Ban's???? Smoking Ban's?????

..Here is what I feel about "Ban's". Ban's seem like a cop out. They are a lazy way to fix a problem of opinion between parties. I Politics or Government,. Elected and Appointed Officials have to lease everyone and make everyone upset. On a good day they can compromise, and give to both while taking from both. What do I propose? Placards, Regulation and Civility. What are these things? Lets look at business and public places in itself. Walmart sells Beer and Cigarettes yet it doesn't allow drinking and smoking in their businesses. Liquor Stores sell Beer and Liquor, yet you cannot consume Alcohol in their Business. Bar's sell Beer and Liquor, yet you cannot take any of the Alcohol out of the Bar. It all goes by License and Permits. I propose putting a placard that is square on the outside of the entrance of all businesses. 1 placard would have an "S" in the middle of it. Another would have a "D". The "S" is for "Smoking" and the "D" is for "Drinking". Below these placards would be a number. 1 through however many it takes. Each number would define what is allowed or not allowed in the business or public building. The State Parks already have a Ledger that show, "Available or Not Available" to camping, boat ramp, fishing, skiing, overnight camping, open camp fire, etc:.. These City Placards would show people what is allowed or not allowed in reference to the placard displayed. The city would post placard number with the "S" or the "D" and the number would let people know what is "allowed or not allowed" by the placard number. A line through the "S" or "D" means, not allowed at all.

..Factors that need to be reviewed. 1. Occupancy Allowance. 2. Business type. 3. Hours of operation. 4. Business License Type. 5. Food served, yes or no. 6. Meal Food or Appetizers. 7. Adult Orientated or not. 8. Member or Non-Member. 9. Outside Food or Drink Allowed. 10. Age requirement to be on property. 11. Zoning, business or non-business. 12. Private Public or Government Public. 13. Sectioned common area or open common area. 14. Separate Lounge/Bar or Open Area. 15. Banquet Hall or No-Banquet Hall. 16. Free Standing Business or Adjacent Businesses. 17. Outdoor Patio/Deck or all Indoor. These numbers are not suggestions for placard numbers, they are a few factors to consider if they go to a placard system.

..All these factors are within Regulations. They may be Ordinances, Regulations. They may be Uniform Code or Municipal Code. They may be City, County, State or Federally Regulated. Ban's are lazy. Negotiating an environment with all factors and types of people figured in is politics and should be considered. Ban's are for bullies, and lazy people. Should the citizens get a vote or have a Smoking Ban as a ballot measure? I am mixed on that. Should the City or County be able to decide to Ban Smoking? I am mixed on that. Should they consider all factors and work to set up Regulations, Ordinances and social civility, yes. Should customers and citizens have warnings about the environment they consider entering? Yes. The Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, County Commissioners, etc:.. could post these Placard Designs, and what they mean. I feel they should also use the "NUMBER" system to show how "Smoking and Drinking" is regulated in these places.

..Just a thought. Look up Prohibition on Alcohol. It did not have Regulations, and rules to control the Alcohol Manufacturing or its Consumption. Regulations were designed, and placed and then they brought Alcohol back. It wasn't the Booze. It was the lack of control or regulation. There was not any safety measures in place. Moonshine was killing people. The tax base was way off. People tax evaded and people were out of control. There was no definition of control when they started Prohibition. Prohibition and Ban's are alot alike. Prohibition was a total coverage of use, possession, manufacture, and consumption. Ban's only restrict where a person can utilize the product. An example, in some city's you can buy "Fireworks" in the city limits, but you cannot use them in the same cities limits. Heck in the State of Georgia, they have "Dry Counties" that you cannot even drive through with "New, Sealed unopened Beer". It is a Felony. In Kansas, it is an "Open Holster State for Hand Guns, yet each city regulated if they allow or disallow the permission to carry a handgun open holster". The Kicker, there is not a list of which cities or counties restrict "Open Holster Carry" in Kansas.

..I hope this opinion/post helps. I believe in communicating and regulating. I don't believe in lazy, Ban's.

..**UPDATE**..Oct 01, 2009.

See
http://www.kdheks.gov/tobacco/download/kansas_state_statutes.pdf

..It states, Bar's and Private Businesses cannot be regulated or restricted on smoking. Restaurants can be regulated. They cannot be Banned!!!!

**Update** January 13TH, 2010. 6:57 PM.

I have updated smoking topic links at:

http://herbertwestiiicandidateforksgovernor.blogspot.com/2010/01/candidate-responce.html