Herald-Palladium 1/31/06 Editorial

Editor,
A wonderful thing happened in St. Joe last Friday. Schu’s Restaurant in St. Joe began its first day of operation as a completely smokefree restaurant. What a welcome relief to be able to dine in a restaurant without having to confront the ill effects of secondhand smoke. The really good news is that the restaurant was busting at the seams and remains as popular as ever. The ill effects of secondhand smoke are well documented and indisputable, and throughout the country states have had very little difficulty in adjusting to smokefree regulations. In spite of the fears of restaurateurs and bar owners, the evidence is clear that banning smoking in restaurants and bars has had no effect on in the longterm profitability of these establishments. Countries such as Ireland, Italy and Spain, where smoking is more prevalent than in the United States, have acted boldly in banning smoking in public places, restaurants and bars. I think Larry Schuler should be hailed for the bold leadership that he is demonstrating. Hopefully, his actions will ignite an effort that would result in a smokefree Berrien County and ultimately a smokefree Michigan, which is a prospect that is embraced by the vast majority of Michigan citizens.

Dr. Kenneth J. Edwards
Chief of Staff
Lakeland Regional Health System

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