Museum's no-smoke message

The new total ban on smoking at the Museum of Science andIndustry sets the health lead for other Chicago institutions tofollow.

Beginning this month, the museum has instituted a completesmoking ban, affecting employees and the 4.5 million people, many ofthem children, who visit the museum each year.

Given the number of field trips from schools and day camps,family outings and other groups that bring children to the museumevery day, the museum's decision to go smoke-free acknowledges thoseyoung visitors and sends a strong message to take back to their homesand classrooms.

While Chicago's other museums restrict or prohibit visitorsmoking, they all keep at least one area in which an employee cansmoke. They should get the smoke out, too.