State Legislature passes smoking ban(MI)

[SpartanDem]

Source: Detroit News

Lansing -- Michigan is poised to become the 38th state to ban smoking in public places in May, following passage of the prohibition by the House and Senate today.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has indicated she will sign the bill.

The House voted 75-30 for the long-awaited measure, which makes exceptions for the three Detroit casinos, cigar bars, specialty tobacco shops, home offices and motor vehicles, including commercial trucks. The Senate voted 24-13 for the bill earlier today.

The Michigan bill bans smoking in workplaces and bars and restaurants. It will take effect May 1, 2010.



Read more: http://detnews.com/article/20091210/POLITICS02/912100463/State-Legislature-passes-smoking-ban

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Finally

[WriteDown]

1. I'm sure there aren't any Michigander's who use cigarettes

as a way to relieve stress after a hard day of job searching. I guess they shouldn't be spending money in a bar anyway.

[SpartanDem]

2. Now they can go do it outside

and leave everyone else alone.

[WriteDown]

3. Didn't know it was required that Michigander's go to bars....

That's a cool law though.

[AlbertCat]

6. as a way to relieve stress

Personally, I suggest opium rather than tobacco....I mean if you're gonna smoke something...



:eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes::eyes:


"I guess they shouldn't be spending money in a bar anyway."

Or on Cigarettes!

[WriteDown]

7. Legal substance vs. illegal substance...

you're right about spending money on cigs though.

[bamacrat]

41. Opium is awesome. Love the potpouri taste.

I prefer weed, but opium is a close 1.2. Too good to be second.

[dmallind]

4. Welcome to civilization, Michigan! Good job. More to come no doubt. NT

[WriteDown]

8. Yeah, because before this they were just so....

....blue collar. Ewww.

[dmallind]

22. I have no idea how you imagined that thought process.

There is nothing inherently blue collar or white collar about smoking - only destructive behavior. It is both laughable and self-loathing to imagine some "genuine" nature of people who are addicted to tobacco, or to apply that to geographical or socioeconomic status. Such folks are terribly misguided regardless of their income, education level, or political inclination, just as much as folks who cut their own wrists. Smoking is THE largest cause of death by a country mile. Second hand smoke comes in way higher than most health problems. It is silly beyond belief to pretend that smoking in public places is either benign or neutral, and congratulating MI on finally acknowledging that is a perfectly genuine response. Let's hope all regions, all states, all cities join MI in becoming part of the civilized world.

[WriteDown]

34. Not smokers...

Michiganders, ie. Autoworkers.

[dmallind]

46. OK - so have they banned autoworkers fronm bars?

Do auto-workers smoke more than other workers? I just don't get how a plaudit for banning antisocial and harmful behavior (and hence becoming more civilized) can be seen as negative towards blue collar workers. There are still as many (regrettably not enough) blue collar workers in MI as there were before the ban was passed, so I can hardly be accused of assuming that it is the people who have become more civilized. Blue collar workers in any industry deserve clean air in public enclosed areas just as much as white collar types, and now they will finally get it. It is simply the state government that has adopted more civilized statutes. That's a good thing.

[sailor65]

5. May 1 seems so far off,

but great news nonetheless.

[proteus_lives]

9. Another smoking law they can't enforce.

:eyes:

[dmallind]

23. How so? Every other non smoking state does very well at enforcement

I have lived in 5 smoking ban states. I am a 4 day a week bargoer at the absolute minimum. I have never seen it - not once - that bars accept smoking after a day or two after the ban has passed.

[taught_me_patience]

30. They'll enforce easily.

There is very little smoking in bars in California. When the ban went into effect in Hawaii, smoking ceased almost immeditely. Bar/restaurant owner get sick of paying fines real quick.

[Endangered Specie]

10. I've got the popcorn, whose got the pizza and beer?

[onehandle]

11. Great! nt

[blue_onyx]

12. Finally!!

This should have been passed years ago.

[Darn Sweathog]

13. another draconian bucket of spit

Yeah, more junk science-based rules& regulations are just what the long-suffering, good people of Michigan need, right?:wtf:

[SpartanDem]

14. junk science?

Yeah second hand smoke is good for you. Let me guess you don't believe in global warming either?

[Darn Sweathog]

16. junk science 101

Show the evidence for either.
Let us "ordinary" individuals see who funded the studies.
Bush?
Robert Woods Johnson foundation? (Big neo-prohibitionist pigs)

Do tell.
I know I'm waiting to see it.

[Darn Sweathog]

15. so much for freedom

Check http://www.smokinglobby.com

I'm sure the discussion is heating up quite nicely.

You know, this is the same sh*t they did in Ohio, so look for Ohioans on smoking lobby and elsewhere, perhaps.

[Darn Sweathog]

17. freedom

Guess I'll just go to SL now, since there are no liberty-lovers here at DU.

Ta-ta.

[bitchkitty]

20. Toodles! n/t

[SpartanDem]

18. Smoking is a public health hazard,

restaurant owners don't have the freedom to serve spoiled food and you don't have the freedom to endanger other peoples health too.

[WriteDown]

19. Oddly enough...

Restaurant goers do have a choice though. Will this affect hookah bars?

[blue_onyx]

21. Restaurant goers will still have a choice after the ban

If they don't like that a restaurant doesn't let them smoke, they can eat at home (just like how people who don't like smoking have the choice to stay home now).

[WriteDown]

25. You did not answer my question...

How does this affect hookah bars?

Also, people who don't smoke are also welcome to stay home. Bars have never been the place where one goes to get healthy unless we're talking about a smoothie bar.

[SpartanDem]

26. cigar bars are exempt I would assume this includes hookah bars

[WriteDown]

27. That is good...

But a tad inconsistent. Seems like you could establish a "cigarette" bar.

[blue_onyx]

28. From what I've read...

"cigar bars, tobacco specialty shops and the gaming floors of Detroit's three commercial casinos" will allow smoking. So, I would assume smoking would be allowed in hookah bars.

"Also, people who don't smoke are also welcome to stay home."

As my first comment pointed out, the same is true for smokers now.

[WriteDown]

32. So its not about 2nd hand smoke then?

If that were the case then the casino's would surely be included.

[blue_onyx]

35. I think casinos should have been included in the ban

It is about 2nd hand smoke. Unfortunately, lobbyists overrule what should be done sometimes (just like they are with health care reform).

[WriteDown]

40. But what about hookah and cigar bars...

What if I want to go to a hookah bar and not be exposed to 2nd hand smoke? We need to lobby this .

[blue_onyx]

42. Your comments are becoming more and more irrational

Not worth my time.

[WriteDown]

43. Not quite...

The law seems...selective. You can be "healthy" in some bars, but not others? And no one has yet to answer me why smoke free bars weren't a huge business opportunity before the ban.

[laughingliberal]

37. Casinos are exempted in NV, also

Gaming industry lobbied heavily against a ban for years. A law was, finally, crafted which exempted them so something could get passed. Have been some attempts, over the years, to open some non-smoking casinos but none have ever lasted a year.

[WriteDown]

39. I wonder why none have ever lasted. nt

[laughingliberal]

44. Guessing not enough non-smokers patronize the gaming establishments

Have had people make the argument that they would frequent them if they didn't have to deal with the smoke but they can not account for the fact that the experiments with smoke free casinos have failed. Have noticed one, recently, that advertised a smoke free area.

Given that gaming accounts for a lot of the state's revenue and that the state is in serious budget trouble, I don't expect to see this change any time soon.

[BAKTPRT]

48. Sure

The government knows if they hit the casinos that they are going to loose a lot of revenue and lobby money..so...You see it is a double standard and its nothing to do about health..As far as the states ban on smoking in bars was due to customer turn around they found that more money and tax dollars( liquor ) were made if the turn around rate in bars was higher and that smokers tend to hang there longer and not spend as much money in a sitting as would if the turn over rate was higher....."Follow the money"

[dmallind]

24. Ah yes - gotta love the freedom to kill 49000 people a year for your own selfish idiocy.

Not willing to walk a few feet to smoke outside? What a big tough freedom fighter you are despite the 50K deaths annually because of your addiction-driven slaughter of others.

[WriteDown]

31. How many people do DUI's kill?

Of course people "have" to drink.

[Odin2005]

29. What about my freedom to go to a bar without suffering a sensory meltdown from the cig smoke?

All you smokers care about is making excuses your selfish, disgusting addiction.

[WriteDown]

33. What about my freedom to not get rundown at 2AM in the

morning by a drunk driver?

All you drinkers care about is making excuses your selfish, disgusting addiction.


On a side note, think of what a business opportunity it would have been for people to open a smoke free bar. Wonder why that was never thought of before.

[blue_onyx]

36. Two completely different things

BTW, most drinkers are not "addicted." This is such an absurd comparison that it's laughable.

"On a side note, think of what a business opportunity it would have been for people to open a smoke free bar. Wonder why that was never thought of before."

Why have so many other states passed the ban without negative economic effects?

[WriteDown]

38. I see the same people in the bar every night...

sounds like addiction. Also, the driving impairment from just a few drinks is more than any amount of cigarettes.

Its not about negative effects, its about positive effects for those that want to open a smoke free bar. Why didn't anybody ever think of those?

[BAKTPRT]

47. They wouldn't make any money

And its a bunch of bull shit that its all about the rights of non smokers....its about the control....What ever happened to the old liberal days when it was about freedom of choice and keeping "the man" out of my life....now it seems that "the man" is your daddy...I just don't get it...Im getting sick of drinking the "Kool Aid"...Stand on your own merits and quit having the man do it for you....what a bunch of horse shit..you "modern" libs are nowadays..and also..I shouldn't have to smell your freaking dreadlocks when I'm trying to have a nice dinner in a restaurant.

[mitchum]

45. I'm a smoker and still have no problem with similar bans