Below is a listing of the latest news on legislative issues and anti-smoking movements affecting your personal freedom and rights to enjoy cigars. Get Involved, Learn about the Issues, and Take Action!
Smoking ban dries up business
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| August 19th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Michigan |
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But since Michigan's smoking ban went into effect May 1, Natalie Samu, the soon-to-be ex-owner of the bar, has just one or two waitresses serving the dwindling crowd.
"Our business is down over 50%," said Samu, who sold the bar earlier this month but will stay on as manager. "I know things go down in the summer, but it's never been this bad."
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Restaurant Owners Urge Lottery Boycott
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| June 14th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Michigan |
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LANSING, Mich. -- Some restaurant, bar and private club owners are calling for a one-day boycott of some Michigan Lottery products to protest the state's recently enacted smoking ban.
An event billed on Facebook as the Michigan Lottery Boycott calls for those businesses to not sell certain lottery products from 11 a.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday. The boycott could affect sales of Keno, pull tabs and other games.
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Smoking ban met with mixed reviews
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| May 17th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Michigan |
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On May 1st, the Dr. Ron Davis Smoke Free Air Law came into effect. It is a law that was established to protect Michigan’s residents and visitors from secondhand smoke in all restaurants, bars and businesses which include hotels and motels. Two weeks into the implementation of the law and people have mixed reactions about it.
“It hasn’t made much of a difference to me,” John Martin, an English literature major at Eastern said. “I don’t mind having to come out for a smoke in general, since the places I visit often already had the no smoking policy in place. It’s definitely inconvenient to have the law apply to bars though, since many people enjoy a smoke with their drink. It’s a hassle to have to go out for a smoke.”
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Patterson retreats, drops lawsuit over smoking ban
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| April 15th, 2010, 02:11 PM | Michigan |
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Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson retreated from a legal battle over a smoking ban this afternoon. Early this morning, he said he was suing the state over the smoking ban in restaurants and bars, that was set to take effect May 1.
But six hours later, after receiving about 100 phone calls and e-mails opposing his position, he reversed himself and said he was withdrawing the lawsuit filed with the Michigan Court of Appeals.
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Workplace smoking ban clears final legislative hurdle
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| December 10th, 2009, 01:11 PM | Michigan |
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A workplace smoking ban — with exemptions for Detroit casino gaming operations, cigar bars and tobacco specialty retail stores — is on its way to Gov. Jennifer Granholm for signing, after clearing its final legislative hurdle Thursday afternoon.
The state House concurred with the Senate’s passage of the bill earlier in the afternoon and sent it on to Granholm for her expected signature.
House Bill 4377, sponsored by Lee Gonzalez, D-Flint, would take effect May 1 and would prohibit smoking in nearly all workplaces, including bars and restaurants.
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Mich. lawmakers pass smoking ban; casinos exempt
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| December 10th, 2009, 01:11 PM | Michigan |
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LANSING, Mich. — The Michigan Legislature passed a long-delayed smoking ban Thursday, with exceptions for three Detroit casinos that have to compete with tribal casinos not affected by the ban.
The Democrat-led House agreed Thursday afternoon to slight changes made by the Republican-led Senate earlier in the day. The bill now goes to Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who welcomed the bill's passage.
"It's a terrific gift to Michigan," she told reporters.
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Rep. Lori works on smoking ban
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| October 27th, 2009, 02:11 PM | Michigan |
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State Rep. Matt Lori is working with a bipartisan group of House lawmakers to figure out a new strategy for getting a smoking ban signed into law.
Earlier this year, the House approved legislation to ban smoking in most public places, including bars and restaurants, but that plan has since stalled in the Senate because it exempts casino gambling floors, cigar bars and tobacco shops from the proposed ban.
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Where there's smoke...
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| June 7th, 2009, 07:44 AM | Michigan |
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JUN 7 - Sitting on opposite ends of the bar Thursday evening inside Canton's Rusty Nail Lounge on Ford Road, patrons Ryan Roberts and Randi Tinglan couldn't be further divided over a workplace smoking ban that could include bars and restaurants.
The state House has approved a ban that still faces a decision by Michigan senators.
“I'm against it. I don't feel they should take that liberty away from us,” Roberts, a 22-year-old Ypsilanti resident and smoker, said just a few hours before Thursday's Red Wings hockey game.
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Casino gaming floors exempt in smoking ban
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| June 4th, 2009, 12:43 PM | Michigan |
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JUN 4 - Michigan's House of Representatives took another step toward making the state smoke-free by approving legislation to ban smoking in most public spaces.
Rep. Paul Scott, a leading proponent to make Michigan smoke-free, voted in favor of House Bill 4377. The measure bans smoking in public places, but exempts casino gaming floors, cigar bars and specialty tobacco stores.
Thirty-seven states currently have some form of smoking ban. "Although a smoking ban without exemptions is ideal, this measure is a vast improvement on current law and will make great strides to keep Michigan residents healthy," said Scott, a Republican from Grand Blanc.
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Mich. House OKs smoking ban, but not in casinos
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| May 26th, 2009, 02:37 PM | Michigan |
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LANSING, MAY 26 – The Michigan House voted today to ban smoking in workplaces including bars and restaurants, but allow it on gambling floors at Detroit's three casinos, cigar bars and specialty smoke shops.
The 73-31 vote set up another faceoff with the Senate, which last year voted for a total smoking ban, no exceptions.
The smoking ban remains a hot issue, led by anti-smoking advocates encouraged by smoking bans approved in recent weeks in Wisconsin and North Carolina, a tobacco industry state where a smoking ban was once unimaginable.
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Editorial: Michigan lawmakers should do their duty and decide on smoking ban
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| April 28th, 2009, 06:04 AM | Michigan |
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APR 28 - State Sen. Tupac Hunter, D-Detroit, has proposed a well-worn solution to the legislative logjam on a workplace smoking ban in Michigan: Let voters decide the issue for themselves. But the reason we send representatives to Lansing is to make these sorts of decisions, not to kick the can back to the people.
Republicans say nothing less than a full ban would be fair, while Democrats seek exceptions for bingo halls, smoke shops and the Detroit casinos. If Hunter's legislative referendum is passed by both the House and Senate and signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a full ban on workplace smoking will be presented to voters on the November 2010 statewide ballot. If passed, it will become part of the Michigan Constitution.
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Med students rally for anti-smoking laws
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| April 23rd, 2009, 11:23 AM | Michigan |
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APR 23 - Hundreds of students and other concerned citizens gathered Thursday at the Capitol steps to lobby for legislation to ban smoking in Michigan workplaces.
The health care rally was organized by the American Medical Student Association, or AMSA , Student Osteopathic Medical Association and the MSU College of Human Medicine.
The rally's main purpose was to voice support for House Bill No. 4341, an anti-smoking bill that has become known as the Clean Air Bill.
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Most business owners quiet on proposed smoking ban
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| April 12th, 2009, 05:47 AM | Michigan |
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APR 12 - The polls are clear, people are screaming for a smoking ban, State Senator Gilda Jacobs (D-Ferndale) said.
“If we need a compromise and remove casinos from the ban right now, and then re-examine that part later, then do it. But let's get 90 percent of this done,” Jacobs continued.
Jacobs was referring to the legislature's delay last week of a proposed statewide smoking ban.
“One of the major hits to the economy is health care costs, with a ban we can do something to directly impact this,” she said.
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House shelves workplace smoking ban
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| April 8th, 2009, 08:17 AM | Michigan |
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Lansing, APR 8 -- Advocates of a workplace smoking ban in Michigan will have to wait at least a few more months for the issue to return in the Legislature.
House Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford Township, said he has decided the House should zero in this spring on balancing the cash-strapped budget and creating jobs in the wounded economy.
"The smoking ban is an important issue, but jobs and the budget are more important right now," Dillon said. "I see us getting back to the smoking issue by summer."
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County-wide smoking ban idea extinguished
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| March 20th, 2009, 11:39 AM | Michigan |
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HURON COUNTY, MAR 20 — After an informal polling of the board, county commissioners agreed to craft a smoking policy that's not entirely smoke-free for some county-owned property.
There would be smoking allowed outdoors, with the exception of certain areas near entrances, and the policy would only be applicable to the County Building, not other county-owned property like county parks.
“A county-wide ban would be practically unenforceable,” said Commissioner Chairman Ron Wruble during the board's meeting of the whole Tuesday.
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Michigan State House takes up smoking ban debate -- again
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| March 18th, 2009, 04:16 PM | Michigan |
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LANSING, MAR 18 -- Yet another legislative debate over banning workplace smoking in Michigan has been kicked off with no certainty that it will end any differently than the last one.
A smoking ban that would include bars and restaurants died last year when lawmakers couldn't agree whether to exempt casinos, cigar bars and tobacco specialty shops.
New bills that are conflicted over the same issue received their first hearing of the year Wednesday in the House Regulatory Reform Committee.
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State public smoking ban debate reopens in Lansing
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| March 18th, 2009, 04:11 PM | Michigan |
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LANSING, MAR 18 – A renewed effort to ban smoking in Michigan restaurants, bars and all public places will get a hearing at noon before a House committee.
There's no legislation pending, and the meeting is meant to reopen the debate, said Rep. Bert Johnson, D-Detroit, chairman of the House Regulatory Reform Committee.
“We're going to do something and do it practically and reasonably,” Johnson said. “I hope we can be on one page. I want to let the public know that this Legislature is serious about passing a workplace smoking ban.”
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As smoking ban battle again heads to state Legislature, Genesee County smokers hope to preserve places to light up
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| January 26th, 2009, 12:34 PM | Michigan |
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JAN 26 - GENESEE COUNTY, Michigan -- The hottest issue in the state last year is unlikely to go away: Should smoking be banned in the workplace?
State Rep. Paul Scott, R-Grand Blanc, just filed a bill in the state Legislature that would forbid smoking wherever people are employed, with no exceptions.
Not that he has anything against smokers.
"It's not anti-smoker," Scott said. "It's everything to do with protecting nonsmokers from contracting cancer against their will."
The bill would continue the work of former Rep. Brenda Clack, D-Flint, who led a charge for a statewide smoking ban last year that failed by six votes.
Unlike Clack's bill, Scott's measure does not allow exceptions for casinos and cigar bars, which is likely to be unpopular in the Democrat-controlled House.
But both Scott and Clack said they believe a bill will pass this time, possibly by the summer session.
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Smoke ban bill is Paul Scott's first order of business
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| January 16th, 2009, 06:23 PM | Michigan |
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LANSING, Michigan, JAN 16 — Jamal "Jay" Ghoneim, owner of Smoker's Kastle in Burton, said his customers come into his tobacco store and lounge for one reason.
"Everyone knows everyone. It's like 'Cheers.' No one's offending," he said.
The social atmosphere of Smoker's Kastle may change however, if a bill soon to be introduced in the state House of Representatives makes it to Gov. Jennifer Granholm's desk: It would ban smoking in all public places without exception.
Rep. Paul Scott, R-Grand Blanc, is making the smoke ban bill his first piece of legislation, along with a bill that would repeal the Michigan Business Tax surcharge. The smoke-free bill is expected to be introduced to the House on Thursday.
Scott, whose campaign focused mostly on the economy, said he chose to introduce the smoking ban because of concerns he heard from constituents.
"It's a health issue," Scott said. "People are dying from secondhand smoke. There's no doubt about it. I don't understand how you can make exceptions when it comes to public health. If you agree this is a public health issue, you can't then turn around and say we're going to make exceptions for people to be contracting cancer."
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