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Initiative Would Exempt Cigar Bars From Indoor Smoking Ban (Washington State)
OPB News (Oregon) ^ | March 19, 2008 | Austin Jenkins

Posted on 03/20/2008 7:24:52 PM PDT by Stoat

Initiative Would Exempt Cigar Bars From Indoor Smoking Ban

By Austin Jenkins

Olympia, WA  March 19, 2008 3:28 p.m.

 

Washington State’s two-year-old indoor smoking ban is facing a challenge. Cigar shop owners have filed a citizen initiative to roll-back part of the law.

Dale Taylor is with the newly formed Cigar Association of Washington. He says the initiative would allow smoking in cigar shops, cigar bars, private clubs and service organizations like the Elks.

Dale Taylor: “What we’re asking for here is a fair and reasonable exemption to the law that allows a cigar store, for instance like the one I work in, to allow the customers to smoke the cigars that they buy here. And cigar bars which there used to be more than a few around the greater Seattle area and in the state.”

Sponsors have until June 30th to collect 225,000 valid voter signatures to get the measure on the November ballot.

Backers of the indoor smoking ban are concerned the initiative would create unintended loopholes in the law. For instance they say a bar might call itself a private club in order to allow patrons to smoke.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: 1016; cigar; cigars; initiative; initiative1016; pufflist; smokers; smoking; smokingban; washington; washingtonstate
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Thanks to Orbusmax for the article link

Orbusmax ™ Northwest News - 'Around The World In 80K'

Please also see:

Cigar Bars, Stores Trying For Smoking Ban Exemption - News Story - KIRO Seattle

(Includes video report)

Cigar Association of Washington

1 posted on 03/20/2008 7:24:54 PM PDT by Stoat
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To: martin_fierro; Gabz; SheLion
img255/439/smokeraf0.jpg
2 posted on 03/20/2008 7:25:35 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Stoat

It’s a start.


3 posted on 03/20/2008 7:29:16 PM PDT by SlapHappyPappy
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To: Stoat

Then hookah lounges (shisha bars) are next.


4 posted on 03/20/2008 7:30:21 PM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: All
Also:

Petitioners Seek to Soften Stringent Smoking Ban

Petitioners Seek to Soften Stringent Smoking Ban

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - March 19, 2008) - The nation's most stringent smoking ban may be a bit less stringent if Washington voters say 'yes' to Initiative 1016 on November 8.

To ensure that the Cigar Bar Relief Act of 2008 is on the November ballot, proponents of the measure must gather 225,000 signatures from registered voters by June 30. Petitions are available at most cigar stores, former cigar bars, private clubs like the American Legion and Eagles, and online at www.cigarwa.com, the website of the Cigar Association of Washington.

"Smokers and non-smokers alike should sign our petitions and vote 'yes' on November 8 because we are only asking for the right to allow smoking in relatively few locations without changing the ban elsewhere," says Dale Taylor, a tobacconist with Rain City Cigar in Seattle and president of the Cigar Association of Washington which is coordinating the campaign for the initiative.

The current ban prohibits smoking in all public places including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and non-tribal casinos.

"A 'yes' vote for Initiative 1016 would allow cigar shops, cigar bars and private clubs like the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as service organizations such as the Elks, Lions and others a choice to allow smoking if they so choose without changing the ban elsewhere," says Taylor.

Under the proposed initiative, a cigar bar would be defined as a bar where the serving of food is only incidental and where on-site sales of cigars generate $25,000 or more in annual gross income.

Private facilities -- such as those used by adult service clubs and, for example, the American Legion -- would also be exempted from the ban if they so choose except when they are occasionally open to the public.

"It's important to remember that the initiative does not overturn the existing ban," Taylor emphasized. "We are only seeking to give the choice to allow smoking in relatively few locations such as cigar bars, cigar stores and private clubs. These exemptions exist in most other states and we believe it is reasonable to request voters to allow them in Washington as well."

Taylor is urging all Washington residents who are registered voters to sign the petitions by June 30 to get the measure placed on November's ballot.

"This is the democratic process at work," said Taylor.


5 posted on 03/20/2008 7:30:50 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Stoat

This former smoker would (and will) sign it in a second.


6 posted on 03/20/2008 7:31:29 PM PDT by rockrr (Global warming is to science what Islam is to religion)
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To: Stoat; Gabz
...would create unintended loopholes in the law. For instance they say a bar might call itself a private club in order to allow patrons to smoke.

Awwww...are the little nanny-staters afraid they won't be able to control our private lives?

7 posted on 03/20/2008 7:31:46 PM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: Stoat
For instance they say a bar might call itself a private club in order to allow patrons to smoke.

While they're at it, they might as well create a loophole in order to allow patrons to drink.

8 posted on 03/20/2008 7:40:27 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: SlapHappyPappy
It’s a start

Indeed, but I predict a tough battle.  I recall that the smoking ban passed by a very large margin, and hard-Left and Ultra-PC Western Washington will pull out all the stops to defeat it.  If it were to pass, there would be endless court challenges.

I will sign the petition and do what I can, but it's not going to be an easy fight.

9 posted on 03/20/2008 7:42:00 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Amityschild; Atchafalaya; bigjoesaddle; Bulldaddy; BulletBobCo; Chasaway; CJ Wolf; Clemenza; ...
FReeper
Cigar
Aficionado
"Never mess with a man willing to suck on a raging trash fire." -- Tijeras_Slim
Send FReepmail if you want on/off FCAP list
The List of Ping Lists

10 posted on 03/20/2008 7:44:19 PM PDT by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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To: Gondring
Then hookah lounges (shisha bars) are next.

Perhaps if the islamofascists are busy smoking they won't be agitating ? :-)

11 posted on 03/20/2008 7:47:29 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: rockrr
This former smoker would (and will) sign it in a second.

That's because you're a thoughtful person :-)

12 posted on 03/20/2008 7:50:50 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Gondring
...would create unintended loopholes in the law. For instance they say a bar might call itself a private club in order to allow patrons to smoke.

Awwww...are the little nanny-staters afraid they won't be able to control our private lives?

They should be delighted and supportive....they already tax the tobacco and with this they could require expensive new licenses.....

13 posted on 03/20/2008 7:52:49 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: SheLion

Ping


14 posted on 03/20/2008 7:54:12 PM PDT by AFreeBird
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To: elkfersupper
For instance they say a bar might call itself a private club in order to allow patrons to smoke.

While they're at it, they might as well create a loophole in order to allow patrons to drink.

Well, I dunno....let's not get carried away here  :-)

"snicker"

 

img204/1495/cubanwomanrk0.jpg

15 posted on 03/20/2008 7:57:02 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: martin_fierro
Thanks very much for pinging your list   :-)

 

img204/1214/womanincuba2sc5.jpg

16 posted on 03/20/2008 8:03:06 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: Stoat
!. 8X48?

2. Code Pink?

17 posted on 03/20/2008 8:15:03 PM PDT by HoosierHawk
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To: HoosierHawk
!. 8X48?

That looks about right  :-)

Cigar Size, Cigar ring gauge guide

2. Code Pink?
 

LMAO!

I haven't seen any of the withered old crones associated with the Code Pinkos that were anywhere near to being as stylish as this Cuban lady....I'm guessing that she would tell them, in no uncertain terms, to go take a flying leap  :-)

18 posted on 03/20/2008 8:25:12 PM PDT by Stoat (Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
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To: elkfersupper

Starting to sound like Kansas when I was young. You had to be a member of the club to get a mixed drink. Most places didn’t charge (or even make you sign), but the better places had a “member’s fee”.


19 posted on 03/20/2008 9:27:39 PM PDT by VanShuyten ("Ah! but it was something to have at least a choice of nightmares.")
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To: Gondring
I don't know why the American people are so willing to let government control so much of their life. If I own a restaurant or bar it should be up to me whether smoking is allowed. It should be none of the government's business.
20 posted on 03/20/2008 10:34:18 PM PDT by peeps36 (OUTLAWED WORDS--INSURGENT,GLOBAL WARMING,UNDOCUMENTED WORKER,PALESTINIAN,TERMINATED PREGNANCY)
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