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First Lady Rallies For A Smoke Free Tennessee

First lady Andrea Conte kicked off a state wide rally Monday morning on the steps of Legislative Plaza urging support of a measure that would ban smoking in all public buildings, including bars and restaurants. 

State Senator Roy Herron gave an emotional testimony about losing his dad and sister to the effects of smoking, and said the time to act is now.

"We can protect our workers, our businesses, our taxpayers, and all Tennesseans who believe in life...Help us choose life," Herron said.

Twenty-two other states have smoking bans in public buildings, but getting that kind of measure passed in Tennessee could be tough. Tennesseans have strong feelings about both sides of the issue.

"It's no longer an issue of personal liberty or civil rights. It's a matter of do people have the right to infect other people with their disease-causing chemicals," Randy Rayburn with the Midtown Café said.

Health educator Deborah Carpenter lost her mother to the effects of smoking, and teaching the dangers of smoking the day after she died.

"And it makes my job worthwhile. It makes me feel like we're making a difference. I know we can. I know we can make a difference in Tennessee. There are too many lives lost," Carpenter said.

Plenty of smokers objected to the proposed ban.

"I definitely think it's the government stepping in too much, but they tend to do that a lot," Tara Keen of Portland said.

Jennifer Burns of Madisonville said she would not be happy with a ban.

However, Felicia Green supported the ban even though she is a smoker.

"Cancer runs in my family, and I know I'm smoking, but for them, second hand smoke," Green said.

State leaders said 1,000 lives were on the line each year. 

"We absolutely must stop second hand smoke exposure," heath commissioner Susan Cooper said.

The smoke-free Tennessee rally continues in other cities across the state this week.