Posted on 01/21/2007 5:56:10 AM PST by NJRighty
RENO, Nev. (AP) - Thirty years after it began as just another quirky movement in Berkeley, Calif., the push to ban smoking in restaurants, bars and other public places has reached a national milestone.
For the first time in the nation's history, more than half of Americans live in a city or state with laws mandating that workplaces, restaurants or bars be smoke-free, according to Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights.
''The movement for smoke-free air has gone from being a California oddity to the nationwide norm,'' said Bronson Frick, the group's associate director. ''We think 100 percent of Americans will live in smoke-free jurisdictions within a few years.''
Seven states and 116 communities enacted tough smoke-free laws last year, bringing the total number to 22 states and 577 municipalities, according to the group. Nevada's ban, which went into effect Dec. 8, increased the total U.S. population covered by any type of smokefree law to 50.2 percent.
It was the most successful year for anti-smoking advocates in the U.S., said Frick, and advocates are now working with local and state officials from across the nation on how to bring the other half of the country around.
In a sign of the changing climate, new U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi banned smoking in the ornate Speaker's Lobby just off the House floor this month, and the District of Columbia recently barred it in public areas. Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana and New Jersey also passed sweeping anti-smoking measures last year.
(Excerpt) Read more at kpic.com ...
No, it isn't. You're appealing to an authority over two hundred years in the past and stating it as evidence that your opinion is correct.
I agree with that statement.
No.
Smoking in my houses increases the fire risks and damages the walls that I will have to paint when a smoker moves out.
Until, smokers become a 'protected' class under the ADA I can choose not to rent to smokers.
"That the desires of the majority of the people are often for injustice and inhumanity against the minority, is demonstrated by every page of the history of the whole world" John Adams
Precisely what is that supposed to prove?
I'm assuming that yours is a rhetorical question.
No, it isn't.
Very well then, it isn't meant to "prove" anything.
You're appealing to an authority over two hundred years in the past and stating it as evidence that your opinion is correct.
I'm not "appealing" to some dead white guy. I'm giving you the thoughts of a learned man on the faults of majority/minority concepts to contemplate upon.
You're absolutely correct that there are faults of the majority/minority concept. The statement "democracy is two foxes and a hen deciding on what to have for lunch" is a prime example of this. My point is that it isn't true in all cases.
Do your rental contracts, if you have them, specifically prohibit smoking?
Yes they do.
How true.
So let's just shrug and give up.
After all, that's the spirit that made this country great.
Ain't it the truth....;-)
I so wanted to continue to "engage"...
Only the cowardly, such as yourself, refer to another poster without pinging her.
No surprises here, though.
Please define public places.
Places of public accommodation and places owned by the state.
Glad to see you are happy about that.
It's nice to know we have lots of new government-worshipers on Free Republic.
Not nearly as harmful as first-or second-hand tyranny.
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