Tim Alford, M.D., of Kosciusko, Miss., was at home one night last fall, sitting in the kitchen while his wife did the dishes. His wife and son were talking. That riled up his father. The next morning, before seeing patients, Alford called the local school superintendent.
Some schools have smoking zones intended to be out of the children's sight.
The teacher may have been in a smoking zone. Alford recalled seeing football coaches smoking. The state superintendent replied that if Alford could get support, the state department of education might back a statute for smoke-free schools across the state. So Alford called the state health officer. Then the Mississippi Medical Association got on the bandwagon.