Posted on 04/26/2005 1:35:09 PM PDT by Monitor
In Shorewood, Village President Mark Kohlenberg is calling for a ban on smoking in all public places, with exemptions for the four bars and restaurants where smoking is now allowed. The effort in Shorewood and other communities in Wisconsin reflects a growing public awareness of the health danger posed by secondhand smoke. While these community efforts are useful, the problem they address is not just local. What is needed is a statewide ban on smoking in all indoor locations that are accessible to the public.
A bill that would achieve this ambitious but worthwhile goal is being circulated in the Wisconsin Legislature by Rep. Mark Gottlieb (R-Port Washington) and Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills). Although current Wisconsin law bans smoking in many public places, it authorizes smoking areas. The measure backed by Gottlieb and Darling would drastically reduce the number of these exempted places.
Under the bill, smoking would be banned in mass transit vehicles and school buses, schools, movie theaters and government buildings. Significantly, smoking areas would no longer be permitted in offices and other places of employment and in retail establishments, such as restaurants. The proposed law contains no grandfather clause, which means it would apply to all, not just to businesses that open in the future.
The restrictions it would impose may seem harsh, but the health dangers of secondhand smoke are both serious and undeniable. Estimates suggest that at least 53,000 Americans die every year from diseases that result from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke, according to four groups backing the bill: the American Lung Association, the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society and Smokefree Wisconsin.
The Environmental Protection Agency has classified secondhand tobacco smoke as a Group A carcinogen, which means it is known to cause cancer in human beings, the four organizations report.
Secondhand smoke in a restaurant, say, affects not just its patrons but its employees. A waitress or a cook is free to get a job in a safer environment, but no one should have to quit his or her job in order to work where breathing the air is not hazardous.
The prohibition would not extend to private homes, of course, unless the residence was an adult day care center. Among other things, a ban on smoking at home would be unenforceable. Also, the ban would not extend to hospitals designed primarily for the treatment of mental illness. It is a carefully focused measure that, if enacted and enforced, would help more people in Wisconsin breathe easier.
From the April 26, 2005, editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Can I buy stock in those four bars?
Achtung! Schnell! Get into zee boxcar!
So, if I can prove that trying to rationalize the actions of the representatives I've elected has driven me nuts, I can continue to smoke in public?
I'm about ready to go insane. These have to be the end days.
As serious and undeniable health dangers as there would be to a person who has his nose up his own, or anothers anus for a protracted amount of time.
Smoking bans are just trial runs for broader (and deeper) assaults on property and rights in general.
These smoking bans are clearly against the Constitution if you ask me.
It is curious how they justify abortion through a "right to privacy<" and yet they have such contempt for private property.
I know it sounds silly, but sooner or later we will regret all of these bans.
They have gone unchallenged or have been upheld. It just opens the door for more government mischief.
Her 'staff' informed me that this is all but inevitable anyway. I said, yea, as long as Republicans behave as if they're Democrats, yea, the loss of my liberties is inevitable.
I am not laughing.
Her staff is as moronic as she is. There's nothing like being unemployed because of stupidity to cure what ails them.
This is a flat out lie. The WHO finally admitted that they cannot pin a single death on the results of being exposed to second-hand smoke.... yet these yo-yo's keep yelling it from the rooftops like it's a fact. I would like to see the medical records of those 53,000 they refer to. Someone needs to start confronting these guys for names, diagnosis' and dates when they make idiotic statements like this.
"no one should have to quit his or her job in order to work where breathing the air is not hazardous."
Does she think pharmacists should be required to dispense morning-after pills or lose their jobs?
"no one should have to quit his or her job in order to work where breathing the air is not hazardous."
Does she think pharmacists should be required to dispense morning-after pills or lose their jobs?
when will we ban violent movie watching in public? - perhaps we should add a special tax on it and give the $$$ to Meathead Reiner and friends - it's for the children
Can't wait until they go "Non-Fat".
I would suggest State wide "No Politicians"....but I'd be dreaming......
FWIW-
I just fired off an email to the two RINOs, copying my rep and senator (solid conservatives) at the same time. I asked the two RINOs to remind me why I'm supposed to be voting Republican...
That's a very good question.
FWIW, Sen. Darling's staff asked me during the phone call if I'd heard about the legislation on Charlie Sykes' show. I said no, the liberals of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's op-ed board wrote in support of the legislation in today's paper, which is how I found out about it. Seems they got quite a few angry calls during Charlie's show. I bet they get a few more after folks get home from work and read their paper.
I bet a gazillion dollars that banning smoking in homes is next. It's for the children, ya know. Betcha! Betcha! Betcha!
First they came for hamburgers, but I said nothing because I ate tofu turkey.
Then they came for the CO2, but I said nothing because I wasn't a plant....
another incremental loss of our freedoms.
I wonder why I support the pubbies, too. we won't even talk about the $1/pack tax.
these RINOs disgust me. next time I get a solicitation from Alberta i will mail her some used butts.
thanks for the post. I think...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.