Leading up to municipal elections, we look at the effort to repeal the citywide smoking ban. Back in August assembly members voted to expand that ban to include bars and bingo halls. A Libertarian group calling itself Stomp the Ban formed, saying the law restricted too many individual and business owner rights. Group members ended up gathering enough signatures to get their repeal placed on Tuesday's ballot. Stomp the Ban officials admit they are taking on a monster to win.

Proposition 1

From a "Vote No" Commercial:

Secondhand smoke causes heart disease and lung cancer, killing tens of thousands of non-smokers each year.

Chances are by now, you've seen this commercial urging

you to vote no on Proposition 1. The commercial is part of Keep Anchorage Workplaces Smoke Free's 100,000-dollar campaign to defeat the proposition. The group is made up of big medical players in the community.

"This issue is about protecting people's rights to breathe clean, smoke-free air. We know that secondhand smoke kills about 50,000 non-smokers annually from heart disease and lung cancer," said Eric Myers, chair of Keep Anchorage workplaces Smoke-Free.

"This really is a David verses Goliath battle. And as much as everyone wants to make us out to seem like we're the spokespeople for big tobacco, we're not," said Zack Keeton of Stomp the Ban.

Keeton and Jason Dowell are the Libertarian smokers who gathered enough signatures to get the smoking ban on Tuesday's ballot. Contrary to the other side, they've only raised about 2,000 dollars, but say their grassroots effort is the only way to stand up for everyone's rights.

"I was motivated to do this out of anger and for the rights of people. You know, I'm sick of my rights being taken away from me," said Keeton.

"I think that it's curious the Libertarians have gotten involved in this. Because if you understand Libertarian philosophy, basically

it's you should be able to live your life freely, provided you don't infringe on the rights of others. This is a classic case where you not only have a small group of people infringing on the rights of others, but causing disease and death," said Myers.

"You do have rights as individuals. And you do have the right to breathe clean air. Nobody's saying that. If I don't want to breathe smokey air, I don't go to those places," said Jason Dowell of Stomp the Ban.

"I think people have the choice to be in there, honestly. I think that it's a private business choice. And I think it's a worker's choice. And I think the other patrons that are around me, it's their choice to, if they chose to be around me. And everyone's choosing the same

risk to be in that establishment," said Keeton.

And so what the real issue is, comes down to how you see it.
The no votes say it's your health.
The yes votes say it's your rights.

"So it's all about health, in terms of rights. Yes, there are rights involved. And the most important right is everyone's fundamental right to breathe clean air," said Myers.

"Nobody's defending smoking. It's bad for you. It will kill you or possibly make you very unhealthy. It's not going to help you out in any way. You should not do it. I think we should encourage people not to do that. But we should always defend private property," said Keeton.

Keep Anchorage Workplaces Smoke-Free officials say all that's really being promoted here is the idea smokers should go outside so their secondhand smoke does not affect anyone else. Stomp the Ban officials say they've heard from women who say the problem with that idea is when they go outside to smoke, someone could drug their drink, or sexually abuse them outside.

To contact Matthew, call 907-273-3186.