When did we give such power to the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine? They are being paid for by the Maine smokers who pay Maine Taxes on cigarettes. What do they do with the money? They sponsor RACING TEAMS and RACE TRACKS across the state, and they use OUR money to ban, control and restrict us.
Does anyone care????
Perfect, eh? Say goodbye to the Constitutional guarantee to face your accuser in open court.
Out F'n rageous!
Wow...take a walk on the wild side.
Must be an old timer.
Camels were the best!
Little hypocritical here, isn't it.
Why not let the bars do this also. If all the employees say it's OK with them, make it a smoking only bar.
If you enter you do so knowing that there will be smoke in the air.
I don't know if I buy this argument. I spent a lot of time in Claifornia during the late 90's. The bars were as hopping as ever- the smokers just stepped outside and had a smoke, then came back in. Granted, doing that in perpetually-warm Southern California is a lot easier than in Maine in February.
"I think if the government helps me one more time I'll be out of business," Newlove said as most of his customers nodded in agreement.
Seems to me that it would be more feasible to have business owners offer both smoking and non-smoking restaurants and let consumers decide. But, that would make far too much sense.
In true full-tilt control freak mode, the idea that smokers just won't go "out on the town" never becomes part of the airhead's equation.
and minors to stop associating smoking with recreational drinking.
Yes, much better that the minors not smoke while recreationally drinking. That much more money available for the beer, I guess.
Well, for one.......they are using our money to sponsor "5 Race Teams" and Race Tracks across the state called Kick Butts Racing. Oh yes. Kick Butts Racing. Imagine parking next to THESE teams in the pits.
The race cars aren't little mini's either. They are the pro stocks. One tire for a pro stock runs about $90 dollars. And we all know how many tires the teams go through, right?
How about paint jobs every week after a bang up Sunday? How about fuel? How about the uniforms? Oh yes! Our taxes paid on Maine cigarettes are paying for all of this!
Partnership For a Tobacco Free Maine spending $10,000 plus $4500 at Wiscasset Race Track,
Sunday 26th of May 2002.
Maine has its priorities crossed. Back in January, health advocates urged lawmakers to spare successful programs in anti-smoking funds.
Maine receives annually $55 million from the Tobacco Settlement, to which the smokers in Maine are paying for. Although Maine had a choice how to spend the money, it was intended for education and to pay for any sick smokers on welfare, should there be any.
House Speaker Michael Saxl said that given the $248 million budget shortfall facing the state, there must be room for some cuts in the health programs.
Attorney General Rowe said that Maine is one of the few state’s that has committed "most" of the money to health programs. I say "Show me the programs!" Most of this money is being spent on pet programs.
For instance: The Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is sponsoring Speedway 95, and Wiscasset Race Track. Memorial Day, the "prestigious" Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is awarding the winner of the Coastal 200- $10,000. With $4500 going to the runner-up.
I wonder how many people this money could have helped that can’t afford health insurance. I wonder how many people this would have helped in nursing homes who have no insurance. I wonder how this money could have helped with children’s nutrition, prescription drugs, child care and substance abuse.
Governor King states Maine Health Care is failing. The money PTFM is wasting at a racetrack could have been spent in a kinder more gentler way.
William Corr, executive director of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free kids says Big Tobacco is targeting our kids, while Corr is targeting the wallets of all who pay cigarette taxes in Maine.
This is a blatant slap in the face to all that pay cigarette taxes.
Oh, the irony.
Thank God. The last thing we want is for you to be drinking a six-pack's worth of beer before navigating your way home in your car. The consequence of these laws will be to save lives from the drunk driver who stays home. The drop in revenues is small to the lives involved.
OUTING GOES UP IN SMOKE: Clair Landry of Lewiston has a cup of coffee with her cigarette at Del’s Bar and Grille in Lewiston on Friday. Landry said she would probably not patronize the establishment after the smoking ban takes effect Jan 1. -- Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
If everything went strictly by the books, bartenders and cocktail waitresses would remove ashtrays from every table and countertop at exactly midnight on Jan. 1.
As soon as the countdown to 2004 ended, bouncers and bar owners would send anyone with a lit cigarette into the cold.
The clinking of champagne glasses, couples in the middle of their first kiss and the blowing of party horns would be interrupted as employees at clubs and taverns where smoking is still allowed made this announcement:
“Under Maine law, smoking is no longer permitted in this establishment. Please put down your cigarettes or step outside.”
In this case, however, everything isn’t expected to go strictly by the books.
A new Maine law that bans smoking in all bars and pool halls is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1.
Technically, that means midnight.
State and local public safety officials said they do not expect enforcement to begin until the following day, though.
Police are too busy on New Year’s Eve to worry about people smoking in bars, said Lee Umphrey, a spokesman for Gov. John Baldacci.
“It would be crazy to expect cops to do that on top of everything else,” Umphrey said.
Lewiston Deputy Chief Mike Bussiere agreed that it would be hard to make the new law a priority on New Year’s Eve, but he does plan to tell his officers to begin spreading the word as they check on local bars.
“It’s often a busy night for us, and we have more important laws to enforce,” Bussiere said. “But we’ll start getting the word to bar owners, reminding them to the get word out to their patrons.”
Baldacci signed the law in June, making Maine the fifth state to ban smoking in bars and pool halls.
Supporters of the measure said it will protect bartenders, waiters, waitresses and other non-smoking patrons from secondhand smoke.
Opponents described it as simply another attempt to strip smokers of their rights, and they argued that people should be able to decide whether they want to work or hang out at places where people smoke.
Del LeBlanc, the owner of Del’s Bar and Grille in Lewiston, opposes the new law because she is afraid that fights and other problems will take place on the sidewalk as people go out to smoke.
LeBlanc, along with most bar owners, is staying open until 2 a.m. on Jan. 1, and she is relieved that she won’t have to worry about clearing ashtrays and throwing smokers outside in the middle of the celebration.
“That would be tough,” she said.
lchmelecki@sunjournal.com