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I generally support the idea of a smoking ban in St. Paul restaurants. There are legitimate health effects on workers and genuine public health concerns regarding the costs of second hand smoke. It is obvious that the "market" doesn't work for encouraging non-smoking facilities. With only 20-25% smoking, there should be more options. Also, I believe there is likely a positive economic impact by allowing families and others who have avoided smoking restaurants back out into our establishments. However, there should be a place where a smoker can go to have a beer, a pizza, a burger, and watch the Wolves game. One of the best ideas I have heard for this is to establish a "smoking license." Just as we license liquor establishments and allow some to have live music or hard liquor, we could establish a number of smoking licenses that a business could apply for. We could ensure that places with smoking licenses had upgraded ventilation systems and other protections for workers and make sure that every area of St. Paul had options for smokers and non-smokers. I have not thought through all of the issues with a license, and I recognize that we would need to answer a couple of them. For example, I would hope that smoking licenses would be limited in number, but I don't want them to become traded for big profits or only available to the largest bars and restaurants. There would need to be a system so that small neighborhood bars and large nightclubs would both be able to get (and afford) smoking licenses. Jim Mogen LexHam _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
