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State-Wide Smoking Ban

May 8, 2008
By Anonymous

Unrealistic. That is the best term that can be used to describe a state-wide smoking ban in Missouri. In February, Senator Kurt Odenwald proposed a state-wide smoking ban to the Missouri General Assembly. Governor Matt Blunt stated in contrary that, in his opinion, each city and county should decide the smoke ban individually, instead of the state making the ban.

This is a good idea, far better than the state making the decision.

A smoking ban would hurt a lot of businesses and just make people in some cities upset, whereas in other cities it could help bring in more business. So far only two of 1,575 cities (Blue Springs and Kansas City), have had any support for a state-wide smoking ban since it was proposed in February. Before the ban was proposed, only eight cities (Arnold, Ballwin, Chillicothe, Columbia, Farmington, Jefferson City, Independence, and Kirksville) enforced one.

The city council of each of the 1,575 cities in Missouri should be required to take the best interest of the owners of each bowling alley, restaurant, bar, etc. individually into consideration when deciding to enact a major ban, and to let each owner make his or her own decision whether to ban smoking or not. Also, the members of each city council should be more worried about infringing on the rights of the affected owners instead of trying to take their rights away. Activists like Bill Hannegan, creator of the blog Keep St. Louis Free!, and the founders of Kansas City Business Rights Coalition, are fighting for the rights of the owners who have put their all into their businesses. People like this could keep the rights of Missourians and Americans as a whole safe, in the world today to make everyone happy, not just the majority.

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JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 17 comments.

mplo said...
on Sep. 30 2015 at 4:31 pm
The Bay State has a statewide smoking ban in public places, and I'm glad of it.
mplo said...
on Sep. 30 2015 at 4:29 pm
I think that the banning of smoking in public places such as restaurants, bars, movie theatres, and workplaces is an excellent idea whose time has come. Why should non-smokers have to be subject to second-hand smoke? They shouldn't, imho. If, on the other hand, if people feel the need to go out and have a cigarette break at work, then there should be areas in workplaces, bars, restaurants, movie theatres, etc., that are specifically designated for smokers to go have a smoke, so that they won't subject non-smokers to their smoking.
AshleySD BRONZE said...
on May. 21 2015 at 1:25 pm
AshleySD BRONZE, Campbell, California
1 article 1 photo 90 comments
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But it's not. Their decisions effect other people. For example, if a person decides to drive drunk and kills a kid, according to you that's "the persons life" and "their decision". But it's not. That may sound like it doesn't apply to the situation, but it does. Ever heard of secondhand smoke?
AshleySD BRONZE said...
on May. 21 2015 at 1:23 pm
AshleySD BRONZE, Campbell, California
1 article 1 photo 90 comments
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@yoyoyoyoyoyo yes lets let people choose to get cancer
Kalyn92 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 26 2011 at 6:07 pm
Kalyn92 BRONZE, Forest City, Illinois
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I smoke. I think its every persons choice. I do like the fact that you cant smoke in resturaunts because i cant stand the smell when im eating. But i think it should be ok for bars to have smoking.
yoyoyoyoyoyo said...
on Jun. 3 2011 at 7:54 am
if they want to smoke let them there choice
Evie52 said...
on May. 25 2011 at 4:13 pm
ikr it just ruins peoples` lives its totally stupid and pointless and discusting
Evie52 said...
on May. 25 2011 at 4:11 pm
Ya but they are trying to protect people from making the bad decision of smoking
Evie52 said...
on May. 25 2011 at 4:08 pm
Smoking is a bad idea. i know its addicting after you start, but why even try it in the first place? nobody should smoke... it ruins peoples` lives every single day :( Also its really discusting in my opinion
ben dover said...
on May. 12 2011 at 1:52 pm
smoking ciggerets is not ownley bad for our lungs.................. its point less.
Bubbles_McLovin said...
on Dec. 9 2010 at 9:52 am
Bubbles_McLovin, Pellston, Michigan
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i say that the michigan law that sates you hve to be 60ft away from a public place to smoke is  okay.
Annie18* said...
on Nov. 30 2010 at 10:29 am
As long as they keep some laws on smoking , i dont see a problem on letting people smoke where they want. i would aggree with the smoking in public places such as resturaunts. except for the fact society has no common curtosy for others. so in the event that a child was placed in the booth behind a smoker, i have no faith that that smoker would put out their ciggarette until that child was gone. but as a smoker i do not agree with a state wide smoking ban.
ZombieDanceWithMe SILVER said...
on Nov. 14 2010 at 8:18 pm
ZombieDanceWithMe SILVER, Rockford, Illinois
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Illinois has this "you can't smoke in public buildings" thing. I find it quite stupid. There was a man who lit a cigarette in a bar 30 minuets after the law went into effect and got arrested and fined for it, I do believe. 

I think that it should be allowed in places like bars, bowling alleys, and certain restaurants. Places like Applebees though, where there are little kids around will be sensitive to it and stuff, but if your going to a local place or something, who cares? 

The whole thing is just stupid, it's the persons life, it's their decision.

Katie999 said...
on May. 26 2010 at 9:06 pm
Katie999, Dntask, Michigan
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Michigan now has a law just like that. We can't go into bars restaraunts anywhere and smoke we have to be (approx.) 60 ft away from the building to smoke. The only places that you can smoke are your home,casinos, tobacco shops and one other place... i cant think of it. The law is coming down HARD on ppl places and buissnesses that don't respect the rule. You can even get jailtime...
AMB3R42O said...
on May. 4 2010 at 10:08 am
AMB3R42O, Fredericksburg, Virginia
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I think that, that is just stupid; if they want to smoke, let them its they're life & they're disicion.
acousticalex BRONZE said...
on Jan. 8 2010 at 9:05 pm
acousticalex BRONZE, Garland, Texas
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There's obviously no "right to smoke" or "right to abuse your body" in the constitution, but so many people puff away that this is a terrible legislative idea.
pictolover SILVER said...
on Nov. 6 2009 at 9:25 am
pictolover SILVER, Brookfield, Missouri
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I heard that they banned it in Kirksville, MO but i think this is a very dumb idea. You can't just take basic rights away. But i also see where if you don't smoke, you wouldn't want to go bowling and get stuck by a chain smoker.