Regarding smoking bans I would like to see different solutions presented. First, regarding increased health costs to the state, they're there. So are increased health costs due to obese people, and we're not banning Twinkies or regulating caloric intake. We're not banning cars for incurring greater costs due to exhaust and car accidents. I can't say as I support the health care based justification for a ban.
The California experience is also different. Half my family is there, they smoke, and they smoke at bars and restaurants. The difference? Its always 70 degrees and everyone has a patio and open doors. Its an apples to oranges comparison. There is one great rationale, and that is the freedom of service workers to seek out smoke free employment. Service workers need some type of protection. Given that there are smokers, and that smokers seek out smoking environments, why not either pass an "all or nothing" ordinance, or provide for a finite number of "smoking establishments." The former would ban the "kissing your sister" solution that we have now. Either your entire place is for smoking, and that includes pipe and cigar, or you're no smoking. Let the market decide what they prefer. The later would allow a finite number of places where smoking is part of the ambiance (tip, are they selling tobacco at the bar?) to continue. This solution would provide a smoke free environment for service workers looking to live a little longer, and would not alienate surly cantankerous smokers. Jeremy Wieland Circulation Director Utne magazine 1624 Harmon Place Minneapolis, MN 55403 612.338.5040 x326 www.utne.com -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of ken bradley Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2004 11:19 AM To: List manager; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Mpls] St. Paul considers smoking ban - should Mpls? Hello Minneapolis Issues Folks, I believe such a ban is appropriate when you consider all the health impacts cigarettes have had on smokers, non-smokers, and service industry workers. A ban could increase customers to our restaurants and bars because people prefer to be in smoke free atmosphere. Smoker would just have to go outside! I travel to California often where such a ban is already law and the restaurants and bars seem to be doing a very healthy business. Even my friends that smoke seem to prefer the non smoking atmosphere because ultimately even most of them are working towards becoming non-smokers but are still addicted. One of my friends that smokes will still go outside when he is in Minnesota because he just prefers smoking outside, even in our cold winters. Ken Bradley --- List manager <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Is that a hot button or are you looking at the end > of my cigarette?: > St. Paul Councilmember Dave Thune will propose a > citywide smoking ban > in bars and restaurants. Undoubtedly, this will put > pressure on Mpls to > consider the same. > > From the story > (http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/4759272.html): > > An aide to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said she > can't recall anyone > ever suggesting a smoking ban in Minneapolis bars > and restaurants. > > "In the two-and-a-half years we've been in office, > the issue hasn't > been raised," said Laura Sether. > > Benanav said he would expect Minneapolis to > "follow right behind" St. > Paul with its own smoking ban in restaurants and > bars. And if not, he > said, St. Paul probably will attract non-smokers who > will cross the > river in search of smoke-free environment. > > David Brauer > List manager > > REMINDERS: > 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the > list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing > it on the list. > 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. > > For state and national discussions see: > http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html > For external forums, see: > http://e-democracy.org/mninteract > ________________________________ > > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic > Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
