Gov. Granholm signed a bill into law that prohibits smoking in all restaurants, bars, and the in workplace, with tribal and Detroit casinos getting a pass. Are you happy with this new law? Unhappy? April Gardner of www.casinogambling.com writes:
“Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm signed the new smoking ban into law on this past Friday, and it has left smokers with little options. One option will be to gather on casino floors, where smoking is still legal.
As is the case with any law, politicians must protect the special interest groups, and in the case of the Michigan smoking ban, that interest group is the casinos. They used powerful lobbying techniques to ensure that their establishments steer clear of any possible safety precautions that a smoking ban would have brought.
The freedom to go out to dinner and smoke had always been an option for smokers, but in May, when the law takes affect, these smokers will have to make an important decision. Do they want to eat, or do they want to smoke?”
So, do you think it opens the door for more governmental intrusion into our lives? Whats next?
Growing up in a state(Michigan) and social scene with the freedom of having a hostess ask you smoking or non, dancing in a bar with a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, then coming of age in a state(California) of designated smoking areas and "smoking" patios my opinion on the matter has flip-flopped like a game of Pong. Although, the states differ too much for a true comparison of the subject. There is no winter season in southern California plagued with huddled masses at the entrance of every bar or restaurant taking sharp, shivery draws from their cigarettes. I DO love going to a bar, dancing all night and making it home NOT smelling like a wet ashtray. There's definite pros and cons to keep the endless debate alive, not to mention whether you smoke or just take it in through second hand. The movie "Coffee and Cigarettes" encompasses all I believe on the subject. What is truly better than a dive diner, a pack of smokes, a cup of black coffee and a side order of delectable conversation? Absolutely nothing...
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