How Convinient

Rejoicing be damned.

As predicted, the Michigan Senate took out my lungs and stomped on them a few times today. Just enough to make me think about using my inhaler. In an unsurprising move the Senate sent the Smoking Ban Bill back to committee. Shocking? No. Heartbreaking? Yes.

And call up this dude for me and send him a boquet of scissors:

Sen. Ray Basham, D-Taylor, decried the GOP maneuver as putting politics ahead of public health.

You're goddamned right, Mr. Basham. Goddamned right.

Here's what the GOP and the Michigan Retailers Association just don't get--the vast majority of people don't smoke. In fact, the vast majority of people don't want to go to restaurants or bars where they allow smoking. To be sure, when Mr. SG and I were out this weekend I was thrilled to find out the restaurant we were at was entirely smoke free. It was a nice thing to be able to sit near the bar and not choke to death. And I know plenty of smokers who'd rather go to a smoke-free facility. (Example from a Cleveland gal who previously commented on this issue.)

It's so frustrating and the worst part is that it's LITERALLY sickening.

FINALLY

I hate going out to a bar or restaurant and coming home smelling like smoke. Furthermore, and more importantly, I hate going out to a bar or restaurant and coming home and having an asthma attack because someone ELSE decided to throw tar down their lungs.

That's why I'm so happy that the Michigan House of Representatives has passed a bill banning smoking in restaurants and bars. It now goes to the Senate, where it will meet some heavy opposition from Republicans because their supporters either have stock in or support tobacco companies and so-called "free enterprise" or are smokers themselves.

HORRAY!!!