Michigan House Passes Smoking Ban

The Michigan State House of Representatives has passed a comprehensive smoking ban that would take the smoke out of bar and restaurants across Michigan. While many smokers are nervous about what they consider to be an infringement on their rights, there are some that realize that they have very little to fear.

This proposed Michigan smoking ban would not infringe on a person's right to smoke in such places as casinos, bingo halls, horse tracks, smoker's shops, or registered cigar bars. It would make it illegal to smoke inside any other place of business in the State of Michigan.

The Democrat-heavy Michigan House of Representatives quickly passed this bill under the leadership of Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm. Governor Granholm has been a strong opponent to smokers across Michigan.

The Michigan Senate is predominantly Republican, and will most likely shoot down this bill. The Republicans in Michigan have opposed Governor Granholm's attempts to curtail smoker's rights in the past. There is no reason to believe that this attempt at anit-smoking legislation will be any different.

Governor Granholm has been quoted in the past as saying that she would prefer to ban smoking in any building in Michigan. This would include people's private homes. The opposition to her anti-smoking legislation has revisited this quote in the last few weeks to show Governor Granholm as someone who wants to curtail the rights of the people of Michigan.

Currently, Michigan leads the country in taxes of tobacco. Earlier this year, Michigan passed New Jersey for having the highest amount of taxes that have been placed on tobacco products. A pack of premium cigarettes in Michigan costs about $5.40 on average at most stores.

There are many counties in Michigan that have passed their own smoking bans, but restaurants and bars have been exempt from this anti-smoking legislation. The Democrats in the Halls of Michigan Congress would like to compensate for this by their legislation.