VFW Posts Win a Delay of the Smoking Ban
None by KCPW
(KCPW News) Lawmakers have found it hard - even impossible - to say "no" to Utah's veterans. For weeks, members of the VFW have pled for a stay of the smoking ban imposed on their posts in January - two years before other private clubs must comply. As a result of the ban, veteran Vernon Wade says his post on Highland Drive will soon go under:"People who've been members of our post for 35 years just don't come in anymore, because we're surrounded by taverns with legalized smoking and the customers are going there," lamented wade.
Their pleas worked. State lawmakers approved with overwhelming support a plan to let the VFW allow smoking for another two years when all private clubs must stub out cigarettes. Senator Michael Waddoups was one of the few to vote against the change. He sponsored the original smoking ban and wryly called this year's measure a quote "killer bill."
"The original purpose behind the bill was to protect employees from working in an unsafe workplace," says Waddoups. "Now we're going back to an unsafe workplace and more people are probably going to get cancer and some may even die from it."
If the bill is signed by the Governor, all private clubs - with the exception of fine dining establishments - will have until January 2009 to implement a no-smoking policy.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom, Legislative Coverage, and 2007 Legislative Coverage. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. Sharon said:
In other words: a bunch of vets who truly don't give a damn about themselves, their families or who else they hurt.
2. Allan said:
I see you don't understand the importance of this bill, Sharon. I think its only fair that VFW and other fraternal halls are put on the same ground as bars and taverns as being able to allow smoking. And besides, smoking was more common in their generation anyway, so why can't they smoke in a fraternal hall? It's too bad though that the total smoking ban did pass in the first place, and that adult establishments don't have a permanent exemption from the smoking ban, as NO ONE is forcing people who hate smoking to enter any adult establishments anyway.
Besides, non-smoking bars do exist, so why the heck do you not support the few that choose to exist? Bars are choosing to cater to the free market, as it is(and people obviously aren't clamoring for smoke-free bars as much as all the stupid anti-smoking advocates want anyway).