Defeat NC House Bill H259 - Prohibition of Smoking in Public and Work Places

[SmokeyJoe]

Help! Calling all North Carolinians! The included link below is for this bill that unfairly limits smoking in public places. Please take the time to find your representatives e-mail and send a cordial but firm letter asking them to vote against this bill. Thanks...


http://ncleg.net/gascripts/BillLookU...ubmitButton=Go

[RJT]

[SmokeyJoe]

Vote has been postponed until 4/4/07. You can still make a difference! I sent an e-mail to my representative, the Majority Whip. Even though she is supporting it, she said she was suggesting major modifications and exemptions. C'mon... go to the site listed in the original post to this thread, do a quick 2 minute search for your representative, and get involved.

I, for one, am getting sick and tired of other people trying to do things on my behalf that I DO NOT support... "for my own good." That is

Below is a copy of the letter I used... feel free to copy and paste and modify to your situation. Remind those elitists in Raleigh who they work for!!!

SAMPLE:

Dear Representative ______ :

I would like to voice my opposition to House Bill 259 (Prohibit Smoking in Public & Work Places) and ask that as our representative from _____ County you would vote NO when the proposed bill makes it to the House floor. I feel the bill is unfair to private business owners as it infringes on the property rights of individuals and corporations that make up much of the tax base in North Carolina.

I would like to hear how you are leaning as it seems a vote was postponed on 3-28-07 and on 3-29-07 because there had not been enough support garnered for it yet. As our representative in the legislature you wield a great deal of influence over the opinions of other representatives. Surely you understand the need to turn back such attempts to over-legislate the North Carolina farming community and trample the rights of your constituents.

Just because so many states and local governments feel they have the right to prohibit the freedoms of it's citizens does not mean that such action is correct or constitutional. I wonder when it will all end, or if there will indeed be no end to the continued infringements on the rights of our citizens. The most tyrannical act a government can perform is to take away the rights of it's people under the guise of "protection from ourselves."

I look forward to your swift reply.

Most sincerely,

(Substantively written by my friend Ron. Great letter Dude!)

[SmokeyJoe]

BELOW IS PART OF THE TEXT OF THE BILL AS IT NOW STANDS... IT WAS SENT BACK TO COMMITTEE FOR REVISION... WRITE NOW!!!!

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WILL BE VERY FEW PLACES WHERE SMOKING WILL BE ALLOWED... NO BARS OR RESTAURANTS!!!

(b) Smoking may be permitted in the following places:

(1) A private residence, except when being used commercially to provide child care or adult care services.

(2) A retail or wholesale tobacco shop.

(3) The premises of a manufacturer of tobacco products, including a manufacturer's offices.

(4) A designated smoking guest room in a lodging establishment. No greater than twenty percent (20%) of a lodging establishment's guest rooms may be designated smoking guest rooms.

(5) A private club.

(6) A place of employment used for medical, scientific, or product development research to the extent that smoking is an integral part of the research.

[NCRadioMan]

You can also visit the RTDA website and send a letter to your rep. They have great points to use.

http://rtda.org/legislation.html



Hugh Holliman of Lexington. If he is your rep, call his azz! This is the tobacco state for cryin' out loud!


As North Carolina consumer, I ask you to consider the following:

Despite popular belief, smoking bans do cause economic harm. Many local economic markets have seen dramatic drops in tax revenues from public smoking bans.

Historically, smoking ban advocates argued that patrons were annoyed and made uncomfortable by secondhand smoke. When opponents argued that patrons can choose to patronize non-smoking establishments, the argument quickly turned to protecting the health of employees. The truth is that employees in restaurants and bars are simply being used as political pawns, and are not truly the subjects of advocate sympathies.

According to the Federal Government’s research laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, technology does in fact exist that will and does filter smoke from enclosed areas.

If public smoking is banned due to supposed individual health concerns, then should the government not ban individuals from wearing perfumes or using fragrant-laced body washes and hair products? What of beauty salons using hair treatment chemicals and chemical-based nail polishes? Why do restaurants allow pets on their premises when other customers may be allergic? Should the government not also regulate these businesses and ban the public dissemination of these potentially harmful allergens?

Smoking is already regulated throughout the United States by age-restriction. Banning adult-age restricted venues such as bars, taverns, and restaurant lounges from allowing their customers to smoke is simply government oppression of small business owners.

Premium tobacco is not a cigarette—while most major-marketed cigarettes are treated with various chemicals during processing and manufacturing, premium tobacco (cigars and pipe tobacco) is not. Aside from fertilizers and routine pesticide control, premium tobacco could be considered an “organic product.”

Premium tobacco retail stores have become the modern-era salon, where men and women of all demographics who share their passion for premium tobacco, and enjoy each other’s company, companionship, share common interests, and even discuss difference may come together in a safe, comfortable environment.

There is simply no CONCLUSIVE data that secondhand smoke is related to human illnesses. You need to look no further than the latest United States Surgeon General’s report and conclusion for affirmation.

While I fully support the right of many not to be impacted by secondhand smoke, I also support the reasonable right of smokers to be able to enjoy their legal products without being ostracized or penalized.

Why did the latest Surgeon General’s report exclude the discussion of purification from its latest report? Possibly, the authors of the Report knew it would weaken their already weak Report.

Based on the aforementioned points, private business owners, and not governments, should continue to be allowed to make the final decisions on how they run their businesses. In a Capitalistic society, it is the business owner’s decisions that should dictate success or failure.

Thank you for your attention and consideration.

Thank you.

[madurolover]

Glad we do not have to worry about that. At least not yet.
Things here are still left up to the proprietor. Of course we do have resteraunts and stuff where smoking is not permitted but they are few and far between.
What really gets me is sitting in the smoking section and seeing on the menu or a sign where it says "no pipe or cigar smoking please"

Good luck guys.

[Coffee Grounds]

These bills are passing all over the country. They are aimed at cigarettes but cigars are getting bundled in them.
Not to give up but I don't think there is much that can be done.
You can fight to have amendments to the bill that have some compromise but our days are numbered when it comes to smoking publicly.

My city of Indianapolis had a nice compromise. If an establishment serves minors then it has to be non smoking. So night clubs and cigar bars are not affected by the ban. Which I think was a great compromise.
I know the guy that wrote the bill. He asked for a complete ban in public but had to make compromises to get it passed. Over half of our legislators are cigarette smokers.

The bans are just one aspect I think the taxes is what hit us harder. Shoot I barley by any cigars locally because online is a tax free zone. Once you shave the taxes off that can be anywhere from 20%-40% of the cost.
In my city there is bill that will add another 8% in tax on tobacco and I think it will pass. They want to use that money to fund some healthcare programs.
The orginal bill wanted 26% tax.

So I think when we fight these bill we have to fight for compromises.

[SmokeyJoe]

Great job, NCRadioMan... let's keep up the heat!

[RJT]

I have Mr. Holliman's phone # if anyone needs it.

[JCole311]

I hope and pray that you guys can stop this. I wish I had done more when Florida passed the restaraunt, conventon center, etc. ban.

[FranktheTank]

As a non resident of the state of NC I decided to go ahead and send out a little email of my own. My local B&M has flyers up all over his store. Every bit helps.

[SmokeyJoe]

Originally Posted by FranktheTank

Every bit helps.

Thanks, Frank! (BLUE! You're my boy, BLUE! LOL)

[SmokeyJoe]

Vote is in... BILL WAS DEFEATED!!!!!

See how your rep. voted...

http://www.ncleg.net/gascripts/voteH...mber=H&RCS=321

[ssutton219]

Wooo Hoooo


They tried to pass a no smoking bill either here in kansas or the county I live that prohibited smoking in the car (when occupied)..now that went down in a ball of flames!!!


Shawn