Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, intends to ban smoking in all restaurants and bars in New York, which number around thirteen thousand. The mayor has asked the New York City Council to declare the use of tobacco in these public places illegal. Mr. Bloomberg states that bar staff and restaurant waiters, like employees in other institutions, deserve protection from the dangers of secondhand smoke. If the smoking ban regulations are implemented in New York, the city will join over 70 cities and two states, namely California and Delaware, which have prohibited tobacco use in nearly all offices and institutions. Meanwhile, Joseph Eszterhas, a famous screenwriter who has developed throat cancer due to years of smoking addiction, has urged Hollywood to stop glamorizing the act of smoking in films. He admits to feeling guilty for portraying smoking as an enticing act in his famous screenplays. He no longer believes that smoking is a fundamental right and argues that it should be recognized as illegal, similar to other drugs like heroin.
Smoking Ban Proposal in Public Places in New York - 2002-08-10
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is proposing a smoking ban in all public restaurants and bars to protect workers from secondhand smoke. This initiative aligns New York with over 70 other cities and states that have similar regulations. Notably, screenwriter Joseph Eszterhas, a cancer survivor due to smoking, advocates for reducing smoking's glamorization in Hollywood.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a ban on smoking in all public restaurants and bars in New York to protect workers from secondhand smoke. This proposal aligns New York with other cities and states that have enacted similar bans.
- The smoking ban would affect approximately thirteen thousand restaurants and bars in New York.
- Joseph Eszterhas advocates for reducing the glamorization of smoking in Hollywood due to his own battle with throat cancer.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The early 2000s saw a rise in public health initiatives aimed at reducing smoking and its associated risks, particularly in urban environments.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%