Clearing The Air

Sunday, February 12, 2006

Pro-smoking ban lawmaker kills his own justification for smoking ban (health of employees) and his own bill in public testimony

Proof that lawmakers don't even believe the absurd health "hazard" claims the anti-smoking activists are espousing.

At this video link you will find the MN. House smoking ban author Representative Doug Meslow, killing the legislation all by himself.

Rep. Meslow and pro-smoking ban lawmakers around the country claim they are enacting smoking ban legislation for the health of employees. However, at the video link above at time counter interval 6:11 - 8:38 you will see and hear representative Meslow offering amendment A17 to his smoking ban bill H405, which will:

"...permit smoking in retail tobacco stores......"

Meslow goes on to justify this exemption by tripping all over his tongue with the ease and grace that only a politician can muster:

"......this bill is really about protection.....looking out for the health of employees and their exposure to secondhand smoke.....(however) individuals working in retail tobacco are people who are involved in that kind of business and process........these are people who are commonly already smoking on their own.....they don't have the same protection concerns....I don't have the same protection concerns for them......."

The above dialogue verbatim describes why bars and restaurants also need to be exempt from these abusive, unnecessary, draconian smoking ban measures. Bar and restaurant employees are also "...involved in that kind of business and process..." these individuals voluntarily chose the atmosphere they decided to work in......And furthermore, 80% + of hospitality workers "...are people who are commonly already smoking on their own...."

As far as I'm concerned the only thing better than having a government environmental health department prove secondhand smoke concentrations are 152 times safer than OHSA guidelines, is having a pro-smoking ban politician exemplify the very reason why we don't need their unnecessary legislation.

I never imagined I'd be thanking Rep. Meslow for his service in the MN. House....thanks Doug, now how about a pre-emption bill to nullify these local government smoking ban ordinances which you've illustrated are so unnecessary.