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MAY

Some people fuming over likely state smoking ban

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Illinois - A day after the Illinois House gave final approval to a ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and other public workplaces — a measure likely to be signed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich and take effect Jan. 1 — O’Neal and other Illinois smokers by Wednesday already were weighing their next moves.

Will they still frequent their favorite eateries, pubs, casinos and bingo hangouts once they go smoke-free, staving off their immediate urge for a cigarette or stogie while doing so? Will they take their business to neighboring states where they can smoke without hassle? Or will they just stay home?

At the Knights of Columbus hall an easy drive across the Mississippi from St. Louis, O’Neal suspected her twice-a-week bingo fix that costs her about $300 a week will be history if she can’t puff while she plays.

"I’ll probably end up staying home," the East St. Louis woman said. During these extended bingo stays, "I couldn’t last three or four hours without a cigarette."

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May 03, 2007 8:39 am   Email to a Friend

Comments

nancy on Jan 02, 2008 3:23 am

It's all about the money folks...they are not trying "to save lives", they want the money from the fines from the bar establishments, I'm a bartender that works in a bar that's been open since 1940...and all of a sudden my customers can't smoke....it's smoking prohibition,several things...politics at it's worse, this is not the united states, but socialism, damn, this isn't california, it's the midwest...Our state is the most corrupt in the union people! the government is taking over our lives, pure and simple, big brother. not in my lifetime perhaps...but the u.s. as we knew it will no longer exist.

Penny on Jan 01, 2008 2:57 pm

And they say this is a free country......NOT anymore...the smoking ban which is unfair and will also cause many businesses to close down, and have dominoe effect on their suppliers....is just one of 700 new laws for 2008 in Illinois. I can't wait to see what the high is for unemployment rates now, the increase in all the taxes, etc...personally I do believe it is about time that the non-smokers pay the taxes that the smokers have voluntarily paid everytime they bought a pack or carton of cigarettes. Let's see how much they whine about how UNFAIR that is. Smoking bans should be up to the business owner themselves not the goverment....afterall is it the goverment that came up with all the money, time, and all to keep this business open?? of course not!!!! NO ONE FORCES PEOPLE TO GO TO PLACES THAT SMOKE, AND NO ONE FORCES THEM TO TAKE A JOB IN THOSE CONDITIONS. I feel no sympathy for those people. The war is being fought in this country and not a shot is being used!! wtf.....wake up people!!!!

none of your F'ING beeswax on Dec 31, 2007 11:43 pm

Don't ya just love America!

Wake up stoopid idjits...businesses will go down the drain fast. Are you *the Government, prepared to pick up the pieces ie deficits when this happens*?

And to all those numb skulled non smokers singing Hallelujah, guess what, by rejoicing, everyones *yes, even you little pointy headed non smokers* taxes will skyrocket so that the Gov will be able to cover all the failing businesses suffering from your heralding!!!!!

Enuff ranting, someone point me in the direction where FREEDOM still rings so I can move there fast!

Connie on Jul 28, 2007 8:20 pm

I want to know why the lawmakers are going after the smokers all the time yet you hear nothing of the dinkers,you know the ones who sit at a bar for 8hrs and then try and drive home and sometimes end up killing some poor person. Guess its ok to only pay a little tax on beer etc just as long as you dont lite up a cigarette.
ALso if someone from PA went out of the state and brought beer, when they crossed back into PA would they get a letter like I got telling them they owe a beer tax??dont think so and that is most likely because most of our people in the gov are drinkers themselves.Leave us smokers alone,when I light up I am only hurting myself,not like the drunk who gets behind the wheel of a car and attempts to drive somewhere. Go after the drinkers and tax them more. Just my2cents

Helen Ellison on May 10, 2007 8:29 am

I don't think it is fair to ban smoking , first of all if these politicians are going for this , then they should not sell cigarrettes in Illinois. But , they want that TAX money. We smokers have rights too, we pay taxes just like everyone else , and businesses pay a huge amount of taxes.
These politicians need to stop and think . Take for instance the Bars , drinking causes a number of diseases , but you don't hear them baning drinking alcohol. These politicians need to focus on more serious problems , like the cocaine, meth, and other drugs and guns that are takeing over our children. Leave us smokers alone , it is not up to politicians to tell us how to live our lives. We know what harm if any , smoking can do , it is my right to smoke , just like it is a womans right to have an abortion. We don't need politicians telling us what we can and cannot do with our bodies. Rich Bradley , shouldn't talk about smoking , I've seen him smoke, and don't let the rest of them fool you either, most of them probabaly do smoke. And if anything harms our bodies or causes Cancer,it is the Food we eat, and the fumes from the buses and trucks, etc.. So lets stop and think before we make a stupid decision about banning smoking . And like I said, if they ban smoking in Illinois, then DON'T SELL CIGARETTES IN ILLINOIS. REMEMBER WE SMOKERS ARE TAX PAYERS JUST LIKE THE NON SMOKERS !WE HAVE RIGHTS TOO AND THEY ARE BEING VIOLATED !

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