Smoking Ban Proposal Passes In Baltimore

[Mr_Wolf]

Just heard about this on the news this morning. Of course I am down with a sinus infection, so this could have shown all weekend. :blush:




WBAL.com Linky.

"The Baltimore City Council, on the bill's second reader, voted 6 to 3 to ban smoking at the city's bars and restaurants.

The bill now moves to a third reader and Monday night's vote virtually guarantees that it will become law in January of 2008.

A final vote is scheduled later this month on the proposal to prohibit smoking at the city's bars and restaurants."




WJZ.com linky.

"Monday night, the Baltimore City Council will take up the smoking ban. So will the Annapolis City Council, and a statewide ban gets a hearing soon.

Some bar owners say by passing local legislation banning smoking, that leads to unfair competition, but a statewide ban would even the playing field.

The lobbyists on both sides are gearing up for a big fight.

"This is not saying you can't smoke. This is saying when your behavior affects those around you, it's time to take it outside," said Keri Appler, Smoke Free MD."

 

[tone-ny]

Ouch!

 

[BlindedByScience]

....the got an incredibly arcane ban passed here in WA, and OR is next, to be sure.

Here in Washington, it's commonly referred to as the "Indian Casino Revenue Enhancement Act"..... :whistling:

B.B.S.

 

[fenian'98]

Slowly but surely this is happening across the country. It seems like it was only yesterday they got us here in New York. My friend owned a bar where we would get together and smoke cigars every day until the ban came.

 

[vortex]

I remember when it hit DE. I think it was right before 9/11 and I don't know which was a more violent wake-up call! It's all about control and fear. Fear is the "mind killer". The means by which the control is implemented.

 

[Mr Peat]

They tried to enforce that crap in my town a few years ago. Needless to say, it was shot down in flames when the Bar owners got together and threatened to sue the city. Its a good thing the city backed down so that you can still smoke in bars. I can care less about restaurants, but I still feel it should be left to the owner to decide whether its smoking or non-smoking.

 

[opusXmarco]

The last place I thought a ban would pass was here in Sin City...

Sometimes I hate being a cigar smoker...these smoking bans target the cigarette smokers, making cigar smokers guilty by association.

 

[Dave]

The last place I thought a ban would pass was here in Sin City...

Sometimes I hate being a cigar smoker...these smoking bans target the cigarette smokers, making cigar smokers guilty by association.

I believe they are targeting big tobacco, not the smoker. Originally this was meant to save the restaurant and bar industry workers from contracting those pesky breathing problems such as lung cancer and what not, but after some more looking at a big picture, its a target on all forms of smoking. Politicians are good at using "save the children, save the blue collar worker" scapegoat.

 

[Saxjazzman]

They tried to enforce that crap in my town a few years ago. Needless to say, it was shot down in flames when the Bar owners got together and threatened to sue the city. Its a good thing the city backed down so that you can still smoke in bars. I can care less about restaurants, but I still feel it should be left to the owner to decide whether its smoking or non-smoking.

That is a novel concept, let the owner decide!! Where do you think you are?? In America??