January 25, 2007
Ellis bans smoking...everywhere
Haven't you people done enough to us?
Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, announced plans last week to file a bill that would ban smoking from all public buildings in Texas, including bars and restaurants.The law would trump the exemption for bingo halls and the other handful of businesses that was written into Austin's non-smoking ordinance.
The debate will pit arguments of personal liberty against concerns over health costs for smoking-related illnesses and the health risk unfairly posed to non-smokers. Business owners also cite declining alcohol sales in cities that prohibit smoking in bars.
Declining alcohol sales? The negatives so outweigh the positives on banning smoking it's not even funny. Beside, you guys are about to pass all that cancer research stuff so it'll be cheaper to treat us when we get something from smoking.
Let's not forget that our education system now depends on me lighting a cigarette literally every 30 seconds. Not to mention all those people who work at gas stations whose very jobs depend on me buying cigarettes. Why the entire economy may well collapse if this ban is pushed forward!
Please, Senator Ellis, just let us enjoy our nicotine fix!
Posted by mcblogger at January 25, 2007 10:47 AM
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Comments
Smoking bans trample property rights.
IMHO, if I own a business it should my decision to allow or prohibit any activity, including smoking. If anyone doesn't like my decisions, they are free to exercise their right not to be on my property.
The recent increase in TX State taxes on cigarettes adds injury to insult by giving birth to a brand new black market. (It's a Boy! Have a cigar!)
www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA012207.01A.black_market_cigs.1bd09ef.html
I just can't wait for the nanny-staters to trumpet the moral success of their latest sin(ful) tax by citing stats that show reduced cigarette sales.
Posted by: bob ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcblogger.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at January 25, 2007 05:17 PM
Oh, I agree...on the ban. As far as the tax, I can kinda understand it from a public health perspective since it's incredibly expensive to treat people with smoking related illnesses. Since the tax is going to education, it frees up money in the general fund to help with those costs.
Posted by: mcblogger at January 26, 2007 01:58 PM
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