The last remnants of lit cigarettes legally allowed in Baton Rouge’s bars and casinos could soon turn to ash if the Smoke-free East Baton Rouge campaign is successful in creating an East Baton Rouge Parish ordinance to prohibit smoking in all workplaces.
A group of doctors, public health officials, bar owners, musicians and others announced Tuesday they want Baton Rouge to tighten smoking laws, citing public health and quality-of-life benefits. Councilwomen Tara Wicker and Chauna Banks-Daniel said they will bring an ordinance proposal to the parish Metro Council once the smoke free campaign has gained traction and they have lined up the votes for it.
“Where is the anger over second-hand smoke?” asked Jule Assercq, a Baton Rouge physician who has worked closely with asthma patients. “We don’t need to measure that in parts per million, you can see it and you can smell it.”
A handful of local people delivered testimonies Tuesday night at a community meeting at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church about how smoking affected their lives and the lives of their family members.
