Senate passes smoking ban; casino floors but not restos exempt

[Diehard]

Let's go ahead and get these other red herrings out of the way:
1. They WANT to ban smoking entirely, but they won't, because smokers pay so much in taxes!
Not really. Smoking is still legal, and adults are free to choose to. This is only moving it out of enclosed areas around other people who don't choose or deserve to have your smoke in their lungs, eyes, hair and clothes. Tobacco taxes ARE high, and that's because they're considered a "sin tax" and are easy pickings politically.
2. What's next? Are they going to ban fast food?
Who knows? But what does that have to do with this? I eat a bacon cheeseburger, I get fat, nobody else cares.
3. But drinking and smoking go hand in hand!
For smokers, it does. For nonsmokers, not so much. So sit in your basement and smoke and drink all you want. It's your house. But now, you can't do it in an enclosed place that's open to the public, with strangers around you.
4. It's too much of a hassle to go outside!
It's also a hassle [[especially for women) to get up off the barstool and go stand in line to pee, but we do it anyway, because peeing right there at the bar is gross and unhealthy. So is secondhand smoke.
5. This will drive all the bars and restaurants out of business!!
Hasn't happened anywhere else in the country. They survived, so will we.
6. What's next, are they going to tell me I can't smoke in my own house/car?
Only if there are kids in there. Otherwise, smoke up, Johnny!
7. There's no evidence that secondhand smoke causes cancer!
Says the "study" funded by the tobacco industry. There's plenty of evidence it's annoying as hell.
8. Why don't they let the business owners decide whether to allow smoking or not?
That actually makes some sense. But it doesn't give the workers a choice, except the choice to "get another job," which is just plain laughable in Michigan today.
9. But bar workers smoke more than anyone else!
Maybe at the bars you go to. But they can take a smoke break outside like all the office workers do, can't they?
10. But alcohol is unhealthy, too, and people drive after they drink too much!
We have laws for that already. Very, very strict laws.

Did I miss anything?

[Fury13]

Let's go ahead and get these other red herrings out of the way:
1. They WANT to ban smoking entirely, but they won't, because smokers pay so much in taxes!
Not really. Smoking is still legal, and adults are free to choose to. This is only moving it out of enclosed areas around other people who don't choose or deserve to have your smoke in their lungs, eyes, hair and clothes. Tobacco taxes ARE high, and that's because they're considered a "sin tax" and are easy pickings politically.
2. What's next? Are they going to ban fast food?
Who knows? But what does that have to do with this? I eat a bacon cheeseburger, I get fat, nobody else cares.
3. But drinking and smoking go hand in hand!
For smokers, it does. For nonsmokers, not so much. So sit in your basement and smoke and drink all you want. It's your house. But now, you can't do it in an enclosed place that's open to the public, with strangers around you.
4. It's too much of a hassle to go outside!
It's also a hassle [[especially for women) to get up off the barstool and go stand in line to pee, but we do it anyway, because peeing right there at the bar is gross and unhealthy. So is secondhand smoke.
5. This will drive all the bars and restaurants out of business!!
Hasn't happened anywhere else in the country. They survived, so will we.
6. What's next, are they going to tell me I can't smoke in my own house/car?
Only if there are kids in there. Otherwise, smoke up, Johnny!
7. There's no evidence that secondhand smoke causes cancer!
Says the "study" funded by the tobacco industry. There's plenty of evidence it's annoying as hell.
8. Why don't they let the business owners decide whether to allow smoking or not?
That actually makes some sense. But it doesn't give the workers a choice, except the choice to "get another job," which is just plain laughable in Michigan today.
9. But bar workers smoke more than anyone else!
Maybe at the bars you go to. But they can take a smoke break outside like all the office workers do, can't they?
10. But alcohol is unhealthy, too, and people drive after they drink too much!
We have laws for that already. Very, very strict laws.

Did I miss anything?

Great post!!!

This law is long overdue. The 20 percent no longer dictate to the 80 percent.