FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                   September 25, 2006

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
             A.J. “Tito” Baca, 301-785-4147 / votebaca@comcast.net

MEDIA ALERT FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 AT 3 P.M.

COUNTY COUNCIL CANDIDATE A.J. “TITO” BACA CALLS FOR COUNTY SMOKING BAN FOR BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN ANNE ARUNDEL

ANNAPOLIS – Declaring the need to protect hospitality workers and customers from the deadly affects of secondhand smoke, Anne Arundel County Council Candidate A.J. “Tito” Baca will hold a press conference on Tuesday, September 26 at 3 p.m. at the Sly Fox Tavern on Church Circle calling for a county-wide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. As Councilman, Baca will pledge to immediately introduce a bill to ban smoking in bars and restaurants, the only exemption currently allowed in workplace smoking laws. He wi ll also outline his proposals for addressing other urgent needs during the event.

Baca, who teaches health, nutrition and physical education as an Associate Professor at Montgomery College and as an Adjunct Professor at Anne Arundel Community College, will call on other candidates to make the same pledge to protect workers’ health and allow customers a healthier and more enjoyable experience. Currently, four counties in Maryland have smoking bans for bars and restaurants – Prince George’s, Montgomery, Ho ward and Talbot. Charles County has a county-wide ban on smoking in restaurants. Baltimore City will hold a hearing later this fall on a city-wide smoking ban. Nationwide, 14 states and 200 jurisdictions currently have smoking bans for all bars and restaurants. Along the East Coast, from Maine to Washington D.C. to Delaware, Maryland is the only state without a smoking ban for bars and restaurants. Philadelphia’s Mayor signed its smoke-free bill last week.