Former veteran Sun staffer Ian Harvey, a non-smoker, shares his memories of the Toronto Sun's voluntary attempt to go weedless.
"Hey TSF, just an observation. When the smoking ban was first introduced, it was a gradual thing. First, the newsroom was divided, I think, into smoking and non smoking, but that didn't work because people would just walk around with cigarettes in their hands.
So then there was a general ban on smoking, though those who had offices could smoke with the door closed. That prompted Gord Walsh, I believe, to throw open his office for all smokers. So there they were, cloistered in his office turning it into a fog of blue haze.
About that time, and I can't recall the sequence, Blatch took umbrage (what a surprise) and they organized a "smoke-in" in the lobby.
As a non-smoker, I remember the hilarious sight of smokers sitting on the floor puffing madly to make a point.
Anyway, after about a year or so, it resulted in a total ban. I think Trudy was the driving force since she had the good sense so see that the majority of folks were non smokers - and that smoking was a dying practice.
Whoops, did I just say that out loud?
Merry Christmas TSF and a Happy New Year to you and all."
Thank you for your info and holiday greetings, Ian. All the best to you in 2008.
What TSF needs are smokers who can detail the Toronto Sun's path to a smoke free environment and the impact it had on their working day.
Non smokers, other than remembering feeling grateful for the absence of smoke, can't do the transition to a complete ban justice.
"Hey TSF, just an observation. When the smoking ban was first introduced, it was a gradual thing. First, the newsroom was divided, I think, into smoking and non smoking, but that didn't work because people would just walk around with cigarettes in their hands.
So then there was a general ban on smoking, though those who had offices could smoke with the door closed. That prompted Gord Walsh, I believe, to throw open his office for all smokers. So there they were, cloistered in his office turning it into a fog of blue haze.
About that time, and I can't recall the sequence, Blatch took umbrage (what a surprise) and they organized a "smoke-in" in the lobby.
As a non-smoker, I remember the hilarious sight of smokers sitting on the floor puffing madly to make a point.
Anyway, after about a year or so, it resulted in a total ban. I think Trudy was the driving force since she had the good sense so see that the majority of folks were non smokers - and that smoking was a dying practice.
Whoops, did I just say that out loud?
Merry Christmas TSF and a Happy New Year to you and all."
Thank you for your info and holiday greetings, Ian. All the best to you in 2008.
What TSF needs are smokers who can detail the Toronto Sun's path to a smoke free environment and the impact it had on their working day.
Non smokers, other than remembering feeling grateful for the absence of smoke, can't do the transition to a complete ban justice.
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