Posted on 12/17/2002 3:37:04 PM PST by Mark
Texas, San Antonio to be Anti Smoking Battlegrounds
LAST UPDATE: 12/17/2002 12:26:17 PM
(SAN ANTONIO) -- An unlikely coalition of health and community action groups says it is poised to make Texas the 'most unfriendly state in the nation for big tobacco' in the coming year. The groups, which include health organizations like the American Cancer Society and community associations like the PTA, along with a core of experienced public interest lobbyists from Austin's political community, are pushing initiatives on the state and local level with the goal of outlawing smoking in all workplaces and public buildings in the state.
"Buying a pack of cigarettes does not entitle you to take away the clean air from the 85% of Texans who do not smoke," the group's spokeswoman Suzanne Lozano, a San Antonio nurse, told supporters today.
Among the initiatives include proposals before the Texas Legislature to raise the cigarette tax a dollar a pack, and to outlaw what's called 'pre-emption,' a tactic used by tobacco lobbyists to pass luke warm smoking limitations statewide and then forbid cities from passing stronger measures.
Julie Winckler of TRUST for a Smoke Free Texas says that's a prime tactic of the tobacco lobby.
"We feel it's easier to pass anti smoking measures on a local level," Winckler said. "We feel people are more passionate there."
The anti tobacco forces today released a Scripps Howard poll showing 74% of residents of San Antonio support a tough measure being proposed here, which would ban all smoking in all public places, and even place restrictions on smoking outdoors. San Antonio would join Boston among major cities with the country's toughest smoking control laws, and the San Antonio measure is seen as a model for proposals the groups hope to approve statewide.
San Antonio is seen as a key battleground for anti smoking laws because of it's huge tourism base. Bars, restaurants, hotels, and other businesses that cater to tourists generally resist restricting the behavior of their clients.
"Second hand smoke is the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States," San Antonio Emergency Medical Services director Dr. Don Gordon said. "It is responsible for 56,000 innocent deaths per year."
Dr. John Nava of the Bexar County Metropolitan Health District compared smoking cigarettes with carrying a loaded gun in public.
"You have no right to place the lives of others in danger," he said. Nava said the prime beneficiaries of tough anti smoking laws will be waitresses, bartenders, and other service industry workers.
"Working in the service industry does not force you to give up breathing clean air," he said.
Lozano said the measures would leave citizens with the right to smoke "in their homes and in their cars and nowhere else," adding that businesses would not only be required to ban smoking inside, but the current practice of allowing smokers to lurk around entrances smoking would also be outlawed.
"There would be an area within so many feet of a public building where smoking out also not be allowed," she said. "It's not fair that people have to hold their breath and run a gauntlet of smoke in order to get into a building."
The groups are also pushing for 'comprehensive' tobacco prevention measures in schools, citing statistics released yesterday which show smoking among high school students hitting its lowest level in more than a quarter century.
"Now that we have proven solutions to reduce tobacco use, Texas' leaders have more of an obligation to implement them in our state than ever before," said Carter Headrick of the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids.
Liberal Classic, what is really sad is: the anti's throw out the numbers and the general public believes all that crap. When you don't do the research, it's easy to believe what they tell you. But when you know what's really behind all of this, then I read what they throw out there and I just puke.
As an employer OR employee I wouldn't want the government to take away my CHOICES. But that's just me.
Well, then, there is clearly no danger from smoking - how many thousands of us Texans carry in public and nobody gets hurt?
On the other hand, maybe this Dr is wrong? Say it ain't so! You mean there might really be a difference between cigarettes and guns?</sarcasm off>
Although I don't enter establishments which smell of smoke, and I concur with "Buying a pack of cigarettes does not entitle you to take away the clean air from [anyone]", clearly the folks running this anti-smoke campaign are a bit out of control!
Stay vigilent, stay armed, and remember chewing tobacco doesn't fill the room with noxious smoke!
So as long as you can smoke you could give a crap about them. Is that about it ?
| Workplace Smoking Rules in Indiana |
|
Employers covered. Employers with one or more employees. Written policy requirements. Employer policy not specified. Posting requirements. Signs must be posted in affected areas, displaying the following message: Smoking is Prohibited by State Law Except in Designated Areas. No smoking areas. No-smoking areas not specified. Designated smoking areas. In Indiana, smoking is restricted in public buildings, including health care facilities and public schools, to designated smoking areas. Waivers can be granted by the state board of health if the reasons to do so are compelling and the waiver will not significantly affect the health and comfort of nonsmokers. |
Exactly.
Yo pin head "minion"! For the 3rd time, I DO NOT SMOKE.
Plenty of smokers are reading this and not one so far has said anything protective about those who are have to work in the smoking environment. It is them that I am writing to.
All I have gotten from your responses is that you sound like a libertarian who disagrees with any law that imposes any standards of behavior. That is an irrational world that is the topic for another thread.
Look the smokers know full well that their smoking arguments may be pretty convincing when it comes to the private property issues but they also know they havn't got a leg to stand on when it comes to having work place laws with parity.
Try as I can, I still don't see what they will use to counter this. In the real world calling the town officials nazi's and liberals is not exactly going to turn minds to their opinion.
Frankly, I think they are on thin ice just because the average person is not a smoker will throw smokers overboard given any fig leaf of an argument and the worker arugement seems to be more than a fig leaf.
About the only recourse a smoker has is to argue that all non-smoking bans should be lifted and that will never happen.
Dear Council:
My name is Brenda Mackey and I'm a waitress.
I've worked in restaurants and bars for nearly 21 years, most of them allowed smoking. I've raised three children and now have two in college for which I'm paying with my salary and tips.
My experience tells me several things: 1) Smokers tip better than nonsmokers; 2) Smokers are easier to please than nonsmokers; 3) When smoking is banned, a lot of people quit coming in; 4) When smoking is banned, a lot of staff lose their jobs or have to take decreased hours.
I don't smoke and I've never been harmed by someone else's smoking; I haven't missed a day of work when I was supposed to be there in 14 years. I've heard all the hype about shs and it doesn't ring true. It seems to me that what's happening is one bunch of people trying to tell another bunch what to do.
Please don't ban smoking everywhere and for everyone. You're helping us to death.
**
When you permit your elected leaders or, God forbid, unelected "health" despots to "protect" others against their will, you've given up not only that other person's freedom to choose, you've given up your own. Amazing that the rabid antis refuse to admit this very clear, very simple fact.
People better wake up. Jobs lost, business's closed, hours cut, empty lunch hours. No tips........lost revenue. The anti's won't tell the truth. The anti-clones think it's great. When in fact, this will, in time, affect our economy worse then the war.
But Max, this is the very essence of the anti's.
It's exactly they way they want the world to run - them in charge, no questions.
Perfect!
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