Update: More Pro-Cancerers amoung us!
Proposal to ban smoking statewide unfair to bars
this one is just too good to pass up. Written by a freshman on the newspaper. Figure she need's a warm welcome to what happens when you put your opinions out there loud enough.
Now that this ban is proposed, for most people the question is: “When can we get this in writing?” Although it would seem morally appropriate to approve the ban with fervor, it is necessary to consider those who would be put at a disadvantage by the ban.
Here's a hint: I dont think its anyone she talks about in her article.
Madison is known for being a city with a European feel. It has bountiful restaurants serving food from different regions of the world and has many parks where its citizens can throw Frisbees and go running. There are bars filled with boisterous people and sports games on the TV or bars that exist to serve wines in an intimate setting. Many of Wisconsin’s cities are this way: they have their own unique feel.
You've never been in Europe. If you had you wouldn't have come with your opening line here. Nor could I imagine you've either been around Wisconsin or the other possibility you've never been to any other city than Madison. New York has a very big park, people play frisbee in it, I've witnessed that, and trust me they have a lot of different restaurants. Then again so does Chicago, I'm sure even Milwaukee and Detroit have at least one exotic restaurants and a park - but I assure you watching sports on tv and drinking beer isn't the "bar filling" draw of plenty of places in European cities.
Besides the fact that this ban would impose on Wisconsin’s unique cultural atmosphere, it would potentially violate each business’ right to choose how to run its establishment. Part of the draw of a bar or restaurant is the ambience it creates and if part of an establishment’s style is defined by smoking, it could affect the influx or type of customers. This could ultimately affect the profit the business takes in.
I argue the exact opposite point actually. Here in Madison people can't smoke in bars, except for one which is a cigar bar, taking in 40%+ revenue in tobacco sales thats a hard requirement of a place that sells alcohol. However people can just as easily get to Middleton, Stoughton, or any other near by town and watch the game and smoke in, the bar. A statewide ban however would basically kill that possibility, to smoke in a restaurant, a Wisconsin resident would have to routinely drive into Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota or Iowa; this is simply not an option for 99% of the residents, where as its a much more likely someone would drive out of city limits, town line, etc etc to get to a smoking establishment just outside of whatever local ordinance is in effect.
Each business should be able to choose what kind of place they want to run. This way people can decide whether they want to be in that environment. Families will go to restaurants that cater to them by prohibiting smoking on the premises. A person that wants to enjoy a smoke and a beer will go to a bar that allows it.
Businesses are allowed to run whatever kind of business they choose to run - within the laws of the town, state, and nation they are in. If we outlaw juice sales within city limits - tough luck orange julius. Secondly families aren't the only one who doesn't enjoy smoke - I can't stand the smell of it, I didn't stop going to bars before they banned it here in Madison but I was never thrilled, believe me when I saw your assumption that a smoking ban is purely family oriented is false. As far as the smokers' rights, they have every right to vote no on the smoking ban, and they did however in Madison at least the non smokers won out.
In order to respect the businesses and culture of Wisconsin, it would behoove Wisconsin lawmakers to find alternative ways to take action against smoking.
Is there a way to take action against smoking that isn't being done yet?
In addition to the statewide ban on tobacco, Doyle called for a higher tax on cigarettes in order to discourage people from buying the product. The higher tax would take care of a portion of the medical costs smokers acquire due to tobacco-related health issues. This action would be a wiser choice because it would give businesses their freedom.
Actually it puts more money in the budget to provide social services for everyone. I enjoy smokers, they help pay for all kinds of socially conscience programs and police and other municipal workers' salaries through the much larger portion of tax they spend when buying cigarettes, however this is not going to stop anyone from smoking. No one starts smoking and stops because its too expensive (by choice). A smoking ban is about the preventative public health increase through the lack of second hand smoke in crowded areas where many people work and patronize. Standing outside in the snow in 10 degrees below zero weather isn't going to stop those smokers from funding the state government either
this one is just too good to pass up. Written by a freshman on the newspaper. Figure she need's a warm welcome to what happens when you put your opinions out there loud enough.
Now that this ban is proposed, for most people the question is: “When can we get this in writing?” Although it would seem morally appropriate to approve the ban with fervor, it is necessary to consider those who would be put at a disadvantage by the ban.
Here's a hint: I dont think its anyone she talks about in her article.
Madison is known for being a city with a European feel. It has bountiful restaurants serving food from different regions of the world and has many parks where its citizens can throw Frisbees and go running. There are bars filled with boisterous people and sports games on the TV or bars that exist to serve wines in an intimate setting. Many of Wisconsin’s cities are this way: they have their own unique feel.
You've never been in Europe. If you had you wouldn't have come with your opening line here. Nor could I imagine you've either been around Wisconsin or the other possibility you've never been to any other city than Madison. New York has a very big park, people play frisbee in it, I've witnessed that, and trust me they have a lot of different restaurants. Then again so does Chicago, I'm sure even Milwaukee and Detroit have at least one exotic restaurants and a park - but I assure you watching sports on tv and drinking beer isn't the "bar filling" draw of plenty of places in European cities.
Besides the fact that this ban would impose on Wisconsin’s unique cultural atmosphere, it would potentially violate each business’ right to choose how to run its establishment. Part of the draw of a bar or restaurant is the ambience it creates and if part of an establishment’s style is defined by smoking, it could affect the influx or type of customers. This could ultimately affect the profit the business takes in.
I argue the exact opposite point actually. Here in Madison people can't smoke in bars, except for one which is a cigar bar, taking in 40%+ revenue in tobacco sales thats a hard requirement of a place that sells alcohol. However people can just as easily get to Middleton, Stoughton, or any other near by town and watch the game and smoke in, the bar. A statewide ban however would basically kill that possibility, to smoke in a restaurant, a Wisconsin resident would have to routinely drive into Michigan, Illinois, Minnesota or Iowa; this is simply not an option for 99% of the residents, where as its a much more likely someone would drive out of city limits, town line, etc etc to get to a smoking establishment just outside of whatever local ordinance is in effect.
Each business should be able to choose what kind of place they want to run. This way people can decide whether they want to be in that environment. Families will go to restaurants that cater to them by prohibiting smoking on the premises. A person that wants to enjoy a smoke and a beer will go to a bar that allows it.
Businesses are allowed to run whatever kind of business they choose to run - within the laws of the town, state, and nation they are in. If we outlaw juice sales within city limits - tough luck orange julius. Secondly families aren't the only one who doesn't enjoy smoke - I can't stand the smell of it, I didn't stop going to bars before they banned it here in Madison but I was never thrilled, believe me when I saw your assumption that a smoking ban is purely family oriented is false. As far as the smokers' rights, they have every right to vote no on the smoking ban, and they did however in Madison at least the non smokers won out.
In order to respect the businesses and culture of Wisconsin, it would behoove Wisconsin lawmakers to find alternative ways to take action against smoking.
Is there a way to take action against smoking that isn't being done yet?
In addition to the statewide ban on tobacco, Doyle called for a higher tax on cigarettes in order to discourage people from buying the product. The higher tax would take care of a portion of the medical costs smokers acquire due to tobacco-related health issues. This action would be a wiser choice because it would give businesses their freedom.
Actually it puts more money in the budget to provide social services for everyone. I enjoy smokers, they help pay for all kinds of socially conscience programs and police and other municipal workers' salaries through the much larger portion of tax they spend when buying cigarettes, however this is not going to stop anyone from smoking. No one starts smoking and stops because its too expensive (by choice). A smoking ban is about the preventative public health increase through the lack of second hand smoke in crowded areas where many people work and patronize. Standing outside in the snow in 10 degrees below zero weather isn't going to stop those smokers from funding the state government either
posted by Marc at
1:16 PM
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