Smoking Ban Passed by Illinois Lawmakers

By Christine Bude, published May 01, 2007
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Lawmakers in Springfield, Illinois have passed legislation to ban cigarette smoking in bars, restaurants and other public workplaces in Illinois, according to reports by NBC News (nbc5).

The legislations passed the House on Tuesday, May 1, and now goes to Governor Rod Blagojevich to sign. Governor Blagojevich supports the ban enthusiastically". If he signs the legislation, the smoking ban would take effect on January 1. Illinois would be the 19th state in the United States to impose the ban.

The ban is intended to replace a patchwork of local laws. Establishments that were not allowed to have smoking of their premises, because of local laws,here .claimed,ed that they were losing business. For example, if a bar patron could not smoke in the local bar, they could go to the next town where smoking was permitted

According to experts, "second hand smoke kills about 2,900 people in Illinois every year." quoted the NBC report.

The sponsor of the legislation, Representative Karen Yarbrough of Chicago, "There no doubt the actions of smokers are harming non-smokers."

Opponents argued that the state is overstepping their authority. Opponents said that bans on smoking should be done by city, if necessary.

A synopsis of the legislation includes the stipulations that smoking is prohibited in public places, places of employment and governmental vehicles. Public places must have "no smoking" signs posted. Ashtrays m,ust be removed from places where smoking is not permitted. The legislation also prohibits smoking within a minimum of 15 feet from entrances, exits, windows that open and areas with ventilation intakes that serve an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited.

In other words, smoking in any workplace building will be prohibited. Smokers will not be allowed to huddle around the entrance to the workplace building, or any open windows or vent. Smokers must be at least 15 feet away from any opening to the building.

 
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Smoking Ban Passed by Illinois Lawmakers

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Takeaways
  • The Illinois Senate and House have signed the bill.
  • The Governor support the bill.
  • If the Governor signs the bill it will be effective in 2008.
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It has nothing to do with smoking. It is all about control and giving up your rights. People need to open thier eyes and look at the big picture. Gun control, smoking control, political mistrust. There is NO way Illinois can put a number to the number of people that die eachyear from secondhand smoke. That is nothing more than a scare tactic. What is next? We are close to giving up our freedom of speach! I AM A NON SMOKER.

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Posted on 06/19/2008 at 1:06:17 PM

 
If we aren't allowed to smoke in Illinois why are we sending our cigarette tax to the goverment? I suggest we smokers band together and start buying our smokes out of state. Maybe the good folks who live in centeral Illinois and a couple of hours from a border can carpool with friends and buy a months worth at a time. While you're out of state fill the car with gas. I am willing to bet once the state goverment starts losing money they will reconsider the law.

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Posted on 04/16/2008 at 10:04:51 AM

 
We all gripe for the government doing this. Yet WE'RE the ones LETTING them do it! And I speak as a smoker.

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Posted on 03/09/2008 at 11:03:44 PM

 
Angie... How many bars and resturaunt do you think will be left in a couple of years?

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Posted on 02/29/2008 at 3:02:53 PM

 
No sooner did i just post my first message , did i hear of another bar closing down less than an eighth of a mile from the other. Well done , if you want to kill this state! Fools!!!!!!

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Posted on 02/29/2008 at 3:02:32 PM

 
Well its started, My local bar is closing as i predicted as being the first, many will follow shortly. Prepare for huge increases in taxes to make up for lost revenue. Next will be to remove or alter you fireplace to gas, (which i cant afford anyway ) that we had to pay taxes on to be built. Move our jobs to China and Mexico, and now kill the existing small buisnesses. I normally was not the conspiracy type, but something smells fishy in my Beloved country. Loss of jobs, increased local taxes, remove your Fireplace . Whats next,? Eating meat (Illegal)? No Medical without chip installed in arm? Any household more than 2400 square foot forced to let an illegal alien reside in your home? Sounds crazy now, but so did the rest.....Before now!

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Posted on 02/29/2008 at 3:02:46 PM

 
I'm not sure who posted it, but whoever said they should make smoking bars and nonsmoking bars has a good plan. The problem is, not only can the owner be fined (not less that $250 for the first violation up to $2500 for third or more), the smoker can be fined too($100-$250). Last time I checked, buying and paying taxes on cigarettes were legal, but IL has made it a criminal act to smoke them? What's even more strange is the Health Department is the one that people file complaints to. WHAT? Since when did they become law enforcement? It's totally outrageous if you ask me. Smoker or Non smoker, we're all allowed our freedom, and this isn't freedom at all! My Dad told me when I was little that one day it would be a crime to smoke, I didn't believe him. Now I'm beginning to wonder if he was right.

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Posted on 02/29/2008 at 5:02:40 AM

 
We, the citizens of the state of Illinois and others are of the opinion that the passage of the smoke-free Illinois law to be a discriminatory violation of constitutional rights. It's time that government stopped micromanaging people's lives. This is how Adolph Hitler's Nazi Germany started. Guns will be next to be banned so we cannot protect ourselves from a fascist regime. Isn't standing outside 15 feet from the door in zero degree weather catching pneumonia a health risk? The governor of Illinois is a traitor to the people of Illinois and to tax-paying business people who may lose their businessses because of declining trade as a result of your fascist law. Business people should be able to say what will happen on their own property. We therefore demand of the Governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich, his unconditional resignation or impeachment.

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Posted on 01/02/2008 at 4:01:09 PM

 
I've been smoking for 47 years now and now the Governor of this state is taking that away from me and all the smokers in this state. If I wanted to stop I would do it on my own, but no Governor is going to tell me to stop, cause that will make me smoke even more than I already do. I have friends that own bars and resturant. Don't you realize what you are doing Governor, you are closing them down. Are you willing to pay their saleries and employies, taxes, food purchases, their utilities, their hospital bills, their liquor, and any other thing that they have to pay. They are to old to start a new business.

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Posted on 01/01/2008 at 11:01:50 PM

 
My friend owns a resturant and tonight we went there to eat. There was only two other people there, where normally it is full. Don't tell me not smoking won't hurt businesses. I saw it first hand. My friend is worried about losing his business. Is our government willing to support him and his family after he loses it? They are in their 50's and have been in the resturant business a long time. Who is going to hire him to learn a new trade at his age. When are the people in "HIGH PLACES" going to wake up and see how much this will hurt small business owners. They complain about the amount of people on welfare, well, take heed, government, a lot more will be when they lose their businesses and have no other trade to fall back on. I am 73 years old and never thought i would see the day when our country would turn into a Nazi regime, but it sure looks more and more like it with all the freedoms that are being taken away. And I'm sure BIG BROTHER IS NOT DONE YET. What better way to bring a c

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Posted on 01/01/2008 at 10:01:01 PM

 
IT IS GREAT!!! We own a bar & grill and stopped smoking in June 2007 and we increased our business by 25%. Even the smokers enjoyed coming in more. The only ones that did not like it were the chain smokers, but they didn't stay away for long, maybe a week. I really think that if people give it a fair trial run, they will see that the majority of their customers would rather smell good when they have to return home or to work.

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Posted on 12/31/2007 at 8:12:58 PM

 
Why should bar owners take a hit on this.If a nonsmoker doesnt like second hand smoke he should stay out of that bar and look for a nosmoking bar.As for employees the same goes for them.Dont work at a bar if you dont like second hand smoke.A cigarette and a beer go together like flies on _ _ _ _!!!I quit smoking 5 years ago,but every individual should have the right to smoke in a bar as long as they continue selling cigarettes.Its a catch 22 situation.The government wants tax revenue from tobacco companies,but dont want you smoking them.Banning cigarettes in other public places is one thing,but in a bar is a different story as i described above.

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Posted on 12/31/2007 at 1:12:31 PM

 
When the little tavern I work at closes, I will be a 52year old woman out of work. Will the state have money to help me? Where is the money going to come from for all the wasted spending in our goverment? Smoke less, less taxes paid, drink less, less taxes paid. Trikle down less deliveries, less drivers needed, No need to clean smoke eaters, another industry gone, 1 or more bars close even small ones the one I work at pays over $1,200 a month in sales tax, multiply that by the number of small bars that close. This is a ploy by Mothers against drunk drivers to close all the bars. Tax Tea heavey so the tea todllers pay their share for a change.

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Posted on 12/31/2007 at 12:12:37 PM

 
I can see bars closing over the overhead they'll lose which means less liquer license fees,dram shop insurance, and amusement license fees and taxes being paid into the state, it will drive custemers to go home and have cigarette and alcohol parties and play texas holdem and strip poker and lock the doors so the cops can't come in and it will spread out more of the D U I offenders that will drink at these parties. THEN, WHERE WILL BIG BROTHER GO THEN??!!

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Posted on 12/24/2007 at 9:12:46 PM

 
Satchel, Quit whining, open up your own non-smoking bar. So now that you do not what to go into a smoking bar you want everyone else that goes into s bsr that smokes to go somewhere else. Just for you !!!! It's their bussines, not yours. Go somewhere else, we don't want whiners anyway.

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Posted on 12/23/2007 at 7:12:04 PM

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