Smoking Ban Statewide in Wisconsin

[AJE]

MADISON, Wis.
- Smoking will cost more, but there will be fewer places where you can light up under a proposal Gov. Jim Doyle announced Wednesday.

Doyle wants to ban smoking statewide in all public places, including restaurants, bars and workplaces. He also wants to increase the tax on cigarettes by $1.25 per pack, up from the 77 cents now charged.
For the complete article please see-->
http://www.wluk.com/common/article.s...69651674016708

:arrow: I personally am in favor of this ban especially for health reasons aspect. I would like to see the younger generation not waste their precious funds and litterly gamble away their own lives. I hope I'm not alone in this view.

[pk]

Even if it stops just one young person from a life of smoking then I say, great! I personally do not smoke, I am allergic to smoke, I want my kids to be in a safer, cleaner environment, so I love this whole plan.


pk

[RichinGB]

I agree pk. I don't do the bar scene very much, but when I go out in GB compared to when I go out in Appleton, Appleton is SOOO much nicer. The air is so much nicer, my clothes don't stink, my throat doesn't hurt, etc.

Rich

[j10asen]

PK

Even if it stops just one young person from a life of smoking then I say, great! I personally do not smoke, I am allergic to smoke, I want my kids to be in a safer, cleaner environment, so I love this whole plan.

Now if we could eliminate the industrial polutuion we may breath easier, but that will only cut-off our noses to spite our face.

RichinGB

I agree pk. I don't do the bar scene very much, but when I go out in GB compared to when I go out in Appleton, Appleton is SOOO much nicer. The air is so much nicer, my clothes don't stink, my throat doesn't hurt, etc.

Yes it rox in Appleton, but I rarely go to bars, but when I do it rox :lol:


I do prefer the NON-Smoking Bars/public places as My eyes burn,clothes stink,I dislike the smell, I dislike breathing smoke. :evil:

But I dislike government telling me what to do. I say if you don't like smoke , don't patronize those places. eventually they will halt smoking there ,simply to get business.
The tax thing ,I like, and ad more license fees to places that allow smoking another revenue enhancer :wink:

AJE you are NOT alone, just look around and see how many are actually smoking these days. I see fewer and fewer people with cigarettes.

There was a time when I did not think I could live without smoking
Now I just can not imagine smoking!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Kris10]

Yes! Yes! Yes! There's so many things I don't do, like go to karaoke or concerts, because of the smoking. I make a it a point to spend my money in Madison or Wauwatosa where smoking isn't allowed in restaurants. As my allergies have gotten worse over the years, I just can't tolerate the smoke.

I used to smoke but I was polite about it. I figured that if I had a filthy habit, I deserve to have to take it outside. I never smoked in my home. Smoking isn't victimless because you can't stop your smoke from going into another person's lungs.

I don't think the price increase will stop any smokers, though. It's an addiction. My husband still smokes, so likely he'll just get his smokes in a cheaper state when we travel.

[Crys]

As far as I'm concerned, the distinction between smoking and, say, drinking coffee or alcohol, is that they affect only you, but smoking affects everyone who is forced to share that space in any way, even just walking through. I don't like the govt telling you what to do either, but one of its primary functions is to protect us from each other. If everyone cared about their effect on the people around them, we wouldn't need laws like this one. However, without the government there to enforce "your right to swing your fist ends at my nose", people just swing indiscriminately because they don't care how many people they hit, so to speak.

I hope this passes. It doesn't regulate ingestion of the chemical itself in public, just whether or not you can force your chemical suicide of choice on everyone else. People who need their nicotine fix when there are others around should try chewing nicotine gum or wearing a patch. They still get their fix, and the rest of us don't have our health destroyed by it, esp. since so many people are allergic up to the point of it being deadly to them, and so many of us are on medication that when mixed with tobacco smoke can cause strokes and heart attacks. Win win.

[galwonder]

I'm not for the smoking ban at all. It's a one size fits all scheme to control the behavior of people. It won't work just like prohibition didn't work. I would rather see individual businesses making the decision on whether they want a smoke-free establishment, or let local government decide what public places should be smoke-free. We've also got to get some really good effective treatments for smokers first to help them quit because what's available now isn't working for lots of folks.

[j10asen]

Originally Posted by galwonder

I'm not for the smoking ban at all. It's a one size fits all scheme to control the behavior of people. It won't work just like prohibition didn't work. I would rather see individual businesses making the decision on whether they want a smoke-free establishment, or let local government decide what public places should be smoke-free. We've also got to get some really good effective treatments for smokers first to help them quit because what's available now isn't working for lots of folks.

There is a flip-side to every story. I too dislike government dictating control over private indusrty but we have that every day.
Think about the people desperate for work or because of other activity conflicts(school) they must work in public places that allow smoking. They are being exposed to an unhealty environment. How would you like the same happen to you?

I think there are plenty of different treatment programs to assit in stopping smoking, But the first and most important part of any change in habit is the strong desire by that person to want to make the change. If that is NOT there it will never happen.

I was a smoker at one time so I do know what it takes to stop.
For me it took a trip to the emergency room with a Heart Attack at the age of 38.

Only 50% survive the 1st Heart Attack!!!

Will I go into a pulic place that has smoking, only when I am forced to do so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


I add this as an afterthought.
Making it a state wide law levels the playing field for eveyone.

I also think this is the best action our Honorable Governor has taken.

[j10asen]

I just saw this on Yahoo
My Daughter who lives in London says as of July there will be NO SMOKING IN pubs!

PARIS (AFP) - Part one of a French ban on smoking in public places comes into force on Thursday, covering workplaces, schools and hospitals and setting the clock ticking for smoke-filled cafes and bars which have until next January to kick the habit.



Smokers will now have to stub out on the doorstep of shops, sports clubs and entertainment venues that still allowed smoking, while "smokers' corners" in school staff rooms and hospitals will vanish entirely.

for complete story
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070129...e_070129154716

[AlumniClub]

I was a smoker a one time in my life and feel bad for those that have to put up with this habit of others, but I don't believe in government accessing control the behavior of people as galwonder stated.

Don't smoke it's bad for you...!!!!!
Don't let government take away freedom...it's bad for America.

[AlumniClub]

Here we go...

First off i am a smoker so shoot me. I wasnt going to post about this and probably shouldnt but this whole topic on the net and in the news is starting to grind my "boys" into meatloaf! People complain about all the smoke they have to breathe in but the ones that gripe are the same people that drive cars that pour out more smoke than 3 weeks of burning rubber at dragstrips. Do i complain that their car is oozing out blue smoke??? NO..What about the same people who sit around campfires while camping and the smoke is blowing all over the globe? Do they get all snappy about that saying " oh the smoke is so smelly, it burns my throat, my clothes stink"?..NO..The solution to me is easy... if smoke bothers you, KINDLY, i know some people dont know that word or its meaning, ask the person if they could PLEASE move their cigarette...DONT GET ALL PISSY ABOUT IT AND CALL OPRAH! If my smoke bothers someone i will correct the problem if they ask nicely. If you decide to go out to dinner and dont want to be around it, again, simple solution...ask the waitress if you can sit away from the smoking section. Most restaurants are ventilated to solve this problem. Another thing... the air we breathe outside is far worse to breathe in than the smoke from someones cigarette. Your job has more contaminated air in it than a cigarette does...so are you going to quit your job and live in a bubble? Thats what this world will turn into soon... a bunch of bubble people! Get rid of cars, jobs, restaurants, camping, boats, etc... because they all pollute the air for gods sake! Im outta here for now...my bubble awaits me...but not till i have my evening cigarette! I say puff away you smokers...its our lungs.

[Crys]

I say puff away you smokers...its our lungs

The problem is, it's our lungs too.

Think about this for a moment:

If it was alcohol, and a parent forced half a bottle of whiskey down their child's throat every day, we'd take the child away and call it child abuse. But forcing that child to breathe the far more damaging tobacco smoke, that's ok?

If you were throwing tobacco on a campfire, I'd complain about that too. It's not smoke at large, it's the chemicals from the tobacco and tar and other noxious crap they put in cigars and cigarettes. Second hand smoke is actually far more dangerous than the smoke a smoker gets through their cigarette, because they have a filter. We don't.

And I require a car to get to work. It's the most efficient model I could afford on my very limited income, and the most efficient one on the lot where we got it. I'm just as angry about that. The technology exists to make cars that barely pollute (compared to what they are now), but the oil companies and the car companies hold most of the patents and refuse to use them because they make more money the way things are. If you wanted to pump exhaust across the opening of a building, I would have as much problem with it as I do with smokers who stand in the entrance to public buildings blowing their smoke in my face and sending my friend into anaphylactic shock.

Like I said, you want to commit suicide with nicotine, you go right ahead. Chew gum, snort it, heck, I don't care if you inject it. Commit suicide however you want. Just don't expect me to sit idly by and let you drag me along with you.

[talleyJudy]

I consider the state wide smoking bans in WI & MN as being another gross infringement of private property rights. It should be up to the owner of the business to decide the smoking restrictions or lack thereof. They, the owners, are in the best position to make judgments as to what would be to their business's advantage. Another case of the rights of the minority (remember, commercial tobacco is still a LEGAL product) being trampled.
Everyone smokers/non smokers should be able to frequent the establishment of their choice. The principles of capitalism and private property rights have worked to the benefit of everyone everywhere they have been tried.

If smoking is so absolutely deadly to the offender and everyone around them the the federal and/or state government should OUTLAW tobacco, not allow it to be legally sold, and QUITE COLLECTING THE TAXES.

Sometimes I conjecture/daydream that were I 20 years younger I would consider buying a tavern here in River Falls, and turning it into a PRIVATE SMOKERS' CLUB. Admission would be by paid membership only (on condition being of legal drinking age) and no employees. Yep, a bartender and waitress could volunteer and tips to them from club members being served be mandatory.

Lets really get into smokers' faces and require smokers to wear a medical ID 'whatever' -maybe a tattoo- that has a DNR (Do NOT Resuscitate) order, since they are such a great offense and immediate danger to themselves and those around them. Just think of all the Social Security and Medicare $$$s that would be saved!! And if you think I am just "blowing smoke" here, that is exactly what I intend to do if/when I outlive Hubby and Dog.

News Flash for all you "Holier Than Thou" non smokers:
Non of you are going to get out of this world alive either.

[pk]

I'm a "Holier Than Thou" non smoker and proud of it!

I'm also proud that ...

I know that I'm not trying to kill a child with smoke.

I know that I'm not a selfish person that is trying to submit others to my habits and not care.

I know that I'm not blowing second hand poisen at my family or friends that I 'claim to love'.

I also know that I am doing my best to ensure my children's children to have a cleaner world to live in by supporting the 'no smoking' ban.

I know that I can go on and on about the benefits of not smoking in areas that affect everyone but I also know that it will fall on deaf ears of those that are against the new rules. And for those that actually understand the importance of the rules, I don't have to waste my time writing this because they all are smart enough to understand.

Crys said it very well in her post:

Like I said, you want to commit suicide with nicotine, you go right ahead. Chew gum, snort it, heck, I don't care if you inject it. Commit suicide however you want. Just don't expect me to sit idly by and let you drag me along with you.