See how fast the "Republicans" cave to the touchy-feely stuff?
Maine, the testicles-free state.
What with the economy in Maine and business's struggling, all our lawmakers can think about is keeping the adult smoker out-of-site.
The wait person knows beforehand that if they take a job in a bar/tavern, there is going to be smoking. This goes without saying. I just received the following letter (in response to my letter to Gov. Baldacci), from Health and Human Services on this issue:
This letter is in response to your correspondence to Gov Baldacci regarding the legislation banning smoking in bars. Because the earlier legislation banning smoking in restaurants didnt include bars, we did have an UNEVEN PLAYING FIELD. With this legislation bars have the same restriction.
Smokers have not lost their right to smoke. (HEH) Adults who smoke have a RIGHT to smoke where their SMOKE doesnt harm the non-smokers.
Sincerely,
Mary Bourque, Public Health Educator
PARTNERSHIP FOR A TOBACCO-FREE MAINE
Can you see ANY of us going outside in January, February or March to grab a cigarette in the harsh bitter cold winters that WE GET?
Nothing is good enough for these people. They take the taxes from the adults who choose to smoke and use that money to stick it to us.
I still cant believe they think they can go into a private business and tell them how to run it. They just wont leave well enough alone. A lot of us smoke in Aroostook, and until the Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine put ideas into the non-smokers heads, everyone was happy.
Like I said: if smoking is so bad for us why doesnt our Maine government just ban it! Pull it off the shelves. Oh! But wait! Then they wouldnt be lining their pockets with OUR MONEY!
Anyone can voice their displeasure at the following email address's: