Hospital officials back Springfield smoking ban

Officials with CoxHealth, Mercy Springfield Communities, Jordan Valley Community Health Center and Ozarks Community Hospital have made public their support of the Springfield smoking ban, which tonight will face Springfield City Council action.

Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth; Jon Swope, president and CEO of Mercy Springfield Communities; K. Brooks Miller, president and CEO of JVIC; and Paul Taylor, CEO of Ozarks Community Hospital, jointly signed a March 23 statement saying the health systems "stand united in our support for Springfield's voter-approved smoke-free ordinance."

During its March 12 meeting, City Council heard concerns from speakers on both sides of the issue surrounding an initiative petition that would repeal the smoking ban, which was placed on most businesses by 53 percent of the voters in April 2011.

Tonight, council is expected to vote on the initiative during the bill's second reading.

To bring the possible repeal before council, the group Live Free Springfield collected 2,000 signatures that were provided to the city in early February. A handful of businesses have gotten behind the repeal ordinance, such as Just For Him, Smoke 51 Outlet and Knightyme Bar & Billiards Inc., according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

In the statement, hospital officials noted the adverse health effects of cigarettes, and willed council to pass the issue back to voters, if necessary.

"If City Council cannot reach a reasonable compromise related to the smoke-free issue, we encourage them to return the ordinance to the voters, where it originated, so that it can be defended," the statement reads. "In our view, adding exemptions that fail to protect the rights of employees to breath clean indoor air in the workplace would undermine the law, negatively impactive quality of life in this great community and ultimately jeopardize public health."

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