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Adam
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Michigan Legislature passes smoking ban
LANSING — The Michigan Legislature passed a long-delayed smoking ban Thursday, with exceptions for three Detroit casinos that have to compete with tribal casinos not affected by the ban.
The Democrat-led House agreed Thursday afternoon to slight changes made by the Republican-led Senate earlier in the day. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who welcomed the bill's passage.
"It's a terrific gift to Michigan," she told reporters.
The ban will take effect in May 2010. It applies to all bars, restaurants and work places, except for the Detroit casinos, cigar bars, tobacco specialty stores, home offices and motor vehicles.
Although smoking will be allowed on casino gambling floors, it will be banned in the casinos' bars, restaurants and hotels.
The Senate approved a ban with no exceptions last year, but that bill failed in the House, which wanted the exceptions for the Detroit casinos. The House in May passed the bill adopted Thursday by the Senate.
With Granholm's signature, Michigan will become the 38th state to limit smoking in public places such as government buildings, bars and restaurants, according to Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, who has kept alive the push for a statewide smoking ban. He favors a total ban, but was satisfied with the progress so far.
"We've moved the ball down the court, and even scored a basket," he said of Thursday's vote. "We haven't scored a three-pointer."
Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, also wanted casinos included in the ban but was pleased with the Senate vote.
"It will be a great day in this state when we are totally, 100 percent smoke free ... (but) I'm very proud of what we've done today," he said.
Several senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, said they objected to the ban because it intruded on decisions bar and restaurant owners should make based on their customers' desires.
"This is a blatant overreach by government," Bishop said.
The Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, which lobbied against the measure, predicted the smoking ban would cost the state thousands of jobs.
"It's our elected officials' responsibility in this economic climate to pass legislation that helps all Michigan businesses, not just a few select business groups," executive director Lance Binoniemi said in a statement.
Public health officials praised the measure.
"The Legislature today has made a great stride forward toward building healthier communities for everyone in Michigan," said Dr. Greg Holzman, the chief medical executive for the Michigan Department of Community Health.
Among nearby states, only Indiana doesn't have some type of smoking ban in place.
Some residents remain opposed to it, including Don Doze, 54, who was eating Thursday in the smoking section of a Big Boy restaurant in Detroit.
"I want to enjoy my food or drink, and enjoy my cigarette," said Doze. "I don't want to walk away from my table to go outside and smoke." |
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Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:05 am |
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Adam
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If this is true expect "working class" bad weather Flint to be hit hard.
http://www.davehitt.com/facts/banstudies.html
In the USSA territory of Ohio
Liberty Inn general manager Sarah O'Brien said in the first six to eight weeks of the enforcement, business dropped by 50 percent.
"It killed us," O'Brien said. "Most of our patrons are blue-collar workers, construction workers and 90 percent are smokers."
But the bar's owners decided to go against the state ban and allow smoking, O'Brien said, and for the past few months the business has had its greatest success in three years. |
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Adam
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Mysearchisover.com
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FB
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Jobs
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Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:14 am |
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Dave Starr
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| Less places to smoke = lower tobacco sales = less revenue for the state = higher tobacco tax = fewer people smoking = etc. |
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I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Fri Dec 11, 2009 11:17 am |
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1pissedoffguy
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| Well folks if you don't like smoking bans hold on your hats, with Obamacare we will have the fat police, the calorie cops,hotlines for reporting overindulgences. I can see 'incentives" to get people to exercise , these possibly could be fine and imprisonment for not following the dicatates (no, this is not far fetched, look at the possible fines and imprisonment they want to put into effect it people dont have insurance) . The politicans care so much about you that they now want to be your parents. But hey! it is all because they "love" us sooo much. We were the only country that tried to totally outlaw alcohol, not even the soviets did that to their people(s) . If I want to smoke ciggarttes and drink booze till I pass out it is my choice, I am not property of the state. But we all will be when the dumbass politicans pass the health care crap. We will have to answer to the Nanny State. "land of the Free" my ass! |
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Fri Dec 11, 2009 3:28 pm |
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twotap
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What ever Nobamas got planned he better get his ass in gear cause his party is about to get voted out of power. Oh ya one more thing,how about one of you Obama koolaid drinking libz on this forum explaining to us why if his healthcare fiasco does become law it dosent kick in until 2013 one year after he has to face the electorate???   |
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"If you like your current healthcare you can keep it, Period"!!
Barack Hussein Obama--- multiple times. |
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Fri Dec 11, 2009 6:24 pm |
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