Smoking ban advocates state that most people prefer smoking bans,their own information shows this to be a fraud.

The American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation
Ordinance Lists - As of April 2 , 2007
http://www.no-smoke.org/goingsmokefree.php?id=519#ords

#10
This chart shows that only 8 states have 100% of state population with 100% smokefree workplace & restaurant & bar laws.
Thus; 84% of the states in this country do not have such across the board ban laws.

10 states have 0% of the state population with any 100% smokefree laws.
Thus,the will of the people in this country is more toward not having any 100% smoke free laws.

Only 13 states ban smoking in both restaurants and bars.
Thus,74% of the states in this country do not have bans on smoking in both restaurants and bars.

The antis are on a roll right now to make all 50 states smoke free - thanks to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's $600 million "smoke-free states" initiative. Given the media shills who kiss up to the antis and the idiocy of most politicians who support the bans, it looks like they will succeed. Interestingly, none of the bans that were passed by referendum in the past year (AZ, NV, and OH) did so by more than 60% of the vote - eventhough the antis like to claim that 70-80% of the public supports bans. So there's still a sizeable minority who doesn't agree with their agenda.

In oHEILo: It was 58% of THE PEOPLE WHO BOTHERED TO VOTE-and only about 40% of registered voters bothered-so it was more like about 30% of the state forcing their will on the rest. Which is why you will NEVER see these referendums/bans on the ballot in a presidential year-NEVER. Check that out if you want. The're always on the ballot in an 'off' year election. The rabid smoker-haters crawl across broken glass to vote, no one else takes it seriously, and bing. Also, about 97% of all media in the state campaigned non-stop 24/7 for a month leading up to the election-which was millions of dollars of FREE one-sided campaigning (as if they needed it). Add the usual bumbling inept campaign on the other side.

quote:

Originally posted by dave clark:
In oHEILo: It was 58% of THE PEOPLE WHO BOTHERED TO VOTE-and only about 40% of registered voters bothered-so it was more like about 30% of the state forcing their will on the rest.

Seems that 60% of 40% would be 24%,how's about that for making one feel even worse.

Sadly enough, smokers make up about 27% of Ohio's adult population.
http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/Trends/trendchart_c.asp?...key=10000&SUBMIT1=Go

quote:

In oHEILo: It was 58% of THE PEOPLE WHO BOTHERED TO VOTE-and only about 40% of registered voters bothered-so it was more like about 30% of the state forcing their will on the rest. Which is why you will NEVER see these referendums/bans on the ballot in a presidential year-NEVER.

Lets not forget that this past year brought out a lot of left-leaning voters who tend to favor the nanny state agenda. I'm afraid that it will only get worse over the next few years if more of these types get elected.

quote:

Seems that 60% of 40% would be 24%,how's about that for making one feel even worse.

Sadly enough, smokers make up about 27% of Ohio's adult population.

Therein lies the problem - apathy. You rarely hear politicians publicly discuss what they have in store for smokers because they know it could cost them votes - so few of us bother to vote. THats why its important to get an idea of where they stand on other issues (gun control, health care, etc.). If they tend to favor more governemnt control - they're probably not our friend.