Wisconsin Smoking Ban, Still Stalled, Could Get Initial Vote Tuesday
It's scheduled for a Tuesday airing in a State Senate Committee, but powerful lobbies are still trying to keep Wisconsin from joining neighboring states, and much of the world, from a ban on smoking in public places.
Give Madison State Senator credit for continuing this long legislative struggle.
8 comments:
I think you made a mistake--it's the powerful lobbies who ARE trying to get the smoking ban passed. It's the citizens and small business owners who don't want it to pass.
Do not pass this insane law. It will only create a big revenue loss. Don't we learn from other states that shows it has not been good for the economy or revenue.
Wisconsin economy can not afford anymore losses.
It is not the powerful who really want this passed. I am a mom who wants to be able to go places without having to worry if I will have asthma problems when I try to pay for my gas. My family is sick of having to worry if and where we can go out to eat and worrying about the possibility we might have to leave before we finish eating because the 'non-smoking' section is causing me to have a severe attack. My kids get scared of places that have smoking because they are afraid of it hurting me. My kids are also at risk for asthma and my eldest is showing signs of developing asthma. Why can't we be free to go where everyone else does? Why do people who smoke think that their right to smoke outweighs everyone else's right to breathe? I would spend more money if I could go more places and still be able to breathe. Can you imagine if we could help people stop smoking how much more income they would have to spend in our economy?
Any business has the option to allow smoking or not. If you don't want to have smoke in your face as you eat, go to an IHOP or somewhere else that doesn't allow smoking. It isn't fair to outlaw it completely... non-smokers and smokers alike both have rights that need to be protected. Being an Illinoisian I've seen firsthand the damage our ban has done on businesses across the state, and many counties are trying to appeal it. Now our bars and restaurants will have to pay a tax to reinstate smoking in their establishment. Sounds like a ploy to get us to pay for our rights to me. Until that happens, many Illinoisians like myself are making the drive up to Wisconsin, and over to Indiana and Iowa to have a night on a town that doesn't look at me like I'm a second class citizen.
In respnse to the person who commented "Any business has the option to allow smoking or not. If you don't want to have smoke in your face as you eat, go to an IHOP or somewhere else that doesn't allow smoking. It isn't fair to outlaw it completely... non-smokers and smokers alike both have rights that need to be protected. Being an Illinoisian I've seen firsthand the damage our ban has done on businesses across the state, and many counties are trying to appeal it. Now our bars and restaurants will have to pay a tax to reinstate smoking in their establishment. Sounds like a ploy to get us to pay for our rights to me. Until that happens, many Illinoisians like myself are making the drive up to Wisconsin, and over to Indiana and Iowa to have a night on a town that doesn't look at me like I'm a second class citizen." I don't know where you are getting your information, but as a fellow Illinoisian, if you do your homework and not rely on gossip at the bar you would find that overall most establishments report that they have recovered from the initial disruptian of the Illinois ban and are actually doing better now. Also as a govenrment health employee I know for a fact that there are no avenues of appeal to exempt bars and restaurants from the law.
As a nonsmoker, I should have the right to clean air. Simple enough. If you choose to kill yourself, go ahead, but I don't want to.
I'm an ex-smoker and I think this state will be fine with a smoke ban statewide. You people are comparing this to what happened in Madison. If it's statewide you smokers will adjust. What's a couple of hours without a cigarette when dining out it's a matter of mind control. If you love your favorite spot you'll have to step outside. Grow up!!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHA the opposition's mindset to this vote is laughable! Every credible health care resource has shown that secondhand smoke is a major health concern. For all you smokers out there, guess what, nobody is infringing on your right to smoke. But your right to smoke in public places infringes on my right to breathe clean air. Once your right infringes on others' rights, it is no longer your right to do so. Nobody is trying to stop you from smoking, by all means, puff yourself silly. Just do it somewhere that doesnt hurt others.
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