Maryland Ban on Smoking

Prior to December 31, 1998, Maryland was the only state to have antismoking bans for the workplace (State, 2005). The 1995 Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Act (MOSH) prohibited smoking in most indoor workplaces unless confined to an enclosed, separately ventilated smoking room (Smoking, 2005). The Act also restricted smoking in restaurants with a liquor license to an area next to the bar or in a separate enclosed room occupying less than 40 percent of the total area of the restaurant. In restaurants without a liquor license, smoking was only allowed in a separate enclosed room occupying less than 40 percent of the total area of the restaurant. Smoking was allowed in bars with no restrictions.

A study by Bero, Montini, Bryan-Jones and Mangurian (2001) showed that opposition to the tobacco ban came primarily from the tobacco industry, small businesses and business organizations who appeared to launch a coordinated effort to defeat the Act. There was very little in the way of public health support for the regulations at that time. Scientific arguments were used more often by those opposing the ban than those trying to impose it. Supporters tended to emphasize the quantity of evidence of the harm of smoking, while opponents of the ban emphasized the quality, reliability and validity of the scientific evidence. Economic, ideological, political and procedural arguments were more common.

Maryland legislators argued that they were issuing the ban to protect the h

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Category: Government - M