Ron Beagley -Mayor of Walnut Creek, California on his crusade for non-smoker’s rights.(1994)

Added: 2026-05-23

[00:00:00]Thank you, Terry. It's 14 minutes after 7:00 now. And the city of Walnut Creek is involved in a bit of a controversy these days. It involves a proposed new anti-smoking law that would be one of the toughest in the nation, virtually banning smoking in all public buildings, including restaurants and bars. Joining us now is the sponsor of that bill, Walnut Creek Assemblyman Ron Beagley.

[00:00:19]Councilman. Councilman, I'm sorry. I apologize. Welcome to Mornings on 2.

[00:00:23]First of all, what's the purpose of this new bill? Well, it seems extremely harsh. Well, it may seem extremely harsh, but unfortunately the totals from cancer and heart and cardiovascular related diseases due to secondary and side stream smoke are very harsh as well. So, this is an effort to get smoke out of public places, including the workplace and as you said, restaurants and bars, and also to prohibit it cigarette vending machines within the city of Walnut Creek.

[00:00:49]I don't want to have a medical discussion with you, but even within the medical community, the effects of second hand smoke is a gray area. Still, many there have been some studies that indicate it is harmful and then many other doctors have come out and said it's not nearly as harmful as those studies could indicate. So, why not just go for these smoking areas in restaurants as it is now? Well, let me tell you, first of all, we had compelling medical evidence presented to our meeting last Tuesday night about the harmful effects of smoke, secondary and passive smoking. And secondly, the current air handling systems and the way things are designed in restaurants does not really separate the smokers from the non-smokers. About 10% of the population today, Steve, cannot go in regular restaurants and bars because they have upper respiratory ailments that preclude their going anywhere near smoke. So, those people are being excluded from public facilities. I I'm sure there are many people who would just choose to be away from smoke, but it's their choice to do that. People who smoke, do they not have rights?

[00:01:50]People who smoke have rights. They have the right to smoke wherever they want to as long as they don't impinge on another person's freedoms and right to breathe clean air. It's not a right that's guaranteed anywhere in the Constitution or anywhere in the state law for smokers to smoke wherever they please. Years ago, we passed a law about spitting on the sidewalk. We don't allow people to do that. We shouldn't allow people to do something that's just as socially reprehensible and much more dangerous to their health.

[00:02:15]>> There might be some economic ramifications of this as well and that it could hurt the businesses businesses of those restaurants and bars that will no longer be allowed >> to have people light up a cigarette while they're having a a drink or light up a cigarette after dinner? Well, those kinds of claims were being made by some of our restaurant tours and the same kinds of claims were made in San Luis Obispo, but all proved to be false. You know, Sacramento has passed this ordinance, so has Lodi, so has San Luis Obispo. So, it's something that's coming. I think it'll come first to California and I think eventually it'll spread throughout the nation because people do not want the adverse effects of secondary and side stream smoke.

[00:02:53]Obviously, or not not so obviously at all, but are you going to have difficulty passing this? There There are people who are opposed to this and vehemently and strongly opposed to this. Yes, there are people who are vehemently opposed to it and there were in San Luis Obispo, too.

[00:03:07]Interestingly enough, looking back on their ordinance, some of the people who were the most vehemently opposed to it in San Luis Obispo are now some of its strongest supporters. In a recent survey in San Luis Obispo, 73% of the people in the town support the ordinance. 38% of them are smokers themselves.

[00:03:23]So, I don't think the economics is going to be the overriding issue. It's a public health issue.

[00:03:27]>> Yeah, it is a public health issue. I agree to that, I think, but there's another issue there and that's having a government make up the minds of its people, make up their minds for them.

[00:03:35]And And I think a lot of people are are very cautious about allowing that to happen, whether it's a right issue or wrong issue. I don't think the government is trying to make up their minds. I think the government is doing what it should do and that is provide a safe place for people to dine and to entertain themselves in. You know, we do all kinds of laws. We have seatbelt laws, we're trying a helmet law in California. We do a number of things.

[00:03:56]That's one of the obligations of government is to help its people live in a safer environment. Tobacco smoke, only one out of every five Californians now smokes. Why should 80% of the people put up with a compulsive habit of 20% of people? It doesn't make sense to me. And you don't smoke? I don't smoke, no.

[00:04:13]Neither do I. Ron Begley, thank you very much for being with us this morning.

[00:04:16]>> Thank you, sir. Okay. Coming up next on Mornings on 2, getting rid of the pests without hurting the planet. An expert [music] talks about environmentally safe pest control.

[00:04:25]And we'll go live to our bureau in Washington for [music] the latest from the from the hill, right after this look at today's national weather forecast.

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