Posted on 01/15/2004 6:21:41 AM PST by SheLion
Providence Lawmakers are CHOKING RI's Economy!!!!!!!!!!!
PROVIDENCE -- Influential legislators say this could be the year Rhode Island bans smoking in restaurants, bars, work areas and most public places.
"I am confident we will see some kind of ban passed by both chambers," House Speaker Bill Murphy said at the start of this year's legislative session.
"I would like to see a total ban" on workplace smoking, House Majority Leader Gordon Fox said Wednesday. Legislation is being drafted do just that, Fox said, including one to be introduced by the House leadership, a sure sign that it has a serious chance of passing.
Rep. Arthur Corvese of North Providence, chairman of the House Labor Committee that will hear smoking bills this year, said: "I feel something positive will come out of it. Some kind of anti-smoking ban will come out of the House this year."
Rep. Elizabeth Dennigan of Pawtucket and East Providence has introduced a bill, as she has for each of the past several years, only to see it die, usually at the committee level.
This year, however, she feels more confident that her bill, or some bill, will succeed in snuffing out butts anyplace where people work.
"Massachusetts is poised to enact legislation," Dennigan said, "both chambers have passed it and Governor Romney says he will sign it. Connecticut has already passed it, and this is all since June. The entire state of New York has passed it; prior to that it was just New York City.
"We have received data on a weekly basis from New York that has shown that jobs in the restaurant and bar industry have increased," Dennigan said. (Tell a lie enough, people will start to believe it. My words)
But she said advocates wouldn't be concentrating on the economic arguments as they have done in past years, but instead will focus on the health effects of second-hand smoke.
"In past years, I thought most people realized the health impacts, so I focused on the economics," Dennigan said. But statistics "clearly show a strong causal relationship between second-hand smoke and heart disease, cancer, respiratory diseases and developmental problems in children" both from pregnant women who smoke and young children, who are more susceptible to the dangers from environmental tobacco smoke.
"We are trying to get the health message across that even if it does not bother you, rest assured that it is harming you and harming your family," she said. "Why some people get sick and others don't is a medical mystery, but it is quite dangerous."
Under Dennigan's bill, anyone defying the smoking ban would be fined $100 for the first offense, $250 for the second offense and $500 for the third and subsequent violations.
But this year other versions of a smoking ban bill are expected to go into the legislative hopper, including one to be introduced by the House leadership, a sure sign that it has a serious chance of passing.
While he would like to see a total ban, Fox said he is cognizant of the relationship some businesses have with smokers and the hardships a total ban might place on them. "I would like to work out a compromise that protects workers, patrons and restaurants."
In an interview just before the legislature convened for the new year, Fox and Murphy worried about the effect a ban would have on the gambling halls the state sponsors at Lincoln Park and Newport Grand Jai Alai. They said revenues at Delaware casinos dropped when a smoking ban was implemented.
There may also be alternative versions of a smoking ban bill coming out of the Senate as well, Dennigan said. "We know there will be at least three or four different versions," Dennigan said, "but I think all of us interested in this issue just want to make sure it is passed regardless of whose name is on it."
(Are all the Control Freaks, NICO-NAZI Freaks and POWER HUNGRY FREAKS LIVING IN NEW ENGLAND??!!)
Rhode Island isn't very big. The New England States are choking off the smokers, yet they still continue to sell tobacco products. They all talk out of both sides of their mouths.
In the rumor mill: McDonalds will be the next food business to be closed down in the New England States. Even though there is no smoking in any McDonalds, it's the FAT FOOD that the LAWMAKERS want to stop and control.
Wonder where FAT TED KENNEDY eats all those PIES????
Statistics and Data Sciences Group Projects
I think any anti who tries to dismiss the findings of the U.S. Department of Energy labs at Oak Ridge, should be confronted with the question: "Are you saying that DOE researchers committed scientific fraud and that their findings on ETS exposure are untrue?"
Dear heart............New York IS apart of New England. To date, there are "5" states that have gone smoke free. But more are working on this same issue.
It's VERY suspicious though, why these states just don't ban tobacco and pull it all off of the shelves. I'd LOVE to see a civil war..........or another Boston Tea Party. Nothing would tickle me more.
Nonsense, smoking bans, like the constitutional ban in Florida are supported by conservatives and liberals. In California, conservatives voted for prop (whatever #? ) that increased taxes on cigarettes. Republican and Democratic legislatures join together to ban smoking.
It's fashionable here on FR to think otherwise, but conservatives and liberals agree that smokers suck.
Miz Dennigan needs a lesson in statistics and epidemiology. Statistics have shown there MIGHT be a SLIGHT correlation............but correlation does not equal causation.
When are these people going to start facing reality and admit the truth - they are doing this for social engineering and behavior modification and campaign contributions from the pharamceutical industry which is spending big money to get these bans enacted.
As to the economics of these bans - they are very good for business.....................in surrounding states without such nanny laws.
The owners of several places I know on Chincoteague Island said they saw a large increase in folks visiting from Delaware this past summer. And many others who chose not to vacation at the Delaware beaches this year because of the smoking ban there.
I still have my anti-Delaware bumper stickers on my car and it's amazing how many comments I've gotten from folks from Delaware who are down here buying cigarettes.
Nah, not suspicious at all. They're addicted to the money.
Delaware doubled the cigarette tax last year for an increase in cigarette tax receipts of $144million. There is already a proposal to cut personal income tax and some business taxes to the tune of $100million.............but of course no such talk of cutting the cigarette tax.
Already happened in Pierce County (Tacoma), here in Washington state.
It is all about money. If our states were really concerned and sure of the health potential of smoking, they would have forced the tobacco industry to make safer smokes, OR they would have banned smokes to protect the public. But, they do not want to lose the revenue.
What a joke!
Oh REALLY?! So I guess you think that child molesters, abortion, spouse abusers, alcoholism and obesity is "fashionable?"
Just as long as a person doesn't SMOKE, then everyone is just ok with you!
I hate to break this to you my friend, but there is a big movement all across the United States and smokers are finally standing up for themselves! You might think we smokers suck, but our Government is raping billions of dollars from our wallets with the taxes smokers pay on cigarettes. But as long as that doesn't touch YOU, then all is just peachy. Well, let's hope the governement doesn't soon come after a LEGAL COMMODITY that YOU enjoy!
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