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 gnarfbuckle
Above The Ignorance
Registered: 01/15/09
Posts: 804
Last seen: 18 minutes, 33 seconds
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 Michigan Bans Smoking 
#11673215 - 12/18/09 02:13 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2009/12/new_michigan_smoking_ban_in_wo.html
GRAND RAPIDS -- With his fingers curled around a Marlboro Light and a gin and tonic in the other hand, Randy Dawe mused on the unfairness of a state smoking ban approved Thursday by the state Legislature.
Next spring, he won't be able to inhale at his favorite tavern, Bob's Sports Bar, 725 Michigan St. NE. Meanwhile, people who frequent casinos still will be able to light up.
"I think it's a bunch of crap. I don't think it's fair to the business owners in the state," the 53-year-old Dawe said.
"There should be one law for everyone."
Bob's Sports Barowner Dick Beattie isn't sure how he will make the transition to smoke-free without losing some customers.
"They are going to buy their six-pack and take it home where they can smoke," said Beattie, who is considering setting up a heated area outside for patrons to light up.
Michigan will go smoke-free in May once Gov. Jennifer Granholm signs a workplace smoking ban, which includes bars, restaurants and private clubs. It will become the 38th state to do so.
The Legislature passed a smoking ban exempting three Detroit casinos, cigar bars, home offices and motor vehicles.
The Democrat-led state House of Representatives approved the ban 75-30; and The Republican-led Senate passed the measure 24-13. Granholm, a Democrat, said Thursday she will sign the bill.
"I think it's a great gift to Michigan," she said.
The approval comes after years of squabbling over what should be included in the ban.
Lobbyists for the three Detroit casinos argued they compete with tribal casinos not affected by the state ban. They also compete with a non-smoking casino in neighboring Windsor, Ontario..
State Sens. Wayne Kuipers, R-Holland, and Mark Jansen, R-Gaines Township were among the 13 who opposed the bill.
Sen. Bill Hardiman, R-Kentwood, was in Washington, D.C. He serves on the board of the National Institute of Building Sciences.
"If it is a health-care issue, it has to be a health-care issue everywhere," Jansen said of voting against the bill because of its exemptions.
"Nobody should get special privileges in this."
State Rep. Mike Huckleberry, a Democrat who owns Huckleberry's bar and grill in Greenville, said any establishment within a half hour of the two dozen casinos in Michigan would suffer.
Huckleberry, who abstained from voting, said about 80 percent of his bar's customers smoke. Its adjacent dining area is smoke-free.
"In the long run it probably isn't going to help us," he said, adding his customers will have to smoke less, presumably outside.
Given the high price of cigarettes, "they should have 150 bucks at the end of the month that they can spend on beer now," Huckleberry said
Bar and restaurant lobbyists insisted the measure would cost thousands of jobs as smokers would choose to frequent Michigan establishments less often. The decision to go smoke-free should be left to business owners, they said, noting 6,000 bars and restaurants are already non-smoking.
Dan Verhil owns One Trick Pony, 136 E. Fulton St., which is smoke-free; and Cottage Bar, 18 Lagrave Ave. SE, which isn't. He says he looked forward to the legislation passing.
"I think smokers know they are on their last legs, and it was just a matter of time," he said. "But I think exemptions just water down the law."
Jeff Lobdell, whose Restaurant Concepts Inc. owns Beltline Bar, Sundance Grill and The Omelette Shoppe in Grand Rapids and Forest Hills Inn in Grand Rapids Township, among others, has mixed feelings about the ban. His company currently only allows smoking in portions of Beltline Bar and in the lounge at Forest Hills Inn.
"Personally, I'm against the state telling people what to do," he said. "But, I guess somewhat selfishly, it will be good for our business.
"We already ban it at most of our restaurants. We saw a surge in business when we banned it at Boone's Prime Time Pub" in Suttons Bay.
Bob Porter, chairman of the Grand Rapids Elks Lodge No. 48, isn't happy about the change.
"It definitely goes too far," he said.
Health-care advocates have pushed for a workplace smoking ban for years. They commissioned a study last year finding smoking restrictions in other states boosted customer traffic since non-smokers shunned establishments permitting smoking.
They also argued bartenders, wait staff and other employees shouldn't be subject to second-hand smoke..
Darcy Silveira, a bartender at Cocktailz Bar & Grill in Wyoming, says the new law could hurt pocketbooks since about 80 percent of their customers smoke.
"But not being around smokers would probably help me quit," Silveira said.
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Lucas89
lysergicmescalcybin
Registered: 07/03/08
Posts: 1,911
Loc: the arsehole of the earth... 
Last seen: 2 days, 3 hours
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gee, theyre only banning it in pubs clubs etc. cig smokers have got it pretty fucking good compared to weed smokers.
be glad you can smoke at all.
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I AM PROUD TO BE ANTI AUSTRALIAN AND I AM PROUD TO BURN THIS FLAG. I SHIT ON YOU AUSTRALIA.
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Cutpurse
Stranger Than Most
Registered: 12/17/09
Posts: 6
Loc: S.W. Michigan
Last seen: 9 months, 1 day
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Jenny "Grand-theft" Strikes Again
I am so SICK of this Canadian Bitch doing everything she can to wreck Michigan. She has taxed the business owners here to the point where they either move their business across the borders or just close their doors entirely...soon we won't make anything here in Michigan anymore.
/end rant (for now)
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rodfarva
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=====-----=-=-=-=-I
Registered: 07/31/07
Posts: 4,696
Last seen: 6 hours, 23 minutes
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 Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: Cutpurse]
#11673459 - 12/18/09 05:33 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Cutpurse said:
Jenny "Grand-theft" Strikes Again
I am so SICK of this Canadian Bitch doing everything she can to wreck Michigan. She has taxed the business owners here to the point where they either move their business across the borders or just close their doors entirely...soon we won't make anything here in Michigan anymore.
/end rant (for now)
what he said. Shes a dumb bitch. i hope you vote. i hope theres a better option soon. i love how "everyone should have a safe workplace in michigan" .. unless you work at a cigar bar or casino or indian reservation.
If i wanted to go to a non smoking bar theres plenty in windsor ontario 3 miles away. Good thing michigan is saving me from myself again. 
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shivas.wisdom
בּ וואלה
Registered: 02/19/09
Posts: 4,929
Loc: Turtle Island 
Last seen: 1 month, 12 days
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: rodfarva]
#11673715 - 12/18/09 07:12 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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Second hand cigarette smoke kills.
Don't be upset because some people like to enjoy a night out without having toxic fumes blown in their face. Just walk outside for 5minutes, have your smoke, and then continue your night.
This is not a big deal and should be done out of respect for non-smokers. All smoke pollutes the environment, I would expect the same conditions for pot were it legal.
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pourkay
Stranger
Registered: 01/27/09
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Last seen: 6 months, 9 days
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I live in Michigan and i am glad to see this bill pass. Kill your fucking self smoking that shit second hand smoke is a bitch . GO OUTSIDE AND SMOKE!
I don't go blowing my weed smoke in peoples faces.
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misled
Stranger
Registered: 12/11/08
Posts: 194
Last seen: 20 days, 22 hours
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: pourkay]
#11673860 - 12/18/09 07:52 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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way to go Michigan. I live in ohio and couldn't be happier about the ban. i'll never go to any ky bars because of the smoke.
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 ComputerTekGuy
Teh Awesome
Registered: 01/15/07
Posts: 564
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: misled]
#11674274 - 12/18/09 09:27 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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Another sad day for a country founded on tobacco. Can't wait till they ban cotton in public places!
Stupid stupid stupid.
^ the two comments above me are slightly ignorant also.
Ban on smoking is a ban on american freedom, one of the last public freedoms we had as a country.
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elementswrath
Finger' trippin good
Registered: 08/04/09
Posts: 5,276
Loc: suiciety
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read 3rd post.
Edited by elementswrath (12/18/09 11:02 AM)
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Baan
Stranger
Registered: 11/02/09
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The ban is only on indoor smoking.
I live in a state with the same ban, it's ok but it's kind of stupid too... But bars will be hurt, especially in winter... Workplace ban on indoor = good, smoke lounge ban = bad. It is a tax move too, they charge a special tax to places that have indoor smoking permits, at least in my state (NY)
The next step will be in your cars. Watch out, they already tried that in NYC, but I don't live there so I don't know if that is a law or not. When they go after smoking in cars, whatever the circumstance, protest that because then they will just keep pushing until no smoking is allowed anywhere.
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elementswrath
Finger' trippin good
Registered: 08/04/09
Posts: 5,276
Loc: suiciety
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: Baan]
#11674347 - 12/18/09 09:47 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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i think it should be illegal to smoke in your car with your kids in there.
i see it all the time.
at least have the decency to open your fucking window
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Lancaster
Rightous Oxide
Registered: 04/01/09
Posts: 419
Loc: Cape Sheridan
Last seen: 2 years, 9 days
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Quote:
ComputerTekGuy said:
Another sad day for a country founded on tobacco. Can't wait till they ban cotton in public places!
Stupid stupid stupid.
^ the two comments above me are slightly ignorant also.
Ban on smoking is a ban on american freedom, one of the last public freedoms we had as a country.
This country was founded "on" slavery, too. Doesn't make it a good thing. There are plenty of ways for you to kill yourself without poisoning other people while you're at it. The freedom to not have to worry about getting lung cancer from going to a local restaurant is much more important to the majority of people than it is to the minority that happily endangers the lives of those around it.
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Olskool420
Stranger
Registered: 09/20/09
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: Lancaster]
#11674406 - 12/18/09 10:00 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
According to the U.S. Department of Transpotation Statistical Records Office there are approximately 62 million registered vehicles in the U.S. at the current time and appox. 6.4 million unregistered functioning vechicles.
Are people really that worried about second hand smoke when you they walk around with 62 million cars pumping toxic chemicals into the air all day every day? Really?
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It is impossible to make people understand their ignorance; for it requires knowledge to perceive it and therefore he that can perceive it hath it not.
-Jeremy Taylor
The first condition of immortality is death.
-Stanislaw J. Lec
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Entropymancer
Saint of Circumstance
Registered: 07/16/05
Posts: 10,206
Loc: Arrakis
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: Olskool420]
#11674473 - 12/18/09 10:16 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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What the fuck is with all these goddamn prohibitionists on the Shroomery?
Bars were not required to allow smoking. They chose to in order to cater to their clientelle. There was nothing to stop people from opening non-smoking pubs for all the non-smokers who're concerned about second-hand smoke.
All of you who support this bill deserve to have your favorite drug banned from public use if it's not already.
Every "war on drugs" is really just a War On the Drugs that I don't like.... and any of you who feel you have the right to take away another persons' civil liberties and tell them what drugs they can and can't use don't deserve to have any civil liberties at all!
Take a long hard look in the mirror and tell me if you like the hypocrite staring back at you.
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TODAY
Battletoad
Registered: 09/25/03
Posts: 10,218
Loc: Metropolis City, USA
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i understand no smoking in most workplaces/public places, but bars and clubs? weak. I'm used to having to smoke outside, living in a state that doesn't allow indoor smoking all my life. thank jesus for nevada. i don't think they'll throw down the ban stick any time soon.
also, there's no evidence that second hand smoke kills.
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ca'rouse (k-rouz)
intr.v.
To engage in boisterous, drunken merrymaking.
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pourkay
Stranger
Registered: 01/27/09
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Last seen: 6 months, 9 days
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ComputerTekGuy
How old are you we are discussus something and you come in and acting like a child calling people thoughts on the matter stupid. You act like there is a Complete and udder ban on tobacco . I'm From Michigan and i support this Ban
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pourkay
Stranger
Registered: 01/27/09
Posts: 85
Last seen: 6 months, 9 days
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: pourkay]
#11674539 - 12/18/09 10:30 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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All of you who support this bill deserve to have your favorite drug banned from public use if it's not already
lol ?
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Entropymancer
Saint of Circumstance
Registered: 07/16/05
Posts: 10,206
Loc: Arrakis
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: pourkay]
#11674555 - 12/18/09 10:33 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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Yeah, it's not that difficult a concept. If you support prohibition, I sincerely hope that every civil liberty you hold dear gets trampled on.
No one was forcing bars to allow smoking. They were free to choose. Now the law is forcing them not to allow smoking. That's plain immoral. No one has the right to trample on other peoples' liberty like that.
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tony serro
DEA Agent
Registered: 08/20/09
Posts: 1,506
Loc: Montreal
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: pourkay]
#11674556 - 12/18/09 10:33 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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Dude canada banned smoking indoors anywhere a long time ago  Fuckers. I kind of agree though because it fucks with other people's health but still they're not obliged to chill there.
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The most thoroughly and relentlessly damned, banned, excluded, condemned, suppressed,brutalized and defamed of all Damned Things is the individual human being. The social engineers, are perpetually forcing this Damned Thing into carefully prepared blueprints and perpetually irritated that the Damned Thing will not fit into the slot assigned to it. The theologians call it a sinner and try to reform it The governor calls it a criminal and tries to punish it The psychotherapist calls it a neurotic and tries to cure it. Still, the Damned Thing will not fit into their slots. -Robert Anton Wilson
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elementswrath
Finger' trippin good
Registered: 08/04/09
Posts: 5,276
Loc: suiciety
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Re: Michigan Bans Smoking [Re: tony serro]
#11674684 - 12/18/09 11:00 AM (2 years, 5 months ago) |
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in end point, i think the owner of any commercial establishment should choose to allow smokers or not, not the government.
if you do not want to risk your health going to a store that allows smoking, that's your problem.
go buy your product/service somewhere else.
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