Tobacco Documents Online

i?1nr( 1 U jy"JJ sraTiON FIABC/TV , GOOD*MORNING AMERICA ary NEW YORK 03/16/93 8:25 A.M. AupZlwQ S2iORING IN FED$RAI+ BUILDINOS IN WASBINGTODI BROADCAST 87CCBRPT BOB JAMIESON - NFsWS ANCiOR: One of these days, Washington's legendary emokey back rooms could be just back rooms. That's because Congress is considering a new ban on smoking in federal buildings. And not just some of the buildings, all of them. ABC'e Bill Greenwood has more. BILL GREgIwOOD - REPORTER: More than one million federal employees work in buildings where the air is re-circulated, not filtered, and often polluted. That exposes non-smokers to second- hand tobacco fumes, which federal health officials say can lea3~o r cancer. And Capitol Hill is no exception. This is where smoke- filled rooms were invented. GOVERNOR BILL DIIRBIN: This is an anachronism. That in a room like this, with so many non-smokers, we have an invitation for members of Congress to smoke. GREENWOOD: Surgeon General Antonia Novello supports a ban_ on smoking in public buildings and told lawmakers smoking will be a factor in 434,000 deaths, this year alone. DR. ANTONIA NOVELLO - U.S. SURGEON GENERAL: 434,000 people every.year is equivalent of three fully loaded juntbo jets crashing every day and killing everyone. GREENWOOD: To reduce the danger of se-cond-baudrmoke, workers at the Department of Health and Human Services are already forced to puff outside. UNIDENTIFIED HEALTH r. HUMM SERVICES WORKER: I think it's good myself. I'm trying to quit all the time, and this is one less place that I can smoke. GREENWOOD: Officials admit a government-wide ban on indoor smoking would be inconvenient, but only for one worker in four. Three out of four Americans do not smoke. ' Bill Greenwood, ABC News, Washington.