Tobacco Documents Online

f Los Angeles Times , ©c~t.. 111„19b4' Cai/lietsMasWySohed Few Fired Up Over L.A. Smoking Law By MIL^HiAEL. sQ1M:L Ttimu Stnf f wrtcer M any Angelenos awoka Wednesday morning: took a deep breath of fresh air or, lighted up the first cigarette of a two-pack-a-dity habit, and yawned deeply at the news that the City Council has tentatively passed a strong new no-amoking,lzw, Few of those contacted ditring,tdte day e:pressed mueh emotion. and just about no~one got bent out of shape over the new, prohibitionon smoking',in the workplace. The ordinance, passed by a 10-1 City Council vote 'luesdyr, would force employers to work outaccommodatuons for nonsmok- ees, or face1 an employee ban1 oni smoking in the workplace. F1nal approval by the council and signature into laµ• by Mayor Tom Bradley are considered a virtual' certainty. The law would take effect four months from now. The consensus of' a highiy infortnal! and unscientific. Times survey indicated that dhspite some pockets of ' tuthappmess ~ and ill-feeling, most employers and employees in tihecity had amiably. Smokinb debate flares inTarzana. Part 11, Page 8. worked out the problem years ago and, if they hadn't, were quite willing,to sit down like grown-ups and get, it out of the way before the law is in Sorce: In fact, the lack of'reaction was most noticeable in the mayor's ; office, where the phones weren't exactly ringing,off the hook. In a city of nearly 3 million, precisely two people called the raayor-one infavor and one against. aspokesman said. There was no~great excitement; either, over at the L,os Angeless offices of the American Lung Assn.. where there's not' a wholeJot of question or debate on the organtzation's stand ion the issue. Rose Schlieter. a consultant to the local chapter. said that aboutt five years ago the association started its policy of no smokmg in the building, buU backsliders can-and do-grab a smoke outside on, the patio: Perhaps five of the associationis 45 employees are smokers, she said, adding. "We recognise it's a difficult habit too quit and we don't discriminate againsttithem.•, One of "them" is Lee Heniey: 55. manager of mailing operations and a cigarette smoker for 30 years. "I feel eelf-conscious about it since I' work here." he said, expressing support for the new city law. "I think it's a positive law: Smoking is like using vulgar language in the office or coming,to work in a bathing suit. I don't'. feel it't my right to blow smoke in aomeone's face." At the Music Center, in the administrative offices of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the cultured folk who work there would not, dream of lighting up: according to Mark Crane, administrative assistant to the controller. "We have no members of: the staff'who are outwardly smokers. though there are a couple of people who do it in the car on the way to work; or at lunch away frpm the others." he said. "It's because we are all artistically inclined and temperamental people who, if rlk.ae see SMORIhIIC,, ragr28 e i NN-8

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