Smoke-Free Stadium

A red-letter day for San Diego sports fans is here--Jan. 1, the effective date for the new policy ensuring smoke-free seating in Jack Murphy Stadium.

The American Lung Assn., along with other organizations, has been working hard to achieve a reasonable policy restricting smoking at the stadium, and we are delighted that the tenants and the Stadium Authority have made our vision a reality. We know that the decision was not an easy one and that a great deal of effort was put forth in coming up with a plan that would be fair to all concerned. We believe everyone--fans, teams and stadium management--will be pleased with the result.

We also extend a sincere thank-you to the fans: to nonsmokers who persevered in asking for smoke-free seating even when it seemed an impossibility, and to courteous smokers who already were not smoking in seating areas and who showed that this type of approach could work.

Now we are all calling on all fans, nonsmokers and smokers alike, to team up and make the new policy as successful as possible. We hope that smokers will graciously comply with the policy and smoke only in stadium concourse areas, and that nonsmokers will be supportive as smokers adjust to the new rules. Then all of can have a winning season.

MARK NELSON, President, American Lung Assn. of San Diego and Imperial Counties