Charlotte Smoking Ban

Article By Writer TakeBackCharlotteMecklenburg Author: TakeBackCharlotteMecklenburg
Published: April 17, 2007
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Sherman and Mark
Smoking Ban

North Carolina 2007 House committee again approved bill that bans smoking in businesses across state or did they?

First the bill was requesting banning smoking in restaurants, bars, private clubs and most businesses in North Carolina. Right now, this is a bill to push a law that would ban smoking in public places, will affect businesses - in essence, you are telling property owners what to do with their business, because these are public places. However, the key word here is personal choice, patrons, workers and people in general have the freedom of choice, not go into businesses that permit smoking. You are opening a dangerous door-to future prohibitions, which however good intentioned, brings forth issues of discrimination, hate, and a myriad of other negative consequences. The word that comes to mind is Dictatorship!

Now the bill leaves out private clubs and would allow smoking in bars where only adults are allowed. Opponents of the bill had some problem with telling private business owners what or how something on their own property can be done.

The bill leaves it up to city and county to make a choice for ban smoking in offices and factories. We can guarantee that the local “Nazi Regime” of city and county officials will do everything make sure that offices and factories ban smoking.

North Carolina 2006 legislative session - SMOKING BAN: Fearing for the health of workers and student observers, legislators outlawed smoking in General Assembly buildings. Next year session, legislatives will look at colleges other facilities coming smoke free.

Former Chairman Parks Helms made it clear that a “Smoking Ban” in public establishments is not an urgent situation for the County Commission. City Council Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess feels the opposite that a “Smoking Ban” should be in affect for all restaurants and many public places. It seems that City Council Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess feels that our city problems as crime, gangs, and taxes not as important like a smoking ban.

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory said, “My colleague, Susan Burgess has a long history of being a victim when things go wrong or don’t go her way, regardless of what board she serves on. This is why her colleagues removed her as school board chairman.”
~ The Rhinoceros Times, Thursday, October 5, 2006.

Samantha Philippe, President of The Smoker’s Club, Inc. and home to “The United Pro Choice Smokers Rights Newsletter” says, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.” Samantha Philippe went on say,” Please print out the Ban Damage Page (Deaths, Injuries, Rape, and more) and the Ban Loss Database (Money and business losses due to bans) and bring them to your politicians like City Council Mayor Pro Tem Susan Burgess!”

This failed experiment in human behavior is killing people and it has to stop now. Murder and gangs takes a back seat, while smoking bans and making a legal product politically un-correct are taking presence, the mind boggles. Charlotte deserves better then to invite a ban into its back yard knowing there will be damage from it.

We understand the “greater good” arguments of the people who support a smoking ban. However when you start down this slippery slope of having groups and government deciding personal choice issues, one has to ask what will be next and where will the line be drawn?

Is Charlotte-Mecklenburg headed for this and what other items will become banned?

Sherman Peabody
Mark A. Palmer
Take Back Charlotte Mecklenburg