Arkansas governor in favor of statewide smoking ban

[Thom Little]

Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Tuesday he supports a statewide ban on smoking in the workplace and will consider proposing a ban if the Legislature meets for a special session in 2006.

"Maybe to some people's surprise, I would support a statewide workplace smoking ban, which to me is doing it in the right place for the right reasons," Huckabee said in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday. "It presents for (workers) a health risk we should eliminate, in the same way we would eliminate other health risks like lead paint or asbestos."

.......

Huckabee said he finds a workplace ban more fair than a ban that focuses solely on restaurants or bars.

"If you focus on the fact that this is a workplace, then you're protecting the workers," Huckabee said. "It's not about usurping the right of the business owner or taking away a customer's choice."


http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AR_HUCKABEE_SMOKING_AROL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-12-13-17-48-47

[Toots]

1. Don't most of the other states already have this ban?

:shrug:

[smitty]

2. smoking bans

Offhand, I can't think of any state that has a statewide smoking ban. I believe it's all local (i.e. city, town) ordinances. But I may be mistaken.

[KT2000]

5. WA state just enacted

the strictest smoking ban in the country.Smokers must be 25 feet from buildings. The police in my rural area are monitoring it carefully. The bigger cities through consider it a low priority.

[mongo]

11. How draconian can it get?

25 feet? Damn. I don't smoke on the sales floor of the store - even though I could if I chose to. Don't need smoky lingerie, that's for sure.

But if a cop wanted to bust me for standing out front of my store having a cig when it was empty -- that's just too damn much.

[Toots]

7. Not outright ban only in the workplace and I think most have that.

It is a matter of health and liability. Wouldn't surprise me if OSHA didn't do the same thing real soon...

[newscott]

8. Banned in MA for a long time now, maybe 15 years.

First they allowed companies to have "smoking rooms" where smokers could congregate. Then they said you had to do it outside. Now there are specific regulations where you can do it outside. Not near employee entrances etc....

[GrumpyGreg]

10. It has only been banned in MA since July of last year. Where on earth

are you getting your information?

[GrumpyGreg]

9. California,Massachusetts,New York Maine,Rhode Island

[Upfront]

13. Florida

Has a state wide ban on smoking in public places and it helped business. Working great.

[HockeyMom]

3. Come to New York, especially NYC

and TRY to find a place where you can smoke, including some companies, even OUTSIDE the building. Hell, one place where my husband worked, you were not even allowed to smoke in your own CAR in their parking lot. That is really going beyond the pale. Maybe the parking lot is part of their company, but your own car is YOUR OWN PRIVATE PROPERTY. I am very surprised nobody challenged them on that one.

[GrumpyGreg]

12. I never could figure out the automobile thing either---I don't think the

police can go through your car w/o a warrant so how could they ban smoking in it?

[thatsrightimirish]

4. Same in SF

No smoking in parks

[HysteryDiagnosis]

6. I've heard of smoking jackets, but a smoking van.... now that's

classy.... I wonder how many it will hold....