From Gannett via the Argus
Senate Republicans will take another stab at prohibiting smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars. But whether to exempt Detroit's casinos remains a key question.
"It's time to get it moving," said Sen. Ron Jelinek, R-Three Oaks, who is prodding fellow Senate Republicans with a compromise.
That plan would ban smoking in all public places, but possibly allow it to some extent at the Detroit casino on gaming floors, as well as in cigar bars. Smoking would be banned at the Detroit casino restaurants and hotels, possibly answering concerns of bar owners about giving a competitive advantage to the casinos.
Thanks Jelinek for once again moving Republicans away from our less government roots. The simplified version is that democrats are generally in favor for the ban, but want the Detroit casinos exempted. The Republicans are mostly against this, but if it is to be done, no exceptions. Both of those should be shot down.
Instead of no exceptions or few exceptions, how about a business choice exception. That's what we have now and it works. Most places right now are non-smoking. Almost all business are non-smoking. Few allow it.
The big fight here is over restaurants. Some allow smoking and some don't. That's currently the owner's decision and that is how it should be. There are some places in Brighton and Howell that do not allow smoking. That is their choice. Copper Pickle, Stillwater, and Brighton Bar and Grill do not allow smoking. These are privately owned establishments that made their own decision to ban smoking. They did it the right way.
It's crap like this that makes me want to take up smoking. I'm tempted to light a giant cigarette with the worst flavor possible as a middle finger to this. We can start in the offices of Jelinek and Basham.
