Michigan House Passes Limited Smoking Ban

Well, after some good news in Texas, it seems that Michigan’s gonna go down the bad trail. The House has passed a smoking ban that, luckily, exempts the state’s casinos, cigar bars, and specialty smoke shops. It’s up for debate and vote in the state Senate now, which in the past has only wanted a total smoking ban. That doesn’t bode well for the smokers in Michigan. I’ll keep my eye on this to see where it goes.

LANSING, MAY 26 – The Michigan House voted today to ban smoking in workplaces including bars and restaurants, but allow it on gambling floors at Detroit’s three casinos, cigar bars and specialty smoke shops.

The 73-31 vote set up another faceoff with the Senate, which last year voted for a total smoking ban, no exceptions.

The smoking ban remains a hot issue, led by anti-smoking advocates encouraged by smoking bans approved in recent weeks in Wisconsin and North Carolina, a tobacco industry state where a smoking ban was once unimaginable.

But like last year, a stalemate looms again between Michigan’s House and Senate over whether to allow smoking in Detroit’s casinos. A state imposed smoking ban would not affect Indian-run casinos.

The casinos argued that a smoking ban would chase customers away and result in a loss of hundreds of jobs in Detroit.

Smoking ban advocates argued that second hand smoke is a serious health threat to workers where smoking is allowed, and that casino employees should be protected by a prohibition.

An amendment to the House bill to make it a total ban without exception was gaveled down by controlling Democrats., as were several others.

Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, a Republican from Rochester, said last week that Senate Republicans still prefer a total ban, but hinted there may be room for compromise.

Rep. Bert Johnson, a Democrat from Highland Park, whose committee approved the bill last week, challenged Senate to take up the smoking ban, saying today’s vote affirmed strong support for a ban.

He added, however, “We are nowhere near finished with this.”

Rep. Timothy Bledsoe, a Democrat from Grosse Pointe, said it was foolish to send the Senate anything but a total ban because of the hazards of second hand smoke.

Rep. Lee Gonzales, a Democrat from Flint and sponsor of the bill, said even with exemptions, all but a very small number of establishments among the state’s 19,000 bars and restaurants would ban smoking.

“We are putting public health first and preventing thousands of needless deaths,” Gonzales said.

http://www.freep.com/article/20090526/NEWS06/90526083/House+OKs+smoking+ban++but+not+in+casinos

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