wow. actually being a part of a campaign in this monumental election felt amazing. not to mention the fact that we won. i would love to say that i would have the same level of excitement had issue 5 lost, but i truley don’t know if i would. it is exciting to see ohio as a whole saw through the lies of the r.j. reynolds tobacco company and the lies of issue 4. i was listening to the bbc on the way to work this morning and it was exciting to hear them talking about smoke free ohio and why we won. in their eyes issue 5 passed because of the grassroots campaign led not by big tobacco funding, but by volunteers who gave their time to get the word out. issue 4’s campaign spent over five million dollars on lying to ohio voters, issue 5 and the american cancer society spent a tenth of that but passed because of the honest truth.

here in lies the issue for every smoker who wants to comment; you will ask, what about my rights?
what about them? what about my rights as a non-smoker to breath clean, unpolluted air as i eat, or when i go to a bar? is smoking really a right? were you born with a cigarette in hand? did you come out of the womb looking for that first drag? no. the first thing you did when you came into this world was took a deep breath of fresh, clean air. i have more of a right to breath air then you do as a smoker to spread your secondhand smoke to myself and my family. you have the freedom to smoke still. outdoors, in your car, in your home, in your private club. but if you and i go to a bar, both pay the cover charge, and both buy a drink or two, who has more of a “right”? you, to endanger the lives of those around you? or me, to breathe fresh, clean air? think about it, it should make sense.