Posted on 05/31/2007 6:30:47 PM PDT by Wheee The People
New Hampshire Bans Smoking In Bars, Restaurants
(AP) CONCORD, N.H. New Hampshire will soon ban smoking in bars and restaurants, becoming the last state in New England to do so.
The House approved a bill Thursday imposing the ban after a similar bill died in the Senate last year. Gov. John Lynch has said he will sign it, and it will take effect 90 days after he signs it.
More than a dozen states and hundreds of cities and counties around the country ban smoking in restaurants, bars or both.
Supporters say the ban is needed to protect workers and customers from the health risks of secondhand smoke.
“Employees should not be forced to sign away their health to earn a living,” said Rep. Tara Reardon, a Concord Democrat. “This bill is not antismoker. It is antismoke.”
Opponents argued the state should instead educate the public about the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke. They also said restaurant and bar owners should decide when or if to ban smoking, not the state.
“The last time I checked, it was a legal activity,” said Rep. John Hunt, a Republican.
An amendment to ban smoking in social and religious organizations and another to exempt businesses with ventilated smoking rooms both failed.
New Hampshire already bans smoking in public places such as offices, schools and hospitals.
Also Thursday, legislators in Tennessee sent Gov. Phil Bredesen a bill that would ban smoking in most indoor workplaces, including restaurants but not bars. State Health Commissioner Susan Cooper said he planned to sign it.
Where is there good news in the loss of private property rights? Even for a social conservative?
I guess they’ve chosen the alternative to “Live Free”...
Or they're gonna die.
As a social conservative, I find this to be good news
As an un-social conservative,I think it sucks !!!
smoking sucks!
Maybe it does,but I don’t want YOU or any other person to make that choice for ME !!!
You must be an ex/socialist Masshole. Read the darned Contsitution!
So educate me and your fellow FReepers on the constitutional right to smoke. I'm listening....
lol
That's the trouble with you "social conservatives". You're all in favor of big government's dictating our behavior as long as it suits your opinion.
Interesting that this would some on the same day the New Hampshire governor signed a law allowing pole-smokers to enter into civil unions.
I’m sorry, I don’t see the relationship between smoking and social conservatism. New Hampshire has been turned into a nanny state, just like its neighbor to the south.
Today, their governor signed a civil unions bill.
So as a social conservative I should care about gay marriages, abortions, welfare or education.... but NOT about smoking? How so?
There - fixed it for ya'....
Whatever...I and thousands of other conservatives ask our legislature or vote to restrict smoking. Sue us.
Alrighty then. You can start with the History of the United States esily available in any Public Library. Half of this country grew tobacco as one the greatest money making crops, creating wealth that allowed the ex patriates of many European Countries to form this “more Perfect Union”
( There were alot of tax issues involved.) We manged to forge a anation
i.e. The Democratic Republic of the United States of America.
This was after a big fight with King George of England in the latter period of the 1700’s. The New Englanders fought for that right firstly, they were called Patriots and they were not a football team.
Please don’t vote.
>>As a social conservative, I find this to be good news.<<
I find this to be not so much good news but a reasonable decision.
Adults have some limited right to use drugs - they don’t have a right to use them a way that causes harm to others or makes places of public accommodation unsafe.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.