I don't normally laugh at this kind of stuff..........but Doc, I've got to hand it to you - you've got me seriously laughing here.
I regularly laugh at the crapola that spews forth from the keyboards of anti-smokers, primarily because most don't know their elbow from their ear.
If you believe MPAAT's scare tactics smokers should avoid the bars and restaurants because the secondhand smoke poses more of a health hazard than smoking itself.......priceless.
A few hours ago, the Allegheny County Council (greater Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania) voted 14-1 for a comprehensive smokefree workplace
ordinance that includes all bars, casinos, restaurants and nearly all
other indoor workplaces.
In what could be a first in the U.S. or the world, the ordinance was
also amendment to include a prohibition of smoking on all indoor
and outdoor properties owned by healthcare organizations.
That amendment was offered by a councilman who voted for all
four amendments offered to exempt bars, restaurants, workplaces,
etc.
Does anyone know of any other laws that prohibit smoking on all
indoor and outdoor property owned by a healthcare organization?
Exempted from the ordinance were cigar bars and to a waiver application and approval procedure
was established to allow smoking at select fundraising events (not to exceed 12 per year) sponsored by a not for profit organization where
children won't be permitted.
The passage of this ordinance is also a milestone, considering that the state tavern and restaurant associations, the PA Department
of Health, and the PA ACS, AHA, ALA have all asserted that the
PA Clean Indoor Air Act still preempts local smokefree ordinances.
In siding with Smokefree Pennsylvania, the Allegheny County Council responded to charges of state preemption by acknowledging that they fully expect a lawsuit to be filed against the county alleging
state preemption.
During the public comment period, 17 spoke in support of the ordinance
(including the largest restaurant chain in the region) and against all
exemption amendments), and 5 spoke against the ordinance (including
3 bar owners and 2 smokers). At the public hearing three weeks ago,
34 spoke in support, while 5 spoke against.
Notable among supporters were healthcare professionals from many
healthcare organizations and a group of medical school students
from the University of Pittsburgh, a half dozen of whom spoke in
support of the ordinance at the public hearing and at tonights's council meeting.
Another key reason for our overwhelming victory despite enormous odds was smokefree.net website, as 417 letters have been sent to our
county executive and council members in the past several months,
including 150 letters in the past six days.
The e-mail list of 2,500 health advocates in Allegheny County that
I've compiled over the decades also helped keep folks informed and
engaged, as I've regularly sent updates and alerts to those folks.
Now we can work on organizating smokefree ordinances throughout
the state, and continue pressing the state legislature to enact a
100% smokefree workplace law.
Tonight was excellent. And the victory in Philly last week was nice too.
Congratulations, Godshall -- you've succeeded in screwing property rights, freedom of contract, and freedom of association once again! Makes small minds proud.
Dr. Siegel,
Don't they do any EATING in these restaurants? Guess they just go there to order a coffee, hang out and fill the air with smoke!
And Bill, the other reason the bans will be overturned is that secondhand smoke doesn't meet the primary justification...."health hazard". At 25,000 times SAFER than OSHA air quality regulations..."health hazard" is not just a laughable claim....it's an outright lie.
http://cleanairquality.blogspot....st-
results.html
But since you're so proud of putting people out of work.....get used to this.....
http://
cleanairquality.blogspot....ospitality.html
Our own ALA communications director here in MN. used to crow about the smoking bans passing and leave pompous comments on my website......83+ closed establishments later he's a more humbled liar......I never hear from him these days.
Harry wrote:
"Don't they do any EATING in these restaurants? Guess they just go there to order a coffee, hang out and fill the air with smoke!"
Yes, maybe what these studies actually show is that smoking bans kill business. Reduced patronage = fewer artery clogging meals = fewer heart attacks.
Also I was wondering. For all I know Pueblo didn't even have any restaurants that allowed smoking before the ban.
Has anyone ever considered that with many restaurants being smoke-free on their own these days that when a smoking ban is imposed the huge decline in heart attacks claimed would be coming from a very small population? Maybe even too small?
It's good to see Bill that you have been elected to REPRESENT the whole state in YOUR quest for smokefree conditions .But i forget,YOU know what's best for EVERYONE ELSE don't YOU !
BTW Bill this article is about Pueblo NOT the state of PA,or did you just have to crow about it eh ?
Si, of course he had to crow about it. I can't wait until some whacko fanatic goes after something he enjoys......maybe even smokeless tobacco....watch how much crowing he does then.
marcus wrote:
"And Bill, the other reason the bans will be overturned is that secondhand smoke doesn't meet the primary justification...."health hazard"."
That's funny. Just as some smokers are in denial about their own addiction to nicotine, some folks insist upon burying their heads in the sand and fooling themselves and others into believing that smokefree laws represent the past not the future.
si wrote:
"It's good to see Bill that you have been elected to REPRESENT the whole state in YOUR quest for smokefree conditions."
It's nice that si recognizes the success of our smokefree workplace campaigns.
Bill how do you manage to make something up from words which say nothing of the sort.Do you fare any better if someone draws you pictures ?
"And Bill, the other reason the bans will be overturned is that secondhand smoke doesn't meet the primary justification...."health hazard"."
That's funny. Just as some smokers are in denial about their own addiction to nicotine, some folks insist upon burying their heads in the sand and fooling themselves and others into believing that smokefree laws represent the past not the future. - Bill G.
Well the ACS data is what I provide to lawmakers in VA. MD. MN. MO, KS, IL.......and other places where smoking bans have failed.....so sorry Bill not all lawmakers are caving to your misguided, exaggerated pharmaceutical interests.
http://cleanairquality.blogspot....r-rwjf-
and.html
http://cleanairquality.blogspot....ng-bans-
in.html
The word of the day: Schadenfreude.
Schadenfreude - (translation) pro-smoking ban lobbyists. AKA pharmaceutical nicotine interests.
http://
cleanairquality.blogspot....ospitality.html
http://cleanairquality.blogspot....ng-bans-
in.html
Thank you LeanderJ the day is never a total waste if you learn something new.
Bill wrote:
"Tonight was excellent. And the victory in Philly last week was nice too."
I hope the celebration is over because I have bad news for you Bill.
You and your public health advocate friends that don't want to see lung cancer research better sit down:
" An experimental drug that extends the lives of lung cancer patients by a third has impressed doctors, who say that it is one of the first signs of progress against the disease.
Mark McKeage of the University of Auckland, one of the researchers, said: "It is great to see this large survival benefit with AS1404 in lung cancer patients. This makes me feel very optimistic as we progress into phase III testing." "
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.u...sp?
story=708067
It looks like your dream of smokers getting what they deserve will be postponed by an additional 5 months for now. Who knows what future research will bring, 5 years?
Oh geez Bill, I'm sorry. You're already probably feeling bad over this. Get well soon.
"Allegheny County Council may kill the smoking ban they passed on Tuesday after learning of a state Senate bill that would exempt slot machine casinos from the ban.
Allegheny Executive Dan Onorato must still sign the county bill, but now has told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that he may veto it now.
That is, if council doesn't beat him to it by passing new legislation to withdraw the ordinance."
Bill,
I remember you making a few disparaging comments about Bush/Rove. That's one thing we can agree on.
But surely the "wave of the future" talk isn't good enough?
I suspect and hope you are against the torture bill seeing as how you are on the left. How would you react to a Republican saying "it's the wave of the future?" You'd say it was nonsense, or we are in big trouble if it really is. I'd feel that way.
Now I think the torture issue is MUCH more serious than the smoking bans. But it's still the same logic, and it has disturbing extensions(obesity etc.) And while I don't think I'm changing anyone's mind, the analogy still needs to be laid out there, for ME anyway.
I didn't expect such a blowout in the vote, so good work on the organization. Our side has a lot to learn from you on that.
Bill,
I remember you making a few disparaging comments about Bush/Rove. That's one thing we can agree on.
But surely the "wave of the future" talk isn't good enough?
I suspect and hope you are against the torture bill seeing as how you are on the left. How would you react to a Republican saying "it's the wave of the future?" You'd say it was nonsense, or we are in big trouble if it really is. I'd feel that way.
Now I think the torture issue is MUCH more serious than the smoking bans. But it's still the same logic, and it has disturbing extensions(obesity etc.) And while I don't think I'm changing anyone's mind, the analogy still needs to be laid out there, for ME anyway.
I didn't expect such a blowout in the vote, so good work on the organization. Our side has a lot to learn from you on that.
Oops. Apologies for the double post. Delete it(and this message) as appropriate.
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