Posted on 06/03/2003 5:53:58 PM PDT by cp124
Smoking restrictions win support(Peoples Republic of Maine)
AUGUSTA — The air eventually may be cleaner in homes and cars where foster children live and ride if a bill that awaited Gov. John Baldacci's signature Monday becomes law. The bill is one of several smoking-related measures that are working their way through the Legislature.
The bill calling for new rules restricting smoking where foster children live and ride was weakened from the original version, which would have imposed a flat-out ban in those surroundings.
The enacted version orders Maine's Department of Human Services to adopt rules by July 2004 that take into account the rights of foster parents, said its sponsor, Rep. David Trahan. The rules will be reviewed by the Legislature.
The rules could, for example, set aside "safe areas" in homes where foster parents could smoke, said Trahan, R-Waldoboro. The rules would also have to apply to foster parents' vehicles.
The American Lung Association of Maine would have preferred a stronger bill, but supports the version that was sent to the governor, said Ed Miller, spokesman for the health advocacy group.
"Just by raising the issue in the bill, I'm sure there have been changes in foster homes across the state," said Miller.
A separate bill that awaited final votes Monday would prohibit smoking where beano or bingo games are played. The House and Senate have both agreed to allow exceptions where high-stakes beano or bingo games are conducted by Indian tribes.
Baldacci has signed another beano bill, which will allow someone running the games to fill in for a player who is taking a restroom break. The bill does not apply to high-stakes games.
A measure to extend Maine's public-smoking prohibitions to bars, pool halls and off-track betting parlors won initial Senate approval by a 32-2 vote Monday. The bill faces further Senate and House votes.
Maine's list of places where smoking is restricted grew to include restaurants in 1999. The remaining exceptions allowed under state law have troubled some lawmakers, who said they sent an inconsistent message to the public.
Internet tobacco sales - especially to underage Mainers - are the target of a bill that was successful in its first House vote Monday.
Without debate, representatives gave initial approval to a measure to prohibit the delivery of tobacco products to consumers in Maine unless the seller is licensed as a tobacco retailer. Violations could result in fines from $50 to $1,500.
The lung association's Miller said the bill addresses sales of tobacco products through the Internet. Some sellers not only avoid applicable state taxes, but also get around having to verify purchasers' ages through cyber sales.
Miller said that in many years of working on health issues in the State House, he has never seen a more diverse array of advocacy groups support a tobacco-related bill.
In addition to health and insurance groups, supporters included grocers, merchants, convenience stores, distributors, pharmacies and the state Attorney General's Office.
The saving point in NH is that they have no death tax, then again neither does SD.
You don't go to the right places. The only thing more conservitive than a left behind Yankee is a Boston Irishman, Lace Curtin type that is. You should have been in Butte, Montania when I was a kid or in Park City, Utah when my father was a kid, wide open mining town, 28 murders in a town of 2000, a year, my Aunt told me they had to walk through the Red light district to go to Church, still active on a Sunday moring. This is Utah of all places.
Mass is conservitive in some ways.
Foster parents are already in short supply, guess they have better start building childrens homes again.
I have lived in NYC, Stamford, and Hartford- and only in Boston do I get that "fight" vibe! Does Boston have a "fight" thing because there are "tribes" from Southie, the North End, Charlestown, and then the Suburbs all coming into Boston in groups of 5 to 10 looking for trouble? Boston is a "fight prone city". I never saw a bar fight in NYC, Stamford, or Hartford. I came back to Boston and saw three in one night.
Info "Supposedly" Reporting that "Second-Hand Smoke" is a "Health Hazard" has Proven to be "Spurious!" WHAT A SURPRISE!!
Other "Atmospheric Pollutants" are FAR MORE Dangerous to our Collective Health than "Second-Hand Smoke!!"
Somehow, "REALITY", just seems to be capable of Intruding FACT into "Politically Correct Fantasy" REGARDLESS of the Beliefs of Those Who would Like to Promote a Political Agenda!
If the "ANTI-SMOKING ZEALOTS" wish to foment Their Agenda,--They should Lobby for a TOTAL BAN on Tobacco!
Either MAKE the Substance ILLEGAL (Like Marihuana, Heroin, Cocaine, Amphetamines, PCP, Mescaline, & a LOT of other "Psychoactive Drugs,"), or SHUT UP--& let the "Market" regulate the Substance They Fear!!
All Their "Regulations" accomplish is Greater Revenues for the Government!
Making a Substance (Tobacco), "Quasi-Legal" ONLY creates a Parasitic "Regulatory Agency" whose SOLE EXISTENCE Depends on a LAW (However Spurious), Created for the Sole Purpose to Justify a "Regulatory Agency!!"
Nearly All "Second-Hand Smoke" data indicates that there is NO RISK from "Second-Hand Smoke!!"
So "Regulations" on the "Use of Public Space" are NOT based on Scientific Data;-these so-called "Regulations" are mostly based on ARROGANCE & WHIM!! (WHAT a Surprise!!)
It Seems that "Local Politics" is--as usual--driven by the Personalities of Those who Covet Office!
So Be It!
If Your Local "Town Fathers" Ban "Smoking," you can expect a LARGE "Drop in Revenue;" as with "Prohibition," the "Social Geniuses" who are attempting to regulate a Natural Human Behavior are about to create a Culturally "Transforming" event!!
The "Results"--over the next couple of Decades--should be Very Interesting!!
Doc
You are right about fighting in bars, I lived in NYC also, only saw one in Brooklin, saw alot down South in my travels. It could be an Irish or Scots Irish thing.
I spent a good portion of my youth in Lynn and Peabody, after 10 PM was a bad time to stop for a beer after work.
Doc good to see you posting again, give my love to your wife. Bill
I Just HATE to see "BAD SCIENCE" used to create more "BAD LAW!!"
Then, Again, "What's New???"
We NEED to Teach "The Fed's" How to READ!!
I Always Thought that the Constitution was written in Language "Clear Enough" that EVEN a "Lawyer" could Understand it!!
Then, Again, There appears to be NO "Law or Regulation" that the "Legal Profession" Cannot Subvert to It's Benefit!!
Despite Massive "Human Endeavor" to accomplish ANY Goal, The "Legal 'Profession'" Has NO INTEREST IN any EFFORT BY "western ENtities" to END the UTTERLY OBSCENE "Intifada!!"
"Palestine" is an UTTER FANTASY!!
If there is to be a "Palestinian State," ALL of the PSYCHOPATHS responsible for Murders of Israeli's MUST BE STOPPED (& Brought to Justice!!)
There can be NO "Amnesty,;" Murder must ALWAYS be Prosecuted!!
Sadly, there are Those Who CANNOT UNDERSTAND that "MURDER IS MURDER!!"===There IS NO "Get Home Free" Ticket!!
SO BE IT!!
This FReeepin thing gets addictive, I wish I would have known that when I found this site in '98, there ain't no 12 steps.
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