With Indianapolis hosting the 2012 Super Bowl, the Indiana General Assembly is rushing to do what the host city failed to do on its own — enact a ban on smoking in public places.
It should not seem so odd that Indianapolis failed to enact the ban. It is controversial, to be sure. It pits Indiana's long tradition of supporting personal liberty — in this case, the right to puff away in public — against the need to protect the health of Hoosiers and their visitors.
The concept of "if they don't like my smoke, then can go elsewhere" is hardly the Hoosier hospitality the state hopes to project when the Super Bowl brings visitors to Indiana hotels.
That's why people such as South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority honcho Speros Batistatos are lobbying for a statewide smoking ban. Simply put, it's good for the tourism business.
It's good for public health, too, which is why state Rep. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, has been relentless in his pursuit of this ban on smoking in public places. This year, he has some additional muscle — Gov. Mitch Daniels and House Speaker Brian Bosma, both Republicans, who have vowed to make passing this bill a priority.
With a statewide ban on smoking in public places, Hoosiers and visitors whose respiratory health is compromised, along with those who want to keep their lungs clear, will be protected. And smokers still will be able to puff away in private, where they will harm only themselves and their families.
A statewide ban also means communities such as Indianapolis won't have to worry about what the economic impact of a ban will be on local businesses. Tourism officials know that a smoking ban helps draw business, but local businesses worried about losing customers who smoke often don't see the big picture. They're too worried about customers who would stay away to think about potential customers who already stay away because the air in that business is too fouled for easy breathing.
With the support of Daniels and Bosma, combined with the pressure to adopt the ban in time for the Super Bowl, 2012 could be the year to see this ban actually pass. It should.
We'll all breathe easier when that happens.