NJ Bans Smoking (Smitty, this is for you)

[Hammerhead]

Joe, this is for you, per our earlier discussion in this thread:
http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17892

Kindly note the "usual suspects" (D) that promulgated the legislation that interferes with your personal rights, and the rights of a business owner to run the kind of establishment he wants, and cater to the clientele of his choosing.

Interesting how the Democrats in this state are redefining the line between private and public property. Since when did you have a RIGHT to eat in any given restaurant that is privately run, and what kind of clients they cater to? Since when did a restaurant, bar, office or other PRIVATE establishment become shifted to a PUBLIC place? What's next? How long do you think it will be, if you keep voting for these jerks, before your living room be defined as a public venue and you won't be able to smoke in your own home?

I hope you're starting to see my point. Yes, this state IS as bad as I say, and there truly are monsters under the bed, all wearing a big D on their uniform. I'm just trying to connect the dots, so you can see what I see.

So, thanks for the offer of the beer and the cuban, but it looks like we're going to have nowhere to smoke them, because all the venues that we'd go to will consider you a criminal if you light up.

Just keep flipping the lever for those Democrats, Joe. I'm sure they'll eventually get around to doing something about the traffic after they've denied you your rights everywhere else, by summarily banning your car.

Bro, I really hope you're following me on this. I'm doing what I can to connect the dots for you, and my other New Jersey residents who destroy our neighbor's rights when they vote for these kinds of legislators.

Smoking ban on verge of passage
Friday, January 6, 2006

By LAURA FASBACH
TRENTON BUREAU

Smokers who light up in public places could soon be facing their last drag. An Assembly committee Thursday approved a bill that would ban smoking in most venues, from bars and restaurants to bowling alleys and country clubs.

In a 9-1 vote, the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee approved a version of the bill that would outlaw smoking in nearly all public places except the gaming areas of casinos.

The full Assembly will now decide on Monday whether to pass the "Smoke Free Air Act," a measure that aims to protect employees and patrons from secondhand smoke.

If the smoking ban wins approval, acting Governor Codey is expected to sign it into law before he relinquishes the governor's post this month. Codey has made passage of the smoking ban a priority in the dwindling days of the current legislative session.

The Senate approved the ban on Dec. 15.

"I have every reason to believe it will happen on Monday," said Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Teaneck, who was the primary sponsor of the Assembly bill before moving to the upper house last month. "The votes will be there."

Weinberg said she never thought the drive to clean up New Jersey's indoor air would take a decade and that she would vote in favor of the bill in the Senate.

If the bill prevails, New Jersey will become the 17th state to enact some form of public smoking ban. New York City passed a similar ban in 2003.

FAST FACTS:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The measure would prohibit smoking in public places such as restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and social clubs.

Casino gaming areas would be exempt from the ban.

The bill cleared an Assembly committee on Thursday; it awaits a final vote in the full Assembly.

New Jersey would become the 17th state to have some form of public smoking ban.

Codey improved the bill's chances in November when he helped orchestrate the compromise with the casino industry that exempts the gaming areas while still prohibiting smoking in casino bars and restaurants.

That has generated protest among many of New Jersey's bar and restaurant owners, who feel the choice should be up to the business owner, not the state. Some told legislators that in exempting casinos, they were giving big businesses an advantage over mom-and-pop establishments.

"They know this will destroy my business," said Cathy Burke, owner of The Irish Pub in Atlantic City, which is wedged between the Resorts and Sands casinos. "It's David and Goliath, and they just don't care."

Opponents also argue that the bill is unnecessary, since many restaurant owners already ban smoking. A survey by the New Jersey Restaurant Association found that 67 percent of restaurants in the state have gone smoke-free.

But supporters say the ban would help prevent some 1,000 deaths that happen every year because of secondhand smoke.

"We do not deny an individual's right to take risks, but we are adamantly opposed to that individual imposing those risks upon another," said Dr. William Tansey, a cardiologist and a board member of the American Heart Association.

Less than 19 percent of New Jersey residents smoke, according to 2004 figures from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Other supporters were remaining cautiously optimistic until the measure comes before the full Assembly.

"It's not over yet," said Tara Peters, a spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society, after the committee vote.

The society was among a coalition of anti-smoking groups that spent $100,000 on radio and print ads this week to bolster their cause. Earlier ads targeted Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Roberts, D-Camden, and Assembly Speaker Albio Sires, D-West New York, urging constituents to call the two elected leaders to tell them to push for the ban.

Once the bill was posted for a full vote, the anti-smoking groups spent an additional $10,000 to take some of the pressure off Roberts and Sires and simply ask constituents to call their local Assembly members.

The radio ad will run through Monday.

Sires said earlier this week that he's a supporter of the ban and that there will be enough votes on Monday to get the bill passed. Roberts was not available for comment Thursday.

In approving the smoking ban for a full vote, many of the Assembly health panel's members said they regretted that casinos were not included in the ban.

"It is a flaw in the bill," said Assemblyman Herb Conaway, a North Delran Democrat who serves as chairman of the health committee and is also a physician.

Though Conaway supported the bill, he said it was likely that if the smoking ban is passed, elected leaders would seek to draft additional legislation that would eventually include the casino gaming areas.

Assemblyman Samuel Thompson, R-Monmouth, was the lone panel member to vote against the measure.

Thompson argued with his colleagues that the real debate should be whether to make smoking itself legal or not.

As long as it is legal, the state shouldn't interfere with where it is permitted, he added.

"Why don't you get the courage to vote to make smoking illegal?" Thompson said. "It either should be legal and permitted or it shouldn't be."

E-mail: fasbach@northjersey.com

[Blueface]

We have had smoking bans/restrictions in Florida for a while now.
Was tough at first for me when I moved from NJ.
I guess if I were to return to "my exit" again, wouldn't be that tough for me as we are so use to it here now.
Sorry to hear NJ is the next to fall.

[carbonbased_al]

There is a smoking ban in NY now and I deal with it. This doesn't bother me at all really. NJ wasn't the first state to enact this law. Nor will it be the last.

You want to know what really scares me Rob? The Patriot Act.

[thebiglebowski]

not being a resident of the garden state, i still sympathize! but this caught my eye:

Casino gaming areas would be exempt from the ban.

i guess the powers-that-be still understand what side their bread is buttered on, eh? don't want to lose all that gaming revenue, now do we?

[SlimDiesel]

Originally Posted by carbonbased_al

You want to know what really scares me Rob? The Patriot Act.

CENSORED RANT Don't get me started on the Patriot Act CENSORED RANT

[joshua]

Well heres another article about it:
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/13418310.htm

and look:

Sen. Ronald Rice (D., Essex), who voted against the measure, said it would unfairly affect small businesses, which lack the well-funded political clout of the casinos.

EDIT: Ok I read that out of context, they wanted a stronger bill that would carry over to casinos too. Apparently the little guys cant put the money up to fight the bill like the casinos have.
I wouldn't ever vote republican just on this issue, but I don't agree with their position.

Does anyone have a link to the actual bill so I can read it? If it was properly done to allow businesses who want smoking to have ventilation systems then it wouldn't be as bad, as there would still be places to go to enjoy a good cigar.

[mosesbotbol]

Smoking bans are not exclusive to Democrats, MA has had a Republican Govenor some time and he pushed the smoking ban, so I could've wrote the same rant and said it's all because of Republicans.

[joshua]

Well heres the list of who voted what

Bill S-1926 of 2004-2005
Sponsors Adler (D6); Kean, T. (R21) +7
Summary "New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act"; prohibits smoking in indoor public places and workplaces.
12/15/2005
Yes 29, No 7, N/V 4, Abs 0
Y Adler (D6)
Y Girgenti (D35)
- McNamara (R40)
N Allen (R7)
Y Gormley (R2)
Y Palaia (R11)
N Asselta (R1)
Y Inverso (R14)
N Rice (D2
Y Bark (R
- James (D29)
- Sacco (D32)
Y Bryant (D5)
Y Karcher (D12)
Y Sarlo (D36)
Y Bucco (R25)
N Kavanaugh (R16)
Y Scutari (D22)
Y Buono (D1
Y Kean, T. (R21)
Y Singer (R30)
Y Cardinale (R39)
Y Kenny (D33)
Y Smith, B. (D17)
N Ciesla (R10)
Y Kyrillos (R13)
Y Sweeney (D3)
Y Codey (D27)
Y Lance (R23)
Y Turner (D15)
- Coniglio (D3
Y Lesniak (D20)
Y Vitale (D19)
N Connors, L. (R9)
N Littell (R24)
Y Weinberg (D37)
Y Doria (D31)
Y Madden (D4)
Y Gill (D34)
Y Martin (R26)

[carbonbased_al]

Josh, surely that list must be wrong. I see some republicans voted in favor of this too! That couldn't possibly be!

[Neuromancer]

Notice how the NJ state Assembly very carefully avoided pissing off the guys who line their pockets with do-re-mi..."In a 9-1 vote, the Assembly Health and Human Services Committee approved a version of the bill that would outlaw smoking in nearly all public places except the gaming areas of casinos."

[Thurm15]

Welcome to the Club.
I'm suprised to see that only 17 states have some sort of smoking ban. I thought it was higher.

[Millow]

This is how it is in Canada too. We've adapted to it.

[JezterVA]

Everyone could just move to North Carolina. Those folks down there seem to be almost offended if you DON'T smoke. I was walking through the main shopping area of JR's last weekend during a road trip to SC. They have stand up ashtrays all over the store. It was kind of weird being in a public store like that with the ashtrays all over. I felt kind of stupid for not smoking.

[steve12553]

"The government that governs best governs best." Thomas Jefferson.

"Commie bastids" Crotchety old cigar smoker.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by JezterVA

Everyone could just move to North Carolina. Those folks down there seem to be almost offended if you DON'T smoke.

RJR Reynolds, Winston.... My friend had to meet clients at Reynolds and everyone was smoking at work like it was the 60's, and free cig's!!!