Michigan Senate OKs ban on smoking in bars, restaurants

The Michigan Senate has voted to ban smoking in all bars, restaurants and workplaces.

[Glen R T Bachar]

i can bet that if you ban smoking, that alot of people will be leaving Michigan. and i will be one of those people.

[Becki]

I think the ban on smokers is againgst their rights. However, they can always go outside to smoke. I am a smoker and that's what I do. I keep the smoke outside away from others.
Smoking is my choice, not everyone else's around me.

[Gentle Taz]

Becki wrote:

I think the ban on smokers is againgst their rights. However, they can always go outside to smoke. I am a smoker and that's what I do. I keep the smoke outside away from others.
Smoking is my choice, not everyone else's around me.

I'm glad that you enjoy standing outside in the cold in the winter or the rain in the summer. Personally, I refuse to do that. I am not a second class citizen. I'm sick of getting dirty looks from anti smokers as I walk through a parking lot smoking my cigarette.

[Glen R T Bachar]

what about the tax we pay to help the people who don't have the money to pay for health care, both state and federal are getting taxes to help pay for health care. I will not go into any place that i can't smoke and I know alot that do the samething as i do.the state is two face. they want the taxes but they don't want you to smoke.
why not tax beer, wine and all alcohol, and than it from every one. alchol is killing alot more people then smoking dose.

Time for a total recall of the State Of Michigan. atleast the people that voted for the ban.

[Jack]

I am not a smoker, but what some people are doing is just wrong. I guess some poeple just do not have anything better to do than attack other people because they are not like them. Shame on all of you who I have witnessed complaining to smokers.

[Lois]

The govt. has absolutely no right to ban anything that is legal at a private business. That is the decision of the business owner only. If you want to stop smoking, ban tobacco sales. Oh wait, can't do that, the govt. subsidizes tobacco.

[Lois]

I am a small business owner and I don't care what our ridiculous govt. bans, if I decide it is ok for people to smoke at my place of business, they will be allowed to. I, for one, am sick and tired of the govt. telling me what I can and can't do on my own property.

[Gentle Taz]

I don't feel that a smoking ban is necessary. Just get rid of the requirement that a reataurant set aside a portion of their space for non smokers and let the owner (the marketplace) decide. Then put up a sign at the entrance stating whether it is smoke free or not. Then everybody will have his free choice. As for the help, if it's clearly labled as smoking, don't apply for a job if smoking bothers you.

That said, I feel it's time our legislature went back to work on necessary legislation, like the state's next budget and straightening out the mess they cobbled together for a business tax with the last budget. That mess would proably not have succeeded in passing if there had been time for people to see what it really is.

[Mike D]

First, I am not a smoker. I just think that the non-smokers that are pushing for the smoking ban should make-up the loss in tax revenue collected from the sale of tobacco products. The business owners should be allowed to decide if they want smoking in their establishments or to be smoke-free. I suppose the non-smokers will push to ban smoking in private households next. I also think that our elected officials have more important issues to address than smoking-bans.

[RiverSpirit]

For cryin' out loud, if you can't give up smoking for a couple hours while you eat dinner or have a drink or two, well, that's just plain pathetic. I'm a nonsmoker and I'd probably go out more if smoking were banned in all these places.

[Gentle Taz]

RiverSpirit wrote:

For cryin' out loud, if you can't give up smoking for a couple hours while you eat dinner or have a drink or two, well, that's just plain pathetic. I'm a nonsmoker and I'd probably go out more if smoking were banned in all these places.

There are plenty smoke free places available to eat. And I think you will gradually see more bars going smoke free also. You don't need a ban to go out.

[Reality Check]

I think our government should ban everything that could possibly be harmful ... smoking, drinking, walking on ice, traveling, etc. Bicycling should certainly be banned. Steps, yes steps should be banned! I fell on a flight of steps and broke my foot once. I'm guessing more people get injured on steps than get harmed by second hand smoke. Probably more people are injured bicycling too...

[bye-bye]

Glen R T Bachar wrote:

i can bet that if you ban smoking, that alot of people will be leaving Michigan. and i will be one of those people.

Then leave. Bye-bye.

Most states have a ban on smoking. You better do your research on where you're moving to. Some states are more strict on their smoking bans.

[neecer]

RiverSpirit wrote:

For cryin' out loud, if you can't give up smoking for a couple hours while you eat dinner or have a drink or two, well, that's just plain pathetic. I'm a nonsmoker and I'd probably go out more if smoking were banned in all these places.

funny.. that's exactly what the anti's and non smokers said before the ban in OH..yet the economy there is worse than ours and there are businesses closing daily because the non smokers have never bothered to show up.

Hope you don't have a favorite place you like to go to that offers smoking. You may not see it open much longer.

[Old Rocker]

Glen R T Bachar wrote:

i can bet that if you ban smoking, that alot of people will be leaving Michigan. and i will be one of those people.

Bye Bye, and good riddance!

[PicassoIII]

bye-bye wrote:

Most states have a ban on smoking. You better do your research on where you're moving to. Some states are more strict on their smoking bans.

The number of states that inlude bars and casinos is only in the teens.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_smoking_...
The 'most' is misleading. The only reason ANSR can get away with 'most' under 100% ban is because between NY and CA that is more than the US population. Then again where the 'rules' are the tightest is where enforcement is an issue...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05272007/news/reg...

[Bobbiez]

Gentle Taz wrote:

I don't feel that a smoking ban is necessary. Just get rid of the requirement that a reataurant set aside a portion of their space for non smokers and let the owner (the marketplace) decide. Then put up a sign at the entrance stating whether it is smoke free or not. Then everybody will have his free choice. As for the help, if it's clearly labled as smoking, don't apply for a job if smoking bothers you.
That said, I feel it's time our legislature went back to work on necessary legislation, like the state's next budget and straightening out the mess they cobbled together for a business tax with the last budget. That mess would proably not have succeeded in passing if there had been time for people to see what it really is.

Gentle Taz, you are becoming my favorite poster on these sites. I totally agree with the freedom of choice and the idea that (gasp) the marketplace will determine which business thrives and which doesn't. Why does the government need to get involved? Have any of the people that are for this ban ever taken basic economics? Supply and demand is what runs the economy folks. And actually I find it a little amusing. I already know of people who are planning to start "smoking speakeasys." Yes, they will have private bars that the government will not get any revenue from. Did anyone in our current state government not learn anything from prohibition????? Oh yeah, I forgot, they don't teach history in schools anymore.

I need to to leave now...I'm going to watch my NASCAR race, which is one of the guilty pleasures I'm still allowed. I'm sure it will be banned soon, costing thousands of peoples their jobs. But...you know THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS BEST! Pretty scary.

[PicassoIII]

PicassoIII wrote:

....ANSR can get away with 'most' under 100% ban is because between NY and CA that is more than HALF the US population.

Sheesh

[Freedom]

RiverSpirit wrote:

For cryin' out loud, if you can't give up smoking for a couple hours while you eat dinner or have a drink or two, well, that's just plain pathetic. I'm a nonsmoker and I'd probably go out more if smoking were banned in all these places.

When like minded individuals lose the right to gather indoors on private property to enjoy a LEGAL lifestlyle that they have enjoyed for their entire adult lives...what loss of rights would you quote?

[Bobbiez]

Reality Check wrote:

I think our government should ban everything that could possibly be harmful ... smoking, drinking, walking on ice, traveling, etc. Bicycling should certainly be banned. Steps, yes steps should be banned! I fell on a flight of steps and broke my foot once. I'm guessing more people get injured on steps than get harmed by second hand smoke. Probably more people are injured bicycling too...

Don't forget driving cars...that certainly causes thousands of deaths each year. Let's ban driving...oh yeah, don't forget about those trans-fats bans. Oh...and don't forget to ban showers...many people slip and fall and cost us money for their health care. And most important...let's ban boating, you could fall out of your boat and drown!! Or heaven forbid...do not at any cost go to a friend's house who will let you smoke there...you might die in a car accident on the way home when a non-smoker runs a stop sign.