Welcome to Tobacco Prevention Success Stories!

It was last summer that Marquette entrepreneur Dan Dallas had an idea. As the owner of several Marquette-area businesses, Dallas was informed that his bowling facility, Superior Lanes, would be one of many businesses required to comply with the new countywide ordinance on smoke-free workplaces, which would officially take effect November 1, 2006. Becoming compliant with the new law didn’t require much effort for most businesses other than to eliminate whatever they still permitted in the workplace in the way of indoor smoking, such as a break room or other enclosed smoking areas, but Dallas’s initial thought was that a bowling alley presented unique challenges. Dallas had even researched the idea of how Superior Lanes might qualify for an exemption to the law. With an attached bar or restaurant, Superior Lanes may not have to go entirely smoke-free, or so he wondered.

Then the idea of going completely smokefree came to him, partly as a result of conversations with patrons and staff, partly as a way of acknowledging his own long-term respiratory problems. Superior Lanes would be a lot healthier place for people to recreate without any smoke. The image Dallas had always wished to project for his facility was one of good clean fun for people of all ages, including children.

Dallas felt the new law was a positive step, and he realized that the real intrusion was the cigarette smoke that he and his staff had learned to withstand. Furthermore, Superior Lanes wasn’t, as Dallas said, "a place to come to because you can smoke." Still, as a county business owner, he had a choice. He could wait until the law took effect before he acted, or he could do what he knew was right, which was to declare before the fall leagues were underway, that his facility needed to go smoke-free. "We also didn’t want to surprise anybody come November 1," he said.

In short, his plan has become a windfall. "And quite frankly, I didn’t see it coming," Dallas said. "For eight months, we’ve been smoke-free and all I hear are compliments." The only complaints he hears now about smoking are about the other bowling centers in the region, which continue to permit it. "The leagues are coming here now because they like the clean air, but even more people are coming for open bowling, which now represents nearly half our business." For more information on this story contact Dan Dallas at 906-226-7536.

Chris Filizetti

Chris works for the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company as a Production Loader/Heavy Equipment Operator. Recently, Marquette County passed a smokefree workplace regulation that extended coverage to company vehicles like those driven by Chris.  He is assigned to loading 240 ton production trucks and spends over 8 hours per day loading ore.  According to Chris if one of the other 3 people assigned to the loader smokes, he can immediately tell!  “We can’t even open the windows on these loaders so the smoke is even worse.  The smoke and chemicals get stuck on everything in the cab.  The smokefree regulation and workplace policy has been fantastic!  I no longer have to clean the inside of the cab. The air and the environment in the cab are so much cleaner for us all.  I applaud the Marquette County Tobacco Free Community Coalition for all their resources and efforts in making Marquette Smokefree,” says Chris.

Radio Story

Vicki Luokkala

Age 51

I have been a smoker for 33 years. I started my senior year of High School. I smoked on and off for my first 5 years, then moved to the U.P. and smoking became part of me.

I am married, (to a smoker) and the mother of three children, stepmother to two more. I also have to eight wonderful  grandchildren. Thank goodness none of my children are smokers. I promised my oldest grandson Bryce, that I would quit on my birthday (last year). He reminded me of that on my birthday this year. I have tried to quit in the past, and as you can see have been unsuccessful.

I have many reasons for wanting to quit smoking but the number one reason is for me. I have had recent health issues, and heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol are prevalent in my family history. I want to be around to see my grandchildren grow up and to enjoy my retirement years (which are more than a few years away.) I am glad the YMCA and the Marquette County Tobacco Coalition have put this program together.   The Quit and Get Fit Program is a great opportunity for me to get in shape and quit smoking for good!

Bonanza Family Restaurant

FROM:  Mitch Lazeren, Marquette, MI

I am writing to share my experience working with the Marquette County Health Department’s Tobacco Prevention program.  As the owner of Bonanza Family Restaurant in Marquette, I would like to tell you about the positive experience I have had working with the Health Department staff.  On January 1, 2006, we implemented a 100% Smokefree policy in the restaurant.  Before the policy was implemented, however, we contacted the Tobacco Prevention coordinator for the Health Department.  The Tobacco Education coordinator met with my staff to discuss a plan to educate our customers about the policy and provide stop smoking information to our workers, many of whom are in High School.  We gained valuable insight on how to implement the policy and were successful in educating our customers on the health reasons we needed to go smokefree.  Youth working on Tobacco Prevention in Marquette County even gave us an award for our smokefree efforts which led to articles in two local newspapers.  I am glad to say our smokefree policy has been a huge success for our business and our health!  As a business owner I am thankful for their support and hope that this assistance will continue to be provided to all businesses in Marquette County.

Franklin Square Tap

Eirik Vitso works full-time as a bartender at the Franklin Square Tap.  On May 31, 2005, the Franklin Square Tap became the first bar in the five counties of the Western U.P. to go smoke-free. Eirik, a non-smoker, who is also a member of Michigan Tech's Rowing Team, noticed an immediate difference in his stamina.  When asked what the best thing about working in a smoke-free environment is, Eirik said "I don't go home feeling like I smoked.  I feel a lot cleaner, a lot healthier."   Eirik added that there have been very few complaints from patrons.  "Some of our regulars who smoked even quit.  They said this (smoke-free policy) helped them because they weren't around smoke."   The Copper Country Tobacco-Free Coalition was happy to assist Jon and Greg Davis, father and son who own and manage the Franklin Square Tap and the attached Northern Lights Restaurant, in making the decision to protect the health of employees and patrons.

Janet Schwandt

Janet Schwandt, 57, suffers from asthma, which limits her choices about where she dines and where she goes for entertainment.  "As I grow older, my tolerance to secondhand smoke lessens with each year."  Janet said one of the hardest parts is that she isn't able to go to listen to her son Joe's band play because the secondhand smoke in a bar would trigger an asthma attack. 

Janet said she is grateful that the health department's tobacco coordinator is working to educate the public about the dangers of secondhand smoke.  She said "I hope one day I can go out without worrying that secondhand smoke in a public place will send me to the hospital."