Posted on 11/22/2005 4:19:34 AM PST by E Rocc
-- Smokers will soon have to take it outside more often in Summit County.
The Summit County Council narrowly passed an ordinance Monday night restricting indoor smoking, making it illegal to smoke in bars, restaurants and workplaces in the county. There is a $150 fine for a first offense.
The proposal, which passed 6-5, pitted bar owners and smokers against those who decry the ill effects of secondhand cigarette smoke.
"This will save lives," said Gene Nixon, Summit County health commissioner. "This is a courageous thing to do."
Scott Brewer, who said he owns six taverns in Summit County, said the law could force him to lay off some of his workers if revenue drops because smokers stay away.
"It will kill my business," Brewer said. Some bar owners believe that smokers will now patronize bars and restaurants in adjacent counties, where they can drink, eat and smoke legally.
The bill's passage came only after its prime sponsors agreed to restrictions.
Council agreed Monday night to exempt tobacco shops, 20 percent of hotel and motel rooms and private, nonprofit clubs. Racetracks were also excluded, and bowling alleys are permitted to have smoking lounges.
Councilman Nick Kostandaras, whose northern Summit County district includes Northfield Park, pushed for most of those exemptions.
Summit County Executive Jim McCarthy, who is a smoker, said through a spokeswoman Monday night that he will sign the ordinance into law. It is set to take effect Feb. 28.
But while supporters applauded loudly in the packed council chambers after the measure passed, the city of Akron is already balking.
Mark Williamson, a spokesman for Mayor Don Plusquellic, said an existing law in Akron supersedes the new county law. About 40 percent of Summit County's residents live in Akron, where an existing clean indoor air law allows smoking in bars.
Some Summit County Council members support an effort to get a statewide prohibition against indoor smoking. Proponents have argued that such a law would be more uniform and would not pit county against county or community against community. Supporters of statewide restrictions on indoor smoking in public places are trying to get an issue on the ballot in Ohio next year.
A statewide ban would supersede bans already in place in 21 Ohio cities, including Columbus and Toledo.
Supporters of the Summit County law say it is a step toward fighting secondhand smoke and sends a message to state lawmakers that more Ohio communities are supporting laws banning smoking inside public buildings.
Notice they don't have the guts to ban smoking. I wonder why? No need to answer. That is a question I already know the answer to.
The idiot non smokers don't have a clue or they would shut the hell up!
Like I said. Let them pay the taxes. It will serve them right.
Good grief...........I'm so happy I turned the TV off a couple of weeks ago........If it's not on Animal Planet, the Travel Channel or a football game there's no TV on in this house much any more.
I like your attitude :)
But you're right - the non-smokers have no clue how much the states rely on smokers to balance state budgets. The anti-smokers don't want to do away with smoking, no matter what they say, because they know they will all be out of high paying jobs paid for by smokers.
I think I must be the lone voice out in the woods. How is it that the anti's can't see this? I don't smoke and I pay plenty in taxes now. I don't want to take up the slack.
Somehow I don't think I will be asked to. Legislators don't have the.....uh shall we say parts.....to change any tax law on the book regarding tobacco. Except to raise taxes that is.
And Fox News has a "beached whale" who calls himself Dr. Manny who is very obese. Yet he has the nerve to bash people who smoke!
Same ol', same ol' here!!!
You're not really such a lone voice, more and more non-smokers such as yourself are starting to realize this is a very dangerous precedent being set.
It's amazing how many of the anti-smokers are pro-choice when it comes to abortion, and all in favor of tolerance regarding homosexuality, but do not see their hypocracy when it comes to their anti-choice intolerant attitude toward tobacco and those who choose to use it.
You are so right! Sigh.......................
"Dr. Manny"???????
That's a new one on me.
He has been on the past two weeks as Fox's resident Doctor. And he is HUGE.
My uncle is at State War Veterans hospital in Jackson Miss and even though he never smoked, they do have indoor smoking lounge for the old guys.
And they deserve no less.
I have absolutely no problem with non-smokers who do not wish to be around tobacco smoke, just so long as they are not in favor of the government getting involved in the issue.
The smoking vs. non-smoking issue came up, again, at a meeting at the Moose Lodge last night. Some states/municipalities that have banned smoking have also included private clubs such as the Moose, others exempt them. Apparently there are several Lodges throughout the country that are voluntarily going smoke-free. Some have found it to be successful, others have not.
Of the 13 people attending the meeting only 2 are non-smokers and it was one of them who said the idea of going non-smoking would be a death knell for the Lodge. We don't have enough people coming in as it is, chasing away the majority of those few would be suicidal. The same is true for our Bingo - going non-smoking would kill us. Of the 72 people we had at bingo last week, only 4 were sitting at the no-smoking tables.
That would explain my ignorance - I turned the 24/7 TV news off at least a month ago :)
Savage called it a "Soft Communism" and I thought he was on to something.
What a world. When I was in school, one reason they provided a smoking lounge for the teachers was because the students weren't supposed to see the teachers smoking. Now they're commiserating with each other. I'm surprised they didn't just invoke the Weyco Rule.
I saw that, I didn't watch that show, but I liked her answer "Gee lady, people smoke. It's not like we were glorifying it or anything." It's this pretending like anything the left doesn't like doesn't exist, THAT is the essence of the soft communism of modern america. Like Christmas, for example, or Terrorism. It makes them look increasingly foolish to anyone with eyes since they resemble babbling idiots more and more.
I know, I'd have to find a frickin' dealer.
puff
Dr. Manny is a crony of the two-faced, double-talking, wannabe Katie Couric of morning cable Television news, Ed. Hill.
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