Maine: Bill closes loophole in smoking law

kennebeck journal ^ | 4-5-05 | CHRIS CHURCHILL

[Gabz]

Next, your home.

Already being done in child custody situations.

[Lancey Howard]

BUMP!

[Gabz]

Bars and restaurants in Maryland BOOMED after the ban in Delaware............any wonder a proposed state-wide ban there keeps failing?

A proposed statewide ban in Virginia totally went down in flames - the vote was 2-1 against it.

Contrary to what the anti-smokers claim - smoking bans are not the wave of the future - in fact from what I've been reading from many areas - bans on the anti-smokers are going to become the wave of the furture. Liars just don't cut it with the majority of folks and anti-smokers are generally just that - LIARS.

[Raffus]

Okay - just checked the 2003 political bible I have under my nose. He was elected in 2003 and is up for re-election in 2007. He only received 47% of the vote. King was an independent (but he didn't impinge). McKernan (Olympia's hub) was Gov. before King. (He was a RINO before the term was invented).

Nevertheless, the current situ is shameful.

[sweetliberty]

"Already being done in child custody situations."

Yeah; I know. Apparently the smoking nazis just decided to completely ignore the studies that debunked the whole second-hand smoke myth.

[Raffus]

Just want to note how utterly frustrating it is living in this part of the country. VT was worst than ME just four years ago, but it is quickly changing. High taxes (both states), high stupidity: I guess I should just be prepared to retire in Iowa (which is nice but very far from the ocean, which I love).

:(

[Gabz]

Apparently the smoking nazis just decided to completely ignore the studies that debunked the whole second-hand smoke myth.

Not only do they ignore the results of the studies - they actually invent their own spin on them. And are actually taken seriously.

[Gabz]

Come to Virginia!

[Raffus]

I've never been to VA, but our HQ (where we both work) is in Charlotte NC. Is that a good deal? The only prob. w/HQ is it's a glassed-in environment. I like my job in my plain old cubical. Hub's the same.

We will retire in a "red" state. There is no question. I'm "saddened" by Maine's blueing affact.

[sweetliberty]

Well, it's just another one of those things. They've already determined the answer; all they have to do is distort the question.

[nopardons]

Which is WHY I have refused to vacation in Maine EVER again!

But other states have now pulled this, so I won't go there either.

[Raffus]

I can feel your pain, but Maine is really a paradise. It's very hard for us "natives" to accept the takeover. Maine RULES!

[nopardons]

I used to enjoy going to Maine. I even put up with the no smoking in restaurants,etc., but when our favorite place to stay, THE CLIFF HOUSE, banned smoking not only in ALL rooms, but OUTSIDE, on the grounds, that was it for Maine, for me! We haven't gone back in years and we won't.

I'm a BIG baseball fan. In our courting days, my husband would take me to Yankee Stadium. They banned smoking, so now I will only watch my beloved Yankees (GO YANKEES...ALL THE WAY TO WINING ANOTHER WORLD SERIES!), I watch them on T.V. only.

[Raffus]

Yes, I known the Cliff House. Sad - the state of Maine was pretty liberal in my hometown of Rumford, but the state as a whole was conservative when I grew up (39 yrs old in 20 days). It has quickly moved to the blue column WAY too fast for this Mainer.

It SUCKS.

[Gabz]

(grrrrrrrrrrrrr) I can't believe I hit the wrong thing and deleted my response to you.

The gist of it was that NC is not a bad place at all...........just stay away from Delaware and certain parts of Maryland and Virginia.

[Gabz]

Another one of those things..........ainit it the truth........

[Raffus]

Hi Gabz - I don't think the prob. is with VA or NC, it's the job itself. It's our division of my company that is involved. They have glass offices for God's sake! I know I'll never be that high up on the "ladder" that I'll get to "enjoy" a glass office.

And since we deal with guns, the added bonus is, I'm close to the range. I like that.

[SheLion]

I hear that taverns and resteraunts over the border in New Brunswick are having a great year.

I hear you can still smoke at establishments in Brunswick as well.  They are truly lucky.  The revenue must be real good for the businesses for now.

It's like when NYC was forced into a smoking ban, the business owner's in New Jersey were yelling over the water "Hurry to our side!  Hurray to our side!"

[Gabz]

ACK - as a native New Yorker - born and raised in Brooklyn - I have always HATED the Yankees. I have never been to Yankee Stadium - but my grandmother used to get us seats right over the Mets dugout at Shea.....

As to an establishment, such as you are talking about, the Cliff House, I am with you and would not patronize them - but I am all for their right to make the decision - it's the government coming in and doing it that I balk at.

[SheLion]

I know, and the trouble is, if all other smokers did the same thing, they would start transferring the taxes to supplies for making your own.

Well, there is just a 25 cent surcharge on a bag of 6oz tobacco.  It will take a long time for them to get the taxes up as high on loose tobacco to what they charge on a pack of cigarettes today.