The PA State Smoking Ban
Well they did it. Both the house and senate passed the smoking ban. It could have been much worse. The ban on smoking disallows smoking in any public place such as an office, a store or a restaurant. The exceptions are; taverns where 20% or less of it’s sales are from food, private clubs, cigar bars and tobbaconists. Of course they left in the exemption for Philadelphia. Commandant Rendell wouldn’t have it any other way. So once again we have two states here, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia. I may be a big Phillies, Eagles and Flyers fan but that just aint right.
Like I said above, it could have been much worse. I was speaking with my friend Jim this afternoon and he told me that in Florida it is against the law to smoke in the parking lot of a restaurant. Not actually in the restaurant but in the parking lot. What kind of horse hockey is that? Now I know there are a bunch of you no-smoking Stazi out there saying something like, ‘That’s not much of a ban’. Well I say it is one I can live with. I think it’s right that small bars, locals, are exempt from it and private clubs as well. Also please explain to me why smoking should be banned from either a cigar store or a tobbaconist?
Once it’s signed by the Governor it shall become law in 90 days and on that day I will head off to my local, which is a private club and have a smoke with my pint.
The zealots will be back next year to eliminate any exemptions. Just follow what they are doing in Colorado. Casinos were removed from the exemption, although ONE casino is exempt, and they are crying foul as it attracting a lot of customers away from the other casinos. They are trying to get legislators to ban smoking there too, anyway they can. The next (and only) exemption is the bars at Denver airport for travelers who are transferring flights, and they are trying to eliminate that one also. They will badger lawmakers endlessy until ALL smoking is eliminated. Think closly before investing large sums of money into patios or improved ventilation systems. In Chicago, even bars that fully comply with the strict ventilation codes are banned from smoking. Draconian bans are creating too much hassle, so it’s probaby easier to nibble away exemptions slowly through time using “divide and conquer” tactics where some groups are against the exempted groups.
The big question is, did they finally start setting limits on the size of small animals people are allowed to smoke?
Wait, I think maybe I’m getting different state laws confused now…
I’m happy the law was passed but I’m glad you still get to smoke in comfortable surrounds – fair point on voting with your feet. I’m the worst kind of non-smoker (an ex smoker!)
Ah Ha! Bob, bud something tells me you are as politically incorrect as I am. Well good for you!! Dood, I am with you more than you know. My basic attitudte is that any smoking ban is Horse Hockey!
Katey, Are you saying I can now no longer pick off squirrels and rabbits to make my “squab stew, because they’re too small?
Over here, they used employee health & safety legislation to ban smoking. The argument is that workers, including bar staff, shouldn’t have to breathe cigarette smoke and therefore smoking is banned in all work-places. This includes bars and restaurants. The only exemptions are prisons, psychiatric hospitals and old folks’ homes.
Personal and Constitutional freedoms have been attacked once more by uncaring and out of touch hypacritical politicians in Pa. and other states . Nobody said he was lesser of a human being after surviving D -day and the Battle of the Buldge because he smoked. Dad was my hero, and if the men that came back would have had this smoking ban happen in 1946. They would have cleaned up this country of communist ,natzi self serving politicians both state and federal.I never wanted to be taken care of from cradle to grave by government. But I have always loved the USA and its peaple and the Freedom and the constitusional rights of Americans.