
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 28, 1993                   TAG: 9307290450
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ENFORCE RULES AGAINST SMOKING

AS THE ADAGE goes "You've come a long way baby," but not long enough. All public buildings, as well as many private businesses in the Roanoke Valley, have banned smoking.

I have not attended a civic center event in many years until recently. I was pleased to see the NO SMOKING signs clearly posted at each entrance. As I proceeded to find my reserved seat, I was appalled at the number of other spectators who were smoking. Civic Center officials were ignoring the situation. Several people in my party and myself are allergic to smoke, and one person kindly asked a young lady sitting next to us not to smoke and reminded her of the NO SMOKING signs. This, of course, was a waste of time.

I'm sure it's difficult to control large crowds who attend concerts, but it would only take a few to be escorted out if not complying for the others to catch on. An overall announcement repeated several times over the loud speakers prior to the concert would also be a powerful reminder.

Joe Walsh and Glenn Frye were terrific, but I didn't enjoy myself because I couldn't breathe! Now I know why I haven't attended concerts in the past. If you're going to post NO SMOKING signs, enforce it! If you can't enforce the issue, take the signs down so that I and others who detest this habit will not waste our money at the Roanoke Civic Center.JULIE R. GLADU FINCASTLE

by CNB