The smoking ban continues to smolder.

For three years in a row, a House subcommittee has killed legislation that would ban smoking in restaurants. It rankles some people that a six-person panel can spike a proposal that attracts such widespread public attention and has been labeled a major public health issue.

Gov. Tim Kaine, who strongly supports the ban, doesn't sound ready to give up.

Addressing a caller on his monthy radio show on WRVA, Kaine said he hasn't yet developed a 2009 legislative agenda, but he sounded ready to take up the anti-smoking crusade again. When Kaine served on the Richmond City Council, it took him seven years to change municipal elections from May to November.

"Persistence is a virtue," he said. "This is a matter I feel strongly about."

It sounds like Del. Tom Gear, R-Hampton, will remain busy. Gear chairs the subcommittee that has killed the bills and he is no friend of the anti-smokers. As he sees it, the free market should rule. Restaurants should ban smoking because their customers demand it, not because the government wants them to.

Kaine and others would argue that the government already regulates restaurants -- requiring employees to wear hairnets, to wash their hands, all that stuff -- so anti-smokers aren't blazing any new trails, so to speak.

Anyway, sounds like we'll hear more about this.What do ya'll think?

Comments

[No Fax Payday Loans]

I am not anti-smoker so I really don’t care if a person is smoking or not. But when it comes on the issues that smoking in a restaurant should be banned I definitely agree with that. Why? Smoking is bad for our health. A restaurant is one of those places that are crowded, if there were lots of people smoking in that place the health of those who are not smoking would be in danger. When it comes on banning payday loan, well I strongly disagree about it. This site discusses the disadvantage if payday loans would be banned: http://personalmoneystore.com/moneyblog/. It also tackles the online payday loan specifically no fax payday loans.

[Thomas Laprade]

An alternative to smoking bans

It is clear that separation of smokers from non-smokers combined

with air exchange technology is a complete solution to this largely

artificial problem. All it takes is regulating authorities setting the

standards for indoor air quality on passive smoke, and the technology

does the rest. Such air quality standards are common in industrial

and environmental contexts. But, to date, no country in the world has

set them for smoking areas. It seems clear that the reasons are not

scientific, nor are they economic or technical: they are political.

As to the annoyance of smoking, a compromise between smokers and non-smokers
can be reached, through setting a quality standard and the use of modern
ventilation technology.

Air ventilation can easily create a comfortable environment that removes not
just passive smoke, but also and especially the potentially serious
contaminants that are independent from smoking.

Thomas Laprade
480 Rupert St.
Thunder Bay, Ont.

Http://smokersclubinc.com
http://pasan.thetruthisalie.com

[JLD]

Oh, and BTW...those states who have gone smoke free have remported NO substantial DROP in their business revenues. In fact, there's been increases.

Now, if you're so damned addicted to the cancer sticks that you can't handle leaving them alone for a few hours, you have no business being out in public. Let the majority eat in peace, without having to breath your poison.

[JLD]

I'd REALLY love to know what the House subcommittee is REALLY afraid of. Why are they SO AFRAID to let this bill out on the floor for debate? Could it be that if it WERE on the floor, (GASP!) it might just PASS?????????????? And then where would all the tobacco money go from the lobbists?

I challenge the subcommitte - put it on the floor for a vote! You OWE your voters....NOT the tobacco lobbists.

[David Walsh]

On a recent trip to Minnesota, I went to eat in one of the most popular restaurants in the area. Normally, a Friday night meant a 1-2 hour wait for a table in the bar. But, thanks to a statewide ban on smoking, we didn't have to wait at all. This was great because we didn't have to hang out in a bar while waiting for dinner. In fact, the bar was empty! The bad news is that they have lost so much business that their prices are up 20% to compensate. In Minnesota, non-smokers are willing to pay higher prices to keep those of us who smoke where we belong---at home.