Going smoke-free didn't burn hotel
By MATT VAN DER PEET
Seattle PI Guest Columnist
Six months after the state's smoking ban went into effect, the era of smoky restaurants and bars in Washington is receding into memory. We now know that the dire predictions of smoked profits at affected establishments were off the mark. In fact, many businesses are thriving as a result of the ban.
But although diners and bar patrons in Washington state are guaranteed a smoke-free environment, most hotel guests don't have the same luxury. The state smoking ban exempts hotel rooms and the hotel industry has long fought going smoke-free for fear that a complete ban on smoking would burn hotel profits.
As someone who opened a smoke-free hotel in Bellevue in November, I know firsthand that such concerns are unfounded. In December, Westin Hotels and Resorts announced it would become the first hotel chain to go 100 percent smoke-free in North America, as part of a promise to guests that our hotels are a haven where they can breathe free. While other Westins across the country invested in the expensive and time-consuming process to remove ashtrays and fully clean their rooms, our hotel has been smoke-free from the day we opened.
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Creating Smoke Free Living through the Built Environment
Program Manager Roger Valdez recently presented at a conference in San Diego on increasing smoke free housing through incentives for building developers.
Download the Powerpoint Presentation - 120KB
To request an information packet, send your mailing address to Roger at roger.valdez@metrokc.gov.
Voters pass I-901:
Prepare for a smoke free Washington!
On Tuesday, November 8th, 2005, Washington voters chose clean air and overwhelmingly approved Initiative 901. The initiative amends the 1985 Clean Indoor Air Act and now requires that ALL work places be 100% smoke free.
This means that on December 8th, Washington will join the growing list of smoke free states.
What does this mean for you as a resident or business owner? The links below contain information and answers to some frequently asked questions.
Smoke Free Coalition of Seattle/King County
Welcome to the Smoke Free Coalition of Seattle/King County, a resource established to help local businesses go smoke free. With the passage of 901 the switch won’t just be a great idea it will be the law.
We want to help make the transition as easy as possible. And if you a customer this is your chance to go to all those places you couldn’t visit because of all of the smoke. Check out our newsletter for details about the ban and when it kicks in.
Going smoke free is good for business. It helps reduce operating costs, caters to the majority of customers.
The Smoke Free Coalition of Seattle/King County is a coalition of businesses, with administrative support from the Seattle/King County Department of Public Health. To reach the Coalition, please contact:
Public Health - Seattle & King County Tobacco Prevention Program
999 Third Ave, Suite 500
Seattle, WA 98104
e-mail: info@smokefreeseattle.org
If you have a concern about the ban or want to report a violation the quickest way to do it is to send an e-mail to tobacco.prevention@metrokc.gov. Give us the address and all the relevant information. We will follow up with you via e-mail unless a phone number or physical address is given in your concern. Keep in mind that the ban does not go into effect until the first week in December.
If you have questions about the Coalition, e-mail us and we will respond via e-mail or phone.
Membership in the Smoke Free Coalition of Seattle/King County is free. To join your peers and start receiving benefits today, please complete this form.
Time to Quit!
This would be a great time to quit smoking. Need help? Contact us at (206) 296-7613 or call the Washington State Quitline at 1-877-270-STOP (4867). Check out their website at quitline.com for information on the free services they provide.