Exemption from statewide bans for cigar bars-Nebraska

[Maduro_Scotty]

I had to do a double take today as I read a new story about state senator Lautenberg of Omaha introducing LB 335 in the Nebraska legislature. The statewide ban would not apply to cigar bars. An establishment that has a liquor license and which has at least 15% of their profits from tobacco products, would be covered by the bill. In the Omaha area, that would cover five establishments.

The anti-smoking groups are livid about this bill.

"No one has the right to endanger someone else's health,'' said Mike Salkin, vice president of the Group to Alleviate Smoking Pollution. "It's a minimal trade-off for someone to smoke outside.''


Salkin, of the anti-smoking group, said that while it's true that patrons at a cigar bar are there of their own free will, employees still would have to endure the smoke.

He said employees at Omaha bars told him they used to come home sick from smoke exposure before the smoking ban was passed in 2006.

Bills like this may be the answer to the problems we have in states with statewide bans. A wall is up, but we can find ways to poke holes in them over time.

[Brule]

"No one has the right to endanger someone else's health,'' What a load of BS. As someone who has spent a good portion of my adult life studying philosophy, these crazy statements misusing the word "right" make me sick to my stomach. The fact that many people believe these idiots makes it much, much worse. (to the death of the rights of bar owners)

But this story is great news and I really hope it goes through. Now if only York had a cigar bar...

[stfoley]

It's a smoking establishment...the workers chose to work there.

[d_day]

It's funny they should complain about the health of workers in a cigar bar or lounge. I don't know a single employee of such a place that doesn't smoke cigars.

[DBCcigar]

What bull $hit!