Each year the American Lung Association issues a "report card" grading tobacco control laws in each state.  This year Wisconsin will receive a mixed bag of grades from "B" to "F."  Wisconsin's cigarette tax earns the highest grade, a "B" for its $1.00 increase from 77 cents to $1.77.  But smoke free air and funding for statewide tobacco control and prevention programs still receive a failing grade, despite the latter's increase from $10 million to $15 million per year in the recent state budget.  The youth access grade continues to be average ("C"), because Wisconsin law prohibits local communities from enacting ordinances that are stronger than state statutes.

On January 8, the Senate Committee on Public Health, Senior Issues, Long Term Care and Privacy recently voted the bill out of committee and made it available for a full Senate vote.  But majority leader Russ Decker has pledged that the bill will not come up for a vote until "compromises" are reached -- compromises that give taverns an exemption.  That's a law that we can't live with.  Tavern workers' lives are no less valuable than any other workers'.  Everyone deserves the right to breathe smoke free air, regardless of where he or she works. 

It's been done successfully in 22 other states including neighboring Minnesota and Illinois.  It's time for Wisconsin to be the 23rd state to become smoke free!