DALLAS, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- National legislation should ban smoking in all U.S. workplaces, the American Medical Association urged Tuesday.
In its interim meeting, the policymaking House of Delegates of the AMA expanded a resolution aimed at dining establishments to include the workplace.
The resolution was overwhelmingly approved by the body with the added provision that any law enacted not conflict with stricter state or local smoking bans.
"It seemed obvious that when people are in the workplace they are gathered in groups much the way they are in restaurants and food establishments," said Robert Wah, a reproductive endocrinologist from McLean, Va., and a member of the AMA Board of Trustees. "The goal of this policy is that, in addition to restaurants, the work place needs protection as well," he said.
Wah noted that 12 states already have laws and regulations banning smoking in the workplace as do many U.S. cities.
