do not smoke. Nonsmokers, especially those with
asthma and other respiratory problems, cannot go into a smoke
filled location. On the other hand, smokers are not prevented
from visiting smoke free environments.
For people who work in hotels and restaurants, our public places
are their workplaces. They deserve to breathe the same clean air
as other employees. Many of these workers are poorly paid and
have no health insurance.
Many Philadelphia residents and visitors to the city suffer from
respiratory illnesses and are unable to enjoy the fine
restaurants due to secondhand smoke.
Restaurants and hotels will not lose business. Economic and
public health studies from other cities show positive economic
and health effects.
Many restaurant owners have confided that they want Philadelphia
City Council to pass a law that protects their health and
safety.
The most prominent restaurant cities in the country have
benefited from legislation that keeps the air clean for workers
and the general public. These include New York City, Boston, San
Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Maine, San Diego and Austin,
Texas. Smoke-free states include California, Delaware,
Connecticut and New York.
Don't believe the doomsayers who think the entire economic base
of the city/region will collapse if we enact smoke-free public
places and worksite legislation. After all, we didn’t see a
business decrease when movie theaters and airplanes went smoke
free.
As an elected official, one of your responsibilities is to
promote and protect the public health. Your courage in
supporting this legislation clearly shows you take this job
seriously.
Philadelphia has the opportunity to take the lead in
Pennsylvania in promoting Smoke-free Public Places
Sincerely,

Your Name
Jennifer Andia

Dear Elected Officials:
Please consider this request to mandate smoke free public areas
in Philadelphia (Bill 000314). The health of Philadelphia
residents and visitors is at stake, and is under attack from
several other environmental pollutants. Supporters of the Bill
urge you to help make breathing a little easier!

Thank you for your time,
Lora N Magaldi

Dear Elected Officials:

As the former Health Commissioner of Philadelphia, I urge you to
vote for Bill 000314, to create a smokefree workplace and
restaurant environment. As I testified when it was introduced
two years ago, it is time for Philadelphia to join what political
leaders in other cities and states have done, namely create a
smokefree environment in public places.

The claims of lost business by providing a smokefree environment
is simply not true. In fact, people overwhelmingly prefer dining
in an environment where smoke is not part of the meal. Business
is much more dependent on the state of the economy than on
whether smoking is permitted. Don't be mislead by these claims.

I urge our elected leaders to stand up for public health and vote
yes on Bill 000314

Yours truly,

Walter Tsou, MD, MPH

Dear Elected Officials:

PLEASE support the passage of HB 314. It makes sense and
Phildelphia will join other progressive cities in making a
substantial difference in the lives of all patrons of eating and
drinking establishments. We travel to the Poughkeepsie area and
they have gone smoke free in the above establishments and it is
so nice to go to dinner, a show without the second hand smoke.
Their tourism has increased. The failure to pass this bill will
cast the representatives who vote against this as against good
health for Philadelphia's and your visitors. Going against this
bill also supports Big Tobacco, a place I would think none of
you would like to be. Please support this bill. Thank you.

Dear Elected Officials:
I am writing to encourage your support of Bill 314. I would
like to see Philadelphia become "smoke free in '03" for three
reasons:
1) My husband and parents work in Philadelphia. The passing of
this bill would ensure healthier workplaces for them, as well as
all of the mothers, fathers, husbands and wives that work in the
city.

2) I patronize businesses and dining facilities in Philadelphia,
but I am selective to those that are smoke free. This bill
would give me a reason to try new restaurants and spend more
time (and money) in the city.

3) Philadelphia would set an example and be a leader for the
entire state of Pennsylvania in the hopes for a smoke free state.

Philadelphia deserves to be known as a great city, especially
now that there is a drive to welcome new businesses and
residents into the city. Becoming smoke free is a small step
towards that goal, but it will be a step in the right direction.

Sincerely,
Christy Kealey

Dear Elected Officials:

Hullo! Are you awake?!? You see your fellow city dewellers who
work in and visit restaurants and bars absorbing second hand
smoke everday. Wake up and do something!! Every day that you
delay is a day that someone is getting closer to lung
cancer...just because their livelihood depends on working in a
smoking area...they have no option. You Do.

All the major east coast cities are Smoke Free....NYC, Boston,
and now Washington DC. To be a truly progressive 21th Century
city, Philadelphia needs to ban smoking in restaurants, bars,
enclosed public spaces, etc.

Let's us protect the health of our generation and the next. As a
former smoker ( i quit earlier this year) I am saddened that our
city is behind progressive cities like NYC, Boston and the state
of California in this matter. Are we a backward city? Are we
still living in the 20th Century?

Regards,

Raven

Dear Elected Officials:

I am a senior at CAPA high school. And obviously I don't
smoke, for several reasons. The main one being that it is
completely unhealthy and I respect myself.

So it bothers me when I am waiting for a train or eating at a
restaurant and there is smoke blowing in my face. I don't
care if somebody wants to smoke, but I don't want to
breathe it. Any place that lets people smoke won't get my
business and any official who doesn't want to make our city
healthier or improve business, won't get my vote.

Dear Elected Officials:
I have recently relocated to Philadelphia and am beginning a new
life here. I encourage you to pass the smokefree bill so that I
can continue my life here and not look for other communities to
live in that are in fact smoke free. It makes a big difference
in all of our lives, and personally, I would like mine to be
long and healthy...and maybe in Philadelphia.

Thank you.

Dear Elected Officials:

I strongly support the right to a smoke-free workplace.
Allowing smokers to pollute our restaurants, bars and coffee
houses is a ridiculous, antequated practice. I can think of no
other example in this country which so flagrantly disregards the
right to health and well-being of a majority population in favor
of the right to pollute, sicken and disgust of a minority
population. Don't let big business win. Stand up for the
health of your constituents.

Jessica Kulp

Dear Elected Officials:

After moving back to the East Coast from Colorado, it strikes me
as incredible that Philadelphia hasn't seemed to catch on to the
common sense policies of more health-conscious places such as
California and Colorado (heck, even typically unhealthy New York
City). Banning smoking in the workplace, especially restaurants
and bars, is not only common sense, but it protects the right to
good health that Philadelphians deserve. Making smokers go
outside to consume their cancer sticks does nothing to inhibit
their rights. Their smoke indoors does, however, infringing on
my rights when they poison the air in public places.

We've proven that smoke kills people. Why don't we do something
real, lasting and completely common sense by keeping the air
around us smoke-free. If nothing else, we won't have to wash
our clothes and take a shower ever time we step into a
restaurant or bar. Let's make some progress here.

Next step: Getting rid of the ever present, cancer-causing black
clouds of automobile exhaust, industrial emissions and diesel
smoke-spewing buses and trucks so we might be able to walk down
the street or ride our bikes or take a jog without coughing up a
lung.

Thanks!

Trying to breathe,
Mark Schoneveld

Dear Elected Officials:

Please support Bill No. 00314-AAAA. I'm a first year student at
the University of PA medical school. I do not support
restaurants with a smoking friendly policy. Many more
businesses would have my support (for at least 3 more years!!)
if this bill is passed!
Thank you for your time!
Tara Abrams

Dear Elected Officials:

I am writing in support of City Council Bill 314, creating a
smoke free workplace in Philadelphia. My perspective is that of
a Nurse Midwife, counseling my pregnant patients to quit smoking
in pregancy. I am sure you are aware of all the dangers to
babies when their mothers smoke. I frequently hear how hard it
is to quit when surrounded by other smokers. Women cannot
afford to quit their jobs to avoid cigarrette smoke, so they
continue to be tempted to smoke.

No one should have to choose between the health of their family
and their income from a job.

Please support the smoke free workplace law.

Thank you for your attention.

Linsey Will, CNM