Proposal would stub out smokers' indoor havens

Publication Date: 2007-05-23

• Author:DAVE HOGAN
• Publication:The Oregonian

The Senate approves a bill to ban smoking in bars, bingo halls and bowling alleys starting in 2009.

That could change under a bill approved Tuesday by the Senate. It would make bingo halls, bars and bowling alleys smoke-free beginning in January 2009. The bill, which has Gov. Ted Kulongoski's support, now goes to the House...

The Oregon Legislature approved an indoor smoking ban in 2001, but it exempted bars, bingo halls and bowling centers. An estimated 35,000 people work in the Oregon businesses where smoking is still allowed.

Senate Bill 571 takes aim at those exemptions -- and the health problems caused by smoking and secondhand smoke, including cancer and lung and heart disease.