CDC predicts smoking ban in all 50 states by 2020..

[R13]

ATLANTA ? By 2020, every state may have bans on smoking in restaurants, bars and the workplace, federal health officials predicted Thursday, based on the current pace of adopting anti-smoking laws.



The number of states with comprehensive indoor smoking bans went from zero in 2000 to 26 in 2010.

"It is by no means a foregone conclusion that we'll get there by 2020," said Dr. Tim McAfee, director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health.

But the success of the smoking ban movement has been astounding, and seems to be accelerating, he added. "I'm relatively bullish we'll at least get close to that number."

Nearly half of U.S. residents are covered by comprehensive state or local indoor smoking bans, the CDC estimated, in a new report.

Another 10 states have laws than ban smoking in workplaces, bans or restaurants, but not in all three venues.

Some other states have less restrictive laws, like requiring smoking areas with separate ventilation.
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Only seven states have no indoor smoking restrictions, although some of their cities do: Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Gary Nolan, director of a smokers' rights group, said he wouldn't be surprised if the CDC's prediction came true. Public health officials and others have been putting tremendous pressure on bars and businesses to bar smoking, he added.

"It wouldn't surprise me if they prevailed," said Nolan, of the Smoker's Club. "It's just a little bit more liberty slipping away at the hands of big government."

Tobacco smoke is an established cause of lung cancer, heart disease and other maladies, and smoking has been called one of the nation's leading causes of death.

The science on the impact of smoking bans is younger. Because it takes years or even decades for cancers to develop, there's little information on the impact of bans on cancer rates. But studies have already charted declines in adult heart attack rates and in childhood asthma attacks after smoking bans were adopted in some communities.

The American Heart Association's chief executive, Nancy Brown, said the CDC report brings good news. But she said advocates have a lot of work ahead of them to make the 2020 prediction come true.

"It's too soon to rest on our laurels," she said, in a prepared statement.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42704643...th-addictions/

[7teen]

Booooo! Let the business owners decide how to run their own businesses.

[R13]

I love it, if it were up to me I'd ban it altogether or tax the hell out of it. Don't see any ban on them getting up and going outside to smoke instead of puffing away in a closed space where everyone has to choke on smoke and smell like disgusting cigarettes.

[Biggin]

Its horsesh1t. Simple as that.

If a bar owner or a restaurant owner wants to allow smoking, he should have every right in the world to decide. Patrons will know, its not as if they would be forced to sit there and inhale it, they can always leave. Not to mention all restaurants used to offer a non-smoking section, I dont see why non-smokers have to be all up smokers' business. If you dont smoke, why should it matter how much they cost?

[R13]

You smell/inhale it in any closed space, doesn't have to be blown in your face or right beside you for that to happen. And if prices were that high, people wouldn't smoke as much - which means a much healthier public, which means less money spent on those smokers when everyone has to foot the bill for lung cancer and everything else on that long list of health problems tobacco costs. I don't have much sympathy for them honestly when they knowingly brought it on themselves with all the info we have these days about the health problems, it's the parents that smoke around their kids their whole life and they breathe in all that second-hand smoke is what my biggest problem is and I see a lot of those same parents act like they struggle financially(which they are) but blow their money on such a useless habit. I've seen it several times just standing in line(heard many similar stories from friends that worked as a cashier) with some "parent" fussing at a kid for picking up a little pack of chips or whatever saying "I can't afford that" when they buy 5 packs of cigs and other stuff they could easily do without(beer, lottery tickets etc). Not saying smoking makes you like that or anything, but people would cut WAY back if it were taxed much higher.

[Biggin]

OK, trans fats should be taxed 1,000,000%; bacon should be illegal; McDonalds should be fazed out.

But this isnt about just cigarettes, its about smoking in bars/restaurants. If a bar owner wants to allow smoking in HIS private establishment, why should state law ban him from doing so?

Patrons would be aware of the situation, if they dont want to deal with smoke, dont go!