Marlboro man either died or became impotent.
Posted on 10/20/2007 1:52:53 PM PDT by Wheee The People
Poll: Two-thirds of Wyoming voters support statewide smoking ban
CHEYENNE, Wyo. - A statewide poll shows that two-thirds of Wyoming voters support a ban on smoking in public places, including restaurants and bars.
The poll, commissioned by the American Cancer Society in Wyoming and other health organizations, also found that 74 percent of registered voters believe the right of customers and employees to breathe clean air outweighs smokers' right to light up indoors.
"It shows that the people of Wyoming would absolutely support a smoke-free Wyoming," said Loretta Wolf, spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society in Wyoming. The American Cancer Society and the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, a national group that supports smoke-free legislation, also helped pay for the poll.
Harstad Strategic Research Inc. of Boulder, Colo. conducted the poll between Sept. 26 and Oct 1. They contacted 504 registered voters across the state. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percent.
A poll commissioned last year by the Casper Star-Tribune found 57 percent of Wyoming voters supported a comprehensive, indoor smoking ban. That poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research, Inc., surveyed 625 Wyoming voters and had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.
The new American Cancer Society poll found that 92 percent of voters say they would go to restaurants more frequently or at least as frequently as they currently do if smoking were prohibited in them.
Only 6 percent of voters said they would go to restaurants less frequently if indoor smoking were outlawed, while 8 percent said they would be less likely to frequent bars.
While 66 percent of voters supported a statewide smoking ban, the American Cancer Society poll found 32 percent opposed it. Democrats and Republicans supported the ban at about the same level, 67 percent and 68 percent, respectively.
Support for the ban also remained constant among people of different ages, with support only varying a few percentage points between voters aged 18 to those 60 or older.
The poll found that 70 percent of women supported a smoking ban compared to 61 percent of men.
More than 70 percent responded that they believe exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke is harmful to people's health. Twenty-seven percent of voters surveyed said that exposure to secondhand smoke is "just somewhat" or "not at all" harmful.
The poll results were released while a legislative committee is considering whether to introduce smoke-free legislation at the upcoming budget session in February.
Wolf, of the American Cancer Society, said her group is pushing for a comprehensive bill that includes a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants or other businesses. About 27 states have adopted smoke-free laws but the restrictions vary.
Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, chairman of the Labor, Health and Social Services Committee, has said he only intends to introduce the bill in next year's budget session if a majority of the committee members supports it.
Rep. Dan Zwonitzer, R-Cheyenne, sponsored a similar bill in the last session, but it failed to make it to the House floor for a first-reading vote. Lawmakers anticipate a tough fight in the coming session if the bill moves forward.
Dan Hatanelas, manager of a bar in Cheyenne, opposed a citywide smoking ordinance that became law last year. He said he would also oppose statewide legislation.
However, Hatanelas said that a statewide ban might be more fair to businesses in Cheyenne that now must compete against nearby Laramie County businesses that are exempt from the local ban. He said his bar saw a 19-percent drop in revenue during the first 12 months of the local ban, which took effect in August 2006.
"I'd hate to see anything happen, but maybe on a statewide basis it would be less traumatic for us," Hatanelas said.
In addition to Cheyenne, the cities of Laramie and Evanston have adopted their own smoke-free ordinances. The Rock Springs City Council is considering a similar ordinance. Voters in Casper rejected a proposed ban in 2000.
Information from: Star-Tribune, http://www.casperstartribune.net
Despite the rhetoric you read here, conservatives regularly go to the voting booth and freely vote to ban smoking.
Jesus, what the hell has happened to Wyoming???
Sounds an awful lot like “keep polling until you get the answer you want”
>>More than 70 percent responded that they believe exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke is harmful to people’s health.<<
Too bad the WHO disagrees.
I believe too much perfume is harmful to my health. I believe that the only “poor” should be those without DVD players or cell phones.
No one cares what I believe, facts count.
Yep, banning smoking is a non-partisan issue. The left approaches it as a control issue, the right as a moral issue.
*cough* Mike Huckabee *cough*
surprise! sounds like Wyoming folks have become the wimps of the west.
in the great outdoors yet!!!
Ya think??? ROFL
In all seriousness, ALL states, and cities who ban smoking should not be allowed to collect taxes from cigarette sales. They should be allowed one or the other. If you are going to ban smoking, ban it, and do not sell them there.
Much like they do down south where there are dry counties. Dry counties do not sell alcohol. Nor do they collect taxes or revenue for the sale of the product.
They're not real conservatives, they're nanny-state fascists who hate private property rights.
Wish you’d find something better to do. You’re an insult to Free Republic. You only use Robinson’s board to spread your vile hate-filled personal vendetta. I rarely even see you post about any other subject other than the one that brings out both the hatred and glee from within you-namely the further demonization of 25-35 per cent of the law-abiding public using a “legal” product.
It’s tough for me to believe a poll like this though, I mean it is a poll afterall...maybe I just don’t want to?
Fascism abounds across America. But I thought it would be a few more years before the left wing nutjobs took over Wyoming. Next will be mandatory glorification of the homosexual lifestyle in kindergarten.
Marlboro man either died or became impotent.
Weak sample: 504 registered voters
out of a total population, 2006 estimate 515,004 (USA Quickfacts)
More using FR to gleefully spread the hate . Sure wish the mods could see this is his personal vendetta and not fodder for discussion.
My father grew up in Wyoming where he says they used to smoke corn silk. Now if legislation like this can happen in Wyoming then we can conclude that a strange and evil critical mass has been reached.
ping!
“Would you vote to ban smoking if ; You knew you would die within months from secondhand smoke, your house would burn down killing your entire family, a smoking caused forest fire was going to burn up every living thing in the state, you will be given $10 to vote yes.”/ sarc.
Yes, what a crock the secondhand smoke issue is. I’m 65, both my parents were chain smokers, Dad passed away at 85 and amazingly enough, there were no lung problems, hard for me to believe also! BTW, I still loved them very much and thank God for their lives—and mine (they didn’t believe in abortion either...). I don’t smoke, everything’s fine but who knows what health problems may be in store for me—or anyone? I would just like for the health nazis to get out of our lives.
Notice that they NEVER ban abortions, do they? We’ve got very accurate stats on how many are murdered from abortions, right? Oh no, can’t talk about that!
I think backyard swimming pools ought to be banned and have you seen the death/injury rate caused by bicycles lately? With all this constant hyping about seat belts, little kids strapped in like mummies continue to be killed at the same rate, better ban those killer cars too. Ban alcoholic “beverages”, look at the problems brought on by alcohol, ban it too! Come on social nazis, get with it!
And, what are the rights of the owners of the establishments? Smoking nazis striking again!
Wyoming was the first State to let women vote.
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