Airline Smoking Ban
- In the face of mounting evidence of the harmful effects of smoking in confined spaces, the airlines failed to protect the health and safety of passengers and crew. The airlines’ approach—designated smoking and non-smoking sections—did not reduce exposure to tobacco smoke.
- In the 1980s, several studies linked lung cancer and other diseases in non-smokers to exposure to tobacco smoke. Led by Patty Young, a group of flight attendants lobbied Congress for nearly two decades to end smoking on commercial aircraft. Although fiercely opposed by the tobacco industry and most airlines, a federal smoking ban on domestic flights of less than two hours went into effect on January 1, 1988. The popularity of this measure intensified the focus on smoking as an occupational health hazard and a danger for children and other non-smokers. Congress extended the airline smoking ban to all domestic flights under six hours in 1990 and to all domestic and international flights in 2000.
“Smoking Section, No Smoking Section, Trying to Stop Smoking Section”
Wayne Stayskal (1931-2018)
The Chicago Tribune
August 3, 1981
“…The Federal Aviation Administration must assure the public of the airline’s safety. Can you do it?”
“No problem. I used to be a tobacco company salesman!”
Kevin Siers
The Charlotte Observer
May 21, 1996
“Of course, there is a downside to smoking bans on domestic flights…”
Jeff Koterba
The Omaha World-Herald
1990
“Jessie Helms smoking”
Gary Brookins
The Richmond Times-Dispatch
September 15, 1989
“I can pray but I can’t smoke.”
“Smoke, but don’t get caught praying.”
Dick Locher (1929-2017)
The Chicago Tribune
1984
“Withdrawal-induced nostalgia”
Dan Piraro
“Bizarro” comic strip
2000
“I fall squarely and proudly into the stereotype ‘ex-smokers are the worst.’ I smoked two packs a day for ten years and kept in mind how revolting it could be to others. As a consequence, I have no tolerance whatsoever for indoor smoking in public places.”
— Dan Piraro
“The Civil Aeronautics Board has turned off the no smoking sign, and you are now free to smoke in the designated area.”
Pat Oliphant
Los Angeles Times Syndicate
The Saratogian/Tri-County News (Saratoga Springs, New York)
June 8, 1984
“Ripley’s Believe It or Else! Northwest Airlines bans smoking.”
Milt Priggee
The Spokesman-Review/Spokane Chronicle
March 25, 1988
“John Fischetti [1915-1980, editorial cartoonist for the Chicago Daily News (1967-1978) and the Chicago Sun-Times (1978-1980)] was a great cartoonist and force of nature. He shared with me a lifetime of wisdom and newspaper cartooning insight during the last four years of his life. He knocked on doors for me, took me out to lunch and even pushed work my way. John was my cheerleader and mentor.
“Twenty summers ago I was in Santa Fe, New Mexico, living every young cartoonist’s dream. I was having dinner (one of the best chicken ‘n’ margarita dinners ever) with one of cartooning’s gods, Bill Mauldin [1921-2003, editorial cartoonist for Stars & Stripes in World War II, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (1948-1962), and the Chicago Sun-Times (1962-1991)]. Our wives were tucking in our children for the night. This left me alone with my idol to talk about my friend Fischetti, who had passed away five years before.
“Bill shared with me a phone call he’d had with John as his health worsened. Fischetti told Mauldin, ‘Bill, I’m really going to quit smoking. I’m really going to do it this time.’ Bill said he’d never forget that call in part because of the desperation in John’s voice and because Bill remembered to himself that this new attempt to quit was too little, too late.”
“And people ask me where I get my inspiration…”
— Milt Priggee