The restaurant associations are tools of the "Big Franchise" operations and see this as a way to drive the mom and pop neighborhood bars out of business.
Follow the money, minnie.
Apparently smoker's business isn't profitable.
Gosh. I just wonder how many of those Big Restaurant Chains are owned by RJR, Philip Morris, et al. As you said (and so did my old sergeant): Follow the money. I'd look into it more, except I live in Japan, where smokes are about $2.80 a pack. Also, I've been drinking (without having to first check with the State to see if it's okay), and I'm watching "Blade Runner" on DVD now.
I lived in Colorado for a bit. There's a LOT of lefties living up in those hills. Got in an argument with my boss about whether or not taxes were my money or government's money, and got into a screaming match with Alvin Toffler in the laundromat, so I decided to move back to Seattle.
It says something about Colorado that I considered SEATTLE to be a more rational place.