Posted on 05/29/2002 7:09:39 AM PDT by SheLion
That's all smokers have wanted. Unfortunately it has been legal to have an all non-smoking restaurant in Delaware forever. It's been illegal to have an all smoking restaurant since 1993. As of December 1st it will be illegal to have an all smoking Bar or Tavern in this state.
what rally irks me - is a quote last week from the manager of a local sports bar/restaurant who said he didn't think it would hurt his business, his clientele don't come out to smoke, and it would probably help his business. Well if thinks that way - why didn't he just go non-smoking on his own? I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that when I was in there last week - 9 of 12 people sitting at the bar were smoking when I got there - and by the time I left an hour later everyone at the bar was smoking???? he obviously is in favor of it - as long as everyone else has to do it - that's hypocritical.
And as I said in an earlier post - If i renew my busines license for my home based consulting business in January - it will be illegal for me to smoke in MY OWN HOME.
What a perfect way to show the state just how much smokers contribute to the state coffers.
More and more smokers will go the route of stuffing/rolling their own smokes or doing mail order from the internet or Indian Reservations.
Can you just imagine the backlash - when the state loses all that tax revenue from the cigarette taxes - let alone from smokers NOT going out to eat!!!
Great idea!!!!!
Most people haven't thought about it in this way.
And that is why they refuse to see it as a private property issue..
A friend of mine owns a bar - she smokes - all of her employees smoke - and she owns the building. She can not smoke on her own property. That is a definite infraction of private property rights. According to this - a business can not even set aside a 'smoking" room for their employees at all.
Off the top of my head I can't think of specific locales - but in different areas there are exemptions to these broad bans for family owned operations or for those with less than a certain number of employees, etc. There are no exceptions to the Delaware Law except for fund raising activities of fraternal organizations and volunteer fire companies. That's it.
There is a clause in it that exemptions can be granted upon showing of good cause - but 'good cause" is to be determined by the Health Department and they are also the ones to determine if a claim meets those determinations.
The way I see it - even if this thing proves to start putting business under - nothing is going to be done.
Increasing the cigarette tax is sensible for both health and revenue reasons. Higher taxes discourage younger smokers, and if they are expensive enough adults as well. Anything that reduces smoking is in the state's best interests."
Get it? State's Best Interests.
Not the PEOPLE, but the STATE!
"Getting more money from cigarettes and slot machines would allow the state to restore or continue some programs in education and child welfare that are priorities in good times. "
Now......HOW can we argue about children on welfare.....
Who's kidding who here? It's for the KIDS? This whole Kid Routine is getting OLD!
HOW ABOUT TAXING ALCOHOL FOR THE KIDS?
It's these two coalitions that get to the Lawmakers! When you go to their web sites, all they are about is the war on tobacco and the smokers. It's really getting old.
That is the crux of it- smokers aren't the first group to be marginalized, demonized, and effectively silenced- nor will they be the last. People who belong to any "potentially disfavored" group- the fat, the unathletic, whatever- need to realize... they will be in the line for control by lifestyle Nazis.
Personally, I think this is a great example of how individual soveriegn states should be able to act. Certainly, I would disagree with any federal law like this, but the great thing about having 50 soveriegn states is that if one becomes to opressive you can leave. Federal power affords no such luxary.
'swhy I quit.
I thought I answered you up above:
I love to smoke. Get it? I love to smoke. The same as obese people love to EAT! The same as race car drivers love to RACE! The way people love to DRINK! The list goes on and on.
What's good for you isn't good for me and what is good for me isn't good for you. Makes the world go around, everyone different. Everyone has different things in life that they love.
Personally, when I smell a clean man with after shave and tobacco, it's a real turn on. I love a man who smokes!
I could explain the physical attraction to cigarettes, but I am afraid you would find it too graphic. :)
What happened to the Delaware tribe? They all die off from lung cancer? ;-)
LOL!!!
On this issue - that is the way it is.
I enjoy having a cigarette.
That's good enough for me.
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