Posted on 04/18/2005 1:37:16 PM PDT by wmichgrad
State Rep. Barb Vander Veen, R-Allendale, said she recently attended a conference in California with her husband and immediately noticed the lack of smoke -- cigarette smoke that is.
"It was so nice," she said this morning. "I realized it was time for Michigan to be a leader and join California and other states that are smoke-free states."
Vander Veen is among a group of state lawmakers hoping to add Michigan to a growing list of states that prohibit smoking in places where people eat, drink and work. Vander Veen and State Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, have sponsored bills to ban smoking in restaurants and bars. Sen. Tom George, R-Kalamazoo, and Democratic Rep. Brenda Clack of Flint introduced legislation that would prohibit smoking in all other Michigan workplaces.
"We're going to do a full court press on this," said Basham, who came up short on his previous legislative attempts to ban smoking in restaurants.
Basham said he feels more confident about winning approval for the new four-bill package than previous attempts. Support of the bills by two Republicans will help the bills move through the House and Senate, both controlled by the GOP, he said.
George said at least seven states already have approved laws banning smoking in workplaces, including restaurants and bars. At least three counties in Michigan already outlaw smoking at workplaces -- Ingham, Genesee and Washtenaw counties.
Judy Stewart, manager of the campaign behind the bills, said that although many public buildings in Michigan already are smoke-free, the legislation is needed.
"Many businesses around the state still allow smoking inside their building, a serious health risk for their employees and customers who don't smoke," Stewart said.
Despite the support of some Republicans, the legislation faces a tough fight in the state Legislature. The 4,500-member Michigan Restaurant Association has helped prevent similar smoking bans from winning approval in recent years.
Vander Veen acknowledged she probably will get "beat up" by the restaurant association but said she believes smoking bans will not seriously affect business. She said medical findings show the need to protect the public from second-hand smoke.
"The evidence is irrefutable," she said. "We now know the second-hand smoke perils and we have several states that have gone this way and it has not been a loss of revenue. People have not stopped going to restaurants and bars. In fact, it has increased business.
"It is time to have this discussion again. Being a nurse, being a mother, being a grandmother, I am for business 100 percent, but I also am for being responsible economically. When you look at the amount of dollars that we put in our health care system that is directly or indirectly related to smoking, we need to look at this issue."
Andy Deloney, the restaurant association's public affairs director, said restaurants should be able to decide for themselves what kind of dining experience is best for their customers.
"Restaurants tell us every day, 'I know what my guests want,"' he said. "Restaurants are dependent on the guests coming in the door. If restaurant guests want a certain kind of environment, then that's what restaurants need to provide."
Representatives for Republican leaders in the House and Senate would not comment directly on the legislation. They only would say lawmakers will review the bills when they are officially introduced.
Ari Adler, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Ken Sikkema, said legislation to ban smoking in workplaces would have much less dramatic effect than the bills to prohibit it in restaurants and bars because most workplaces already ban smoking.
"One bill affects the bars and restaurants, and that could have implications on their ability to market their business," Adler said. "We're not saying that we are not in support of or opposed to the legislation. There will have to be some discussion on this."
Ping!
Everyone play the vacate Michigan game.
I guess when you can't identify a real evil, you can get totally consumed at attacking a false evil. Being obsessed with the ideas that you know better than everyone else and need to control the masses probably helps too.
(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,
It is nice to go to a smoke-free environment. I just don't think the legislature should be dictating it.
One of our local restaurants went smoke-free by choice. The place is packed every night.
I would think that the business owner should make the call as to whether he/she wants to have smoking in their establishment.
I would think that the business owner should make the call as to whether he/she wants to have smoking in their establishment.
Ban Smoking ? --- FINE !! On one condition.
That state no longer recieves ANY money from cigarette/tobacco taxes. After all, those are now illegal.
They base their lies on their 'feelings' and bullpap fed to them by raging anti-smoker organizations without ever researching the science themselves.
If it passes, there goes one more state from my vacation list.
Now if they could only declare themselves a Michael Moore-free State.
I sure am happy that they have banned smoking on all air flights! Took long enough. Now Europe is starting to follow suit.
In Europe, they still have smoking sections on buses -- yeah, like the smoke knows where to stop. So glad the U.S. has stopped smoking on buses.
Darn that pesky liberty!
Good thing the Vatican can still get rid of ballots the old fashioned way.
Maybe, but I wouldn't count on it. I don't have any problem with smoking bans. To me, smoking is like masturbation: I don't care if you do it and it is your right and business, just not at the next table when I'm trying to eat dinner.
Me too. A major point though, is that one cannot walk out of an aircraft- one can pause at the door and leave a bar. I know of my old Michigan haunt. 49 years have I graced- or disgraced it's doors. Non smoker myself, I am still healthy. Smoking has been cut down so drastically in any case- it is now down to less than a quarter of the bar patrons.
Any Freeper comes up to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan just ask for the Happy Hideaway- not it's advertised name. A few sinfull freedoms are being dumped on- yep, it is too pleasurable to let be. As if the do-gooders are really worried about snot nose here. LOL.
If I own a building (private property rights), and I want to allow smoking, which is legal, that is my prerogative. Would you have a problem with gubmint telling you that you cannot engage in a legal activity, whatever it may be, in your own home (private property rights)?
Why is it that people who are anti-smoking have no problem with the government infringing on property rights when it is not their property? I would bet those same people would raise holy hell if it was a property that belonged to them and the nanny state was trying to regulate their behavior.
Spoken like the frog in water. Smoking is the first to go.
If I lived in MI, I know one person who would NOT be getting my vote
By the way, I am not a smoker.
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