Smoking Ban on U.S. Flights Is Weakened

An attempt to ban smoking on all domestic airline flights suffered a setback Tuesday when a North Carolina congressman succeeded in watering down the proposed bill to instead merely extend the current smoking prohibition on flights of two hours or less.

Declaring that an “equitable solution” requires that we “have all the facts before enacting permanent legislation,” Rep. Tim Valentine (D-N.C.) won approval from the House Public Works and Transportation Committee’s subcommittee on aviation for extension of the current ban, which expires next April.

However, Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.), author of the original measure, said that he hopes to restore tougher prohibitions to the legislation when it comes before the full committee later this week.

Calling cigarette smoke a health hazard and the “worst sort of indoor pollution,” he maintains that a ban on all domestic flights is justified. The Environmental Protection Agency, the American Medical Assn., the surgeon general, the National Academy of Sciences and the Assn. of Flight Attendants have endorsed such a ban.

Congressmen from tobacco-growing states have contended evidence is lacking that second-hand smoke poses a problem on airliners.