Bill to ban most indoor smoking in Tennessee headed to Bredesen

The Tennessee Legislature today completed action on a bill to ban most indoor smoking -- including in restaurants.


It goes to Governor Bredesen for his consideration.

State Health Commissioner Susan Cooper said the governor plans to sign the bill, despite originally pushing for a stricter version.

Bars, private clubs and businesses with up to three employees would be exempt from the ban.

The measure cleared the House 84-to-10, and it then passed the Senate 28-to-2.

House Agriculture Chairman Stratton Bone of Lebanon, a former tobacco farmer, said he sponsored the bill because public opinion supports a ban. About a quarter of Tennesseans smoke.

House Majority Leader Gary Odom of Nashville said the bill as passed is a first step toward more comprehensive change.

Smoking Ban exemptions:
-- "Age-restricted venues," like bars.
-- Any business enclosed by garage doors -- if at least one door is open.
-- Businesses with up to three employees that have a separate smoking area.
-- Nursing homes.
-- Open air patios, porches or decks.
-- Private clubs.
-- Private homes and vehicles, unless they are used for day care.
-- Retail tobacco stores.
-- Tobacco manufacturing or processing plants.
-- Up to 25 percent of rooms in a hotel or motel.



Associated Press

You gotta be sh!tting me.

I say a massive shot of civil disobedience, the penicillin for diseases like this, will be the only cure.It was the only thing that ended prohibition.

When faced with tyranny, a man/woman has two choices;

kowtow, or fight.

I'd say it's long past time to fight.

This will do nothing but snowball out into every area of your lives you can imagine.

Look at the trans-fats madness. Just another example of government going where it is not wanted/needed, and where it does not belong.

They are also introducing more bills to ban smoking in cars, "for the children"(TM), OF COURSE......I've been saying this for a few years now- their ultimate goal is to invade your HOMES.

IMO, these bans are nothing but a way to achieve the marxist goals of destroying private property rights,ending in your own homes, and unfortunately, many of the blind, foolish, busybodied sheeple are too damn stupid to realize that it will bite them in the ass as well before it's all over.

This road we have started down can lead to no good end. This is the end of freedom as we knew it. It is not going out with a bang, but with a whimper.

You'll hear the antis screeching about their RIGHT to breathe "clean" air (is there such a thing? Look at the SMOG AND POLLUTION IN ALL THE MAJOR CITIES).

OK, well, what about the RIGHT to private property? That IS in the constitution. It is one of the things that set America apart from the rest of the world. It is one of the things that truly made us FREE....And it IS the one thing these bans DO destroy.


What about the RIGHT for a person to choose what they do on a piece of property that they pay taxes on, they pay to upkeep, and they also (in the case of businesses) pay payroll taxes and many other fees incurred by doing business.


Actual property rights erosion began with the introduction of property taxes, where you actually pay the government to rent your "property", but that is a rant for another time and place.

These bans will save NO lives. But, most of us here ( as do most antis) have known that from the beginning.

Freedom, it was nice knowing you.

Ugh.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 383rr,

this is what brought me into the forums......tenn sucks and now they are trying to become smokefree in cars too with kids.......soon it will be in our homes.......cleans 1911 45 auto govmnt model....
Im waiting