One of every 100 Americans is an active ACS volunteer, they claim. The American Heart Association maintains local chapters in 3,000 communities. That's more than 61,000 staffed offices or units supporting smoking restriction legislation across he country. And I'm not including the grass roots organizations such as GASP which form to work on specific pieces of legislation. And those numbers don't even take into account the fact that those 75 individuals boast a far greater credibility with legislators and the general public than our one.
Public opinion is increasingly on the anti-smokers' side as well.
Our 1984 Roper survey found increasing support for separate sections for smokers in public places, especially in eating and work places. A decade ago, about half the public favored separate smoking and nonsmoking sections in restaurants. Lower sales, of course. The Tobacco Merchants Association took a look at smoking restriction legislation and cigarette consumption between 1961 and 1982. Our 1984 Roper data gives us another clue.