News: Two Important Smoking Ban Developments to Watch
14 Jan 2013
Over the past year, the looming regulation of cigars by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has been front and center as the most pressing threat to cigar rights. And rightfully so. FDA regulation would likely drive up prices, stifle innovation and new blends, eliminate or limit promotions and advertisements for cigars, and mandate health risk warning labels.
But smoking bans still constitute a significant infringement on our freedom to enjoy a premium handmade cigar. And anti-tobacco zealots are always pushing for new bans while lobbying to make existing bans stricter. Recently, two stories caught my attention, one because the size of the state, the other because of the egregiousness of the proposal.
Texas Smoking Ban Back on the Table
With the issue gaining momentum for the new legislative session, some expect Texas, the second-largest state by population, to be the 29th U.S. state to pass a ban. A proposal has been introduced that would ban “at all indoor and outdoor workplaces, including restaurants and bars, with exemptions for outdoor restaurant or bar patios set aside for smokers,†according to NACS. “Also exempt would be tobacco bars opened prior to 2013.â€
This isn’t the first time politicians and special interest groups have tried to pass a smoking ban in Texas. But advocates of the regulation seem confident this push will be successful, and they are no doubt relishing the possibility of a smoking ban in a large southern state that has traditionally been hesitant to the idea of government control of business.
Virginia County Considering Outdoor Ban
While Virginia has been under a statewide indoor ban since 2009 that criminalizes smoking in restaurants, bars, and other workplaces, officials in Fairfax County—an affluent suburb of Washington—are eyeing tougher restrictions. Gerry Hyland, a Democrat on the county’s Board of Supervisors, wants to ban smoking on all outdoor public property, including parks.
No stranger to anti-tobacco measures, Hyland, according to the Washington Examiner, “had been pushing similar legislation since November that would have banned smoking by current county employees and permitted the county to consider job applicants’ use of tobacco products when hiring them.†That proposal was shot down for being a bit too radical.
Once thought ridiculous, outdoor smoking bans are becoming more prominent, the foremost example being New York City’s criminalization of smoking in parks. And one has to wonder if the idea of prohibiting tobacco use among employees will catch on with public (and maybe also private) employers.
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Patrick Ashby
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Whenever someone references NYC's anti-smoking efforts as a positive thing I wonder if they've even been to the city. Every time I'm in Manhattan it seems like 3 out of 4 people on the sidewalk have a cigarette in their hands. If this Fairfax parks thing gets passed I guess that means no more lunchtime strolls on the W&OD with a cup of coffee and an Ashton. Bummer 🙁
Smoking bans won't end well. Even non-smokers should be able to see that it doesn't actually solve any problems and has plenty of potential to generate new problems.
Huh….funny….. Apparently local and fed govt's have all our other, more pressing problems buttoned up then, right?
It is a very serious situation that we are in, I have by no means what is in store for our hobby, I only hope that we can survive.
I was against smoking bans when I was a smoker. But since I switched to electronic cigarettes two years ago, I don't have to worry about smoking bans, tar, smell or really high cigarette taxes! http://www.savecig.com
Great job with the guerilla social media marketing! I am sure it sells a lot of e cigs. I have a website too: http://www.goawayspammer.com.
Texas has come pretty close to passing a ban the last few years in one form or another, and most major cities (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin) have them. But a lot of the smaller surrounding communities don't.
I would bet on something passing this year, but there will still be resistance from the lawmaker who represent smaller rural cities. Maybe they can kill it again. Lance Armstrong won't be around to lobby for its passage.
"And one has to wonder if the idea of prohibiting tobacco use among employees will catch on with public (and maybe also private) employers."
It already has in a number of communities. Some states don't allow this type of smoker distrcrimination, but many do. Lots of hospitals won't hire smokers, and a few fire those who are not able to or refuse to quit.