NAZI MAINE: House gives final OK to smoking ban in bars PUKES ONE AND ALL!

boston.com ^ | 6/3/2003 | Glenn Adams

[SheLion]

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) Public health interests prevailed over warnings that personal freedoms are being eroded as the Maine House gave its final approval to a bill to ban smoking in bars and taverns.

Representatives' 95-47 enactment vote sent the measure to the Senate and put Maine a step closer to joining California and Delaware in imposing statewide bans on smoking in bars. New York's ban starts in July, and Connecticut's newly enacted ban on smoking in bars takes effect next April.

[RightWhale]

Rude behavior is being legislated all over the country

Is that what it is? I thought it was some kind of powergrab by our elite masters. Well, maybe you're right.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I think it's great that you eliminated one risk during pregnacy. But back in the dark ages. My mom smoked through six uneventful pregnacies years of birth 1948 son 8lb 6oz, 1950 daughter 7lb 8oz, 1954 (me)9lb 6oz, 1956 daughter 8lb 4oz, 1958 son 8lb 8oz, and 1961 son 9lb even. SO MUCH FOR LOW BIRTH WEIGHT.. All of us grew up in a 2 smoker home went in the 2 smoker car and I am the only smoker of the sibs. We were seldom sick as childrena dnwe're healthy adults. If I ever feel that smoking is hurting my health I'll quit. But we lost direction there it really isn't about smoking it's about property rights and government control. Going with my picture to airbrush dude.

[qam1]

creating little crowds of smokers along the streets outside and not in the bar buying drinks.

Of course, How can you not lose money with these bans?

How can somebody spend money inside the bar when they are outside the bar.

[honeygrl]

"What part of "tobacco smoke/free" environment don't you understand ? "

The part where you think it should apply in every place public or private. No one is going to force you to work in a bar or any other smoker-friendly place. If you don't like it, don't work there or go there. And if you do choose to work there, then don't complain because no one forced you to.

[honeygrl]

"You have no right to smoke in public. In fact most states had smoking bans in place at the time the constitution as signed. "

You planning to back that with a source?

[honeygrl]

"you can ignore that courts are beginning to use smoking as an indication of custody and that states are beginning to question whether its child abuse to smoke in front of kids. "

And do you agree with this too? Good lord, what a bitter old man you seem to be.

[Ditter]

I agree with your assesment completely. I can't tolerate smoke, it gives me asthma & other problems I won't get into. But I don't agree with smoking & nonsmoking sections unless the rooms are separate, otherwise the smoke drifts & is all over the room. I get very upset when the restaurant has promised me a non smoking table & then doesn't deliver. Smokers would get equally angry if promised they could smoke & then they were told they could not.

[honeygrl]

Let me go get my tinfoil hat and we'll talk. Is it shiney side up? I forget.

[honeygrl]

there is a puff list..i've seen it though am not on it.. i'd like to be though (in case whoever runs it sees this post)

[VRWC_minion]

The argument here is whether the government can ban smoking on private property like a restaurant or bar.,That simple. Of course they can and a matter of fact they are.

[VRWC_minion]

In fact most states had smoking bans in place at the time the constitution as signed. "

Do your own history research. Its a fact.

[RightWhale]

No, no, they'll spot you if the shiny side catches the light.

[VRWC_minion]

And do you agree with this too?

I don';t agree with the private property rights being taken without compensation but I do agree with this. The person who smokes in the same room as his kids is abusive and shouldn't parent.

[supercat]

In fact most states had smoking bans in place at the time the constitution as signed.

Where do you get this stuff?

I don't remember the year (probably around 1800), nor the exact location (probably Rhode Island), but per a family story, one of my ancestors or a relative thereof was brought into court charged with smoking in public; he was ordered to pay a $5 fine (rather a lot of money back then). He proceeded to take out a $10 bill, hand it to the judge, and light up his pipe before leaving the courtroom.

[maxwellp]

Give me liberty or give me death. I'd rather die of lung cancer than not be able to live free. Think about it very carefully.

[TexasCowboy]

Next time I see you I'm gonna blow smoke in your face!

[dbwz]

Do you really think that not smoking will keep people from going out? What has happened in NYC? Has there been a drop in business? Has anyone here seen some stats?

Former NYC smokers choose New Jersey (Newsday article)

Excerpt: "At Hoboken's 8th Street Tavern, business has jumped by 20 percent since New York City banned indoor smoking on March 30."

For those not in the know, Hoboken (NJ) is a short train or ferry ride across the Hudson River from NYC.

[supercat]

I believe that the free market would eventually ban tobacco from restaruants.

The free market has banned tobacco from many restaurants. I doubt it would ever ban it from all, since there is and likely always will be a certain clientelle that will prefer any smoking restaurant to any non-smoking restaurant. If there are no other smoking restaurants, a restaurant that allows smoking would be able to claim that entire clientelle for itself.

[supercat]

There are more places that you can't smoke than places you can. The main reason bars are fun is because most people in bars are fun. Most people in bars smoke. Most smokers are easy going and open (unless you try to take away one of the last places they can smoke and socialize). Take smokers out of bars and you may as well take the alcohol out too. If smoke bothers you go to a non-smoking bar and hang around with the one dull person who'll be there. Ever notice that ice cream parlors are not that happening?

The anti-smokers want to be able to go to 'fun' places without having to inhale smoke. Unfortunately, they fail to grasp that making places non-smoking often chases away the people that made the places 'fun' in the first place.