Veterans still upset over smoking ban

KING - The controversy over a smoking ban at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King is still smoldering.

"They're still upset about it," said Ed Podjaski, a smoker at the home.

Dozens of veterans at the home are upset they are being forced outside to smoke by the Wisconsin ban that went into effect in July. A list prohibiting smoking put out by the Department of Justice specifically had vets' homes on it. The veterans who smoke are still hoping the law gets revoked.

"It's a real problem for us people that have been smoking for years,” said Podjaski.

Others, like Gary Mader, say their health has improved since the ban went into effect, pushing smokers at the King home outside into shelters to take a puff.

"I lived in Stordock (Hall) here for over four years,” said Mader. “They moved me to MacArthur. That dining room was smoke-free. I gained seven pounds in two months because the food tasted better, and people were not coming in with smoke on their clothing."

Veterans home officials say they're going to build two smoking shelters that will resembled sun rooms. They're spending about $100,000 total after saving money on heating and cooling costs the past year. Some smokers say the shelters are still too far away.

"You look at us, I mean, we're crippled,” said Podjaski. “We can't get around. Now we're going to have to go here?"

While some people may be vocal about the ban, the Department of Veterans Affairs says many are adjusting and some have even quit smoking.

"I would say that the veterans at the home at King have done an incredible job of adjusting to a difficult situation and I would applaud them for that," said Sara Stinski, a spokeswoman for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

So weeks after the ban started, not much has changed, except for where these smokers can light up.