To the editor:

It seems to me that the Journal-World has been fair and diligent in covering the increasing discourse regarding a clean-air ordinance for Lawrence. As chairman of the Clean Air Lawrence Coalition, I hope that the coverage continues as the discourse widens. It is long overdue.

I agreed to chair this coalition of concerned citizens primarily for a personal reason: I lost both of my parents and my only sibling to smoking-induced illness. Then, as I learned more about the solid consensus in peer-reviewed research about the hazard of environmental tobacco smoke, I was convinced that promotion of clean indoor air was the next frontier in the battle against smoking-related disease and fatality. In particular, the assurance of a smoke-free workplace for all is the next priority.

The Clean Air Lawrence Coalition is working to remind the community about the health hazards and public costs of tobacco smoke, including secondhand smoke. Good public policy is necessary to deal with this hazard.

Bob Campbell,

Lawrence