The Daily News

More than 100 Wilkin County fair attendees strongly support smoke-free fairgrounds, beating out 6 residents who opposed the idea. A total 163 people participated in the survey.

Teen members of the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs coalition (ATOD) administered the questionnaire to fairgoers from 21 different cities in the region. Some of the strongest comments in favor of the concept came from kids aged 15 to 17. According to one teen, "The fair is a great place to hang out with friends and family. It would be great if we didn't have to risk our health to have fun."

Addyson Diaz, 14, and three other high school girls presented the information at the ATOD meeting on Thursday. When asked what the group would like to achieve with the survey, Diaz said they wanted some freedom.

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"So if there is a designated area, it has to be really far away from everything - just over by the beer gardens - because it can still drift over," she said. "Hopefully, it's as smoke-free as possible."

In response to the popular argument that smoke-free areas can ruin business, Diaz said it's "a lot of baloney." Only 7 of those surveyed stated they would not return to the fair if it was smoke-free.

"If people knew that, their idea would totally change," she said.

The decision is now left in the hands of the Wilkin County Fair Board, which intends to take a closer look at the matter in the spring. If the board deems the fairgrounds smoke-free, they will likely have to designate areas and add more dominant signs.

"What happens is if you don't get proactive and get designated areas, then you deal with the no-smoking completely issue," he said. "What's the lesser of two evils?"

Jason Bergstrand, tobacco prevention coordinator at the Richland County Health Department, handed out a similar set of surveys at Crazy Daze in late July. The Richland County Tobacco-Free Coalition assessed public support for a local ordinance that would provide protection from second-hand smoke in bars and other public places.

Bergstrand, who was not at the ATOD meeting, said 75 out of 80 individuals favored an ordinance.

"We know the North Dakota Tobacco Prevention and Control Plan includes the goal of implementing a comprehensive, statewide smoke-free law that covers bars," he said. "However, it is likely that more cities across the state will need to pass a local comprehensive ordinance in order to pave the way for that goal...we hope Wahpeton will step up to the plate and be one of the leading cities in North Dakota."

Twenty-seven states have already enacted comprehensive smoke-free laws, including Minnesota and South Dakota.

Bergstrand said with all of the "clear and overwhelming" science available today showing the harmful affects of secondhand smoke, the community should get involved in protecting everyone from the substance.

Comments

ren wrote on Aug 26, 2009 12:56 AM:

" I think it should be tobacco free including chewing tobacco. I don't like to step on kodiak spit juice as I am walking to my car. "




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Wahpeton Reader wrote on Aug 22, 2009 5:53 AM:

" Smoke in your own homes? With all due respect there is a law being considered in the house to make the "illegal!" A little more socialism for ya! Go Bama! "




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TWO SIDES TO EVERY STORE wrote on Aug 21, 2009 6:50 PM:

" If There is no smoking at the fair there
should also be NO drinking. Our children
should not see either of these practice's

Think About It. "




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No Name wrote on Aug 20, 2009 3:32 PM:

" Being alergic to smoke- inside or outside coming in contact can set off a reaction that can debilitate me for days- not everytime does this happen, but why should I or others like have to be subject to this? Smoke in your own homes not in Public. Enjoying fresh air for 4 months out of the year should be just that fresh air "




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fair goer wrote on Aug 18, 2009 1:45 PM:

" I know there were a few smokers playing Bingo. It is no fun sitting there with your kids trying to enjoy a game of Bingo while smoke is blowing in your faces. We had to move twice because of this!! I'm all for rights but in this case, these smokers were infringing on my family's rights! "




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breck reader wrote on Aug 18, 2009 1:02 PM:

" If they make it smoke free who is going to monitor it so people don't try to sneak in a cig. This area has to many laws all ready they don't enforce whats one more! "




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Jake wrote on Aug 17, 2009 2:07 PM:

" Statistically speaking -- personal opinion aside -- if one assumes that the total fair attendance was about 25,000 (2007 estimate, which was the latest year I could find), one can state with 95% certainty that the findings of this survey are within about 7% of the actual level of support for a smoke free fair.

157 out of 163 people is about 96%. So, at the very least, 89% of the people attending the fair are in favor of it being smoke-free. "




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none wrote on Aug 17, 2009 12:17 PM:

" The funny thing about this survey and the people supposedly doing it are probably closet smokers anyways. Not saying they are, but this whole situation is hypocritcal. Socialism is coming to our "free" country, so we better get used to it. No more people died in the older days from smoking than they do now and the kids still survived then; and most of them lived in a household that smoked and they really breathed it in. This is getting way out of hand! "




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jzseghku wrote on Aug 17, 2009 11:52 AM:

" why is it stupid? i would love to not breath in polluted air.i think people can stand not smoking for at least a little while. Give the lungs a break. There was also more than ONE person smoking outside. "




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Wahpeton reader wrote on Aug 16, 2009 7:58 AM:

" This is sooo stupid. I have no problem not smoking around kids. I have four and don't smoke around them now. How many kids are in the beer garden? And now we're afraid that being OUTSIDE the smoke might drift? Common sense just went out the window..
I made a point of looking for people smoking at the fair this year. I saw ONE person that was not in the beer garden and he was driving a tractor. "




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... wrote on Aug 15, 2009 5:48 PM:

" I believe that you would have to take a larger survey to get more accurate numbers on this.... 163 people is a small number for the population of the two towns!! I am not a smoker, but I believe we live in the land of the free, so why is the freedom for all the smokers being flushed down the drain? "




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