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To send a letter to Boston officials, go to www.smokefree.org/Boston
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On December 11, the board of the Boston Public Health Commission will vote on a proposed regulation that would eliminate smoking in the workplace, including bars, throughout Boston.

“As long as it is city-wide, it shouldn’t affect us too much,” said Mico Flynn, manager of the Hill Tavern on Cambridge Street.

Boston already banned smoking in restaurants in 1998, but some local restaurants which have bars in them, such as Harvard Gardens, The Hill and 75 Chestnut, are still allowed to offer smoking in the bar.

Unlike the ban in 1998, which focused on the rights of patrons, the current proposal advocates for employees who want a smoke-free work environment. Flynn said that his employees would “absolutely prefer a smoke-free workplace.”

Jim Patrick, the general manager of 75 Chestnut, is not worried about loss of business. “I don’t believe it is going to affect it to the point that everyone thinks it is. We have a regular clientele that comes here for the ambiance and the service,” he said.

The mayor came out in favor of this regulation at the end of September and the vote was originally scheduled for November, but was postponed to allow for a longer public comment period, according to the BPHC. 

 

If approved, the legislation would go into effect in 90 days and Boston would join the following MA cities which have already passed similar legislation:  Amherst, Arlington, Barnstable, Barre, Belchertown, Belmont, Bourne, Braintree, Brewster, Brookline, Chatham, Chilmark, Cohasset, Dover, Duxbury, Edgartown, Egremont, Framingham, Great Barrington, Hingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Leicester, Lexington, Marblehead, Medford, Melrose, Monterey, Nantucket, Needham, New Braintree, Norfolk, Norton, Oak Bluffs, Orange, Orleans, Plainville, Plymouth, Provincetown, Richmond, Salem, Sandwich, Scituate, Sharon, Southampton, Southborough, Sterling, Stoneham, Tisbury, Truro, Tyringham, Wakefield, Walpole, Wareham, Wellfleet, Westwood, Weymouth, Yarmouth.

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To send a letter to Boston officials, go to www.smokefree.org/Boston
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Joseph W. Cherner, President
SmokeFree Educational Services, Inc.
http://www.smokefree.org

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world.  Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."       Margaret Mead