Thankfully this bill has finally passed, and will be signed into law by the Governor. I understand the stance Senate Democrats took last week with their attempt to remove a majority of the exemptions in the bill; however, I’m pleased that they have settled for a realistic, middle-of-the-road piece of legislation.

While I do not wholeheartly embrace this specific bill – it simply does not do enough to protect the public – I understand the diverse nature of this state, and am happy we’ve been able to come up with some sort of compromise that will give customers an expanded option when it comes to choosing a place to eat and/or drink.

I am shocked that a bill banning smoking finally got through the General Assembly. There are 50 states in the US. I expected PA to be the 50th state to adopt any smoking ban! While this law needs many changes in order to protect all workers, it is a good beginning.

This is bad law based on bad science. While some may find secondhand smoke annoying, it is not, by any stretch, a health hazard.
It’s a minor irritant that actually makes people stronger by building up immune systems that aren’t strong enough in nanny’s too-clean world.
But, it makes the self-righteous happy.

I would rather that this bill had not been passed. I object to smoking bans on the grounds that they encroach too much upon the control that one should have over one’s own property. I would have preferred that the General Assembly had devolved the power of regulating smoking to some lower level of government.

Irrespective of whether the evidence supports the intuitively attractive allegations about second hand smoke or not, tobacco has become one of the great villains of our times; even with all of the lobbying might in the world, it probably never had a chance. I don’t think that this was some great offense against liberty, to be so histrionic would do no credit to the ideal, but I sometimes worry that dictating what the public may do and where they may do it will become a more pernicious habit.

The individual who suggested that second hand smoke is merely an annoyance is mistaken. In fact, there are volumes of medical research that document the hazards caused by second hand smoke.

You are entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts.

As an example of this balance, the commentator directly above stated their objection to smoking primarly on the grounds of individual freedom has at least presented a reasonable concern – an opinion regarding the matter.

Again, you are entitled to your own opinion, not your own facts.

OWNED

they waited until they first solved all the pressing needs of Pennsylvania. Thank God they solved the property tax crisis, funded all our infrastucture needs, fixed that broken public education system, stopped the ‘brain drain’ and totally reformed themsleves.

F’ing CLOWNS.

since there is now a smoking ban in public spaces in Penna has anyone figured out the amount of lost taxes on unpurchased cartons of cigarettes?
At one time it was bandied about that taxes on cigarette purchases would stop people smoking but it really raised new monies. I am so glad that the funding of education wasn’t funded by cigarette taxes. How will the monies be replaced that are raised on each pack, carton and case? Hope someone was thinking ahead in the smoke free zone called the Hill in Harrisburg. And I will be checking the boiler room when I visit to count the number of Senators sharing a smoke with the janitors….shades of high school days!!!!

another freedom gone.good old usa. what are you going too do when no taxes come in from smokers. you do gooders.