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Kaine heralds dawn of smoke-free Va restaurants

Posted on December 2, 2009 at 2:47 AM

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Gov. Tim Kaine says the restaurant smoking ban that took effect Tuesday is literally a healthy development for tobacco-loving Virginia.

In a statewide tour of eateries, the governor took a term-ending victory lap over the compromise smoking restriction the General Assembly enacted last winter.

The new ban outlaws lighting up anyplace that serves food and drink unless it's in a room separately ventilated from areas that serve nonsmoking patrons.

At a downtown Charlottesville restaurant, Kaine said concentrations in bars and cafes that allowed smoking were many times worse than the level of cigarette smoke in houses or offices.

Dr. Tom Eppes, past president of the Medical Society of Virginia, said secondhand smoke kills 1,700 Virginians a year.

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lonebuff99 said on December 2, 2009 at 6:12 AM

As you can see, it is another way for the government to control what we can and can not do. We all hate micro-managment but we let the government do it.

hbrogan57 said on December 2, 2009 at 7:04 AM

Well, the smoking nazi's have won another state. One has to wonder what's next for the "PERFECT" people out there??? I wonder how some of the business owners that pay THEIR OWN rent, taxes, and everything else feel about this. Some businesses will fail because of the choices of a select few. Whatever happened to freedom of choice? That's been put aside in favor of the government trying to run everyone else's' life. If you are a NON-smoker you have the CHOICE to patronize a business or not. Just as a smoker has a CHOICE whether or not to go into a NON-smoking business. But, no longer. For all the complaining about smoking the government sure does like the tax revenue it brings in. Seems like each and every time something needs to be funded they raise the tax on tobacco products. Here's a thought, how about raising taxes on all alcohol products??? Oh, that's right, most all of the lawmakers LIKE to enjoy a nice quiet drink now and then.

msumner said on December 2, 2009 at 4:36 PM

Another victory for the vocal minority. This is not about "health" if it were, they would be looking at alcohol. Alcohol has ruined more lifes, killed more people, destroyed more property, and done more to tear at the fabric of our society than tobacco could have ever thought of doing. With there line of thinking, we should also enact a "fat tax" for people that are overweight and fail to meet government standards. Tax people that are diabetics, ex-junkies, others that have injured themselves or are ill due to there own stupidity. If I remember correctly this was on the ballot a while back and it was soundly defeated. This is another example of our elected officials ignoring the mass and paying to the vocal minority. Tim Kaine, shame on you, you need to consider loosing a few pounds before the next group of bullies go after people like you that are a bit chubby. We the People, need to stop letting our elected officials nibble away at our freedoms.