"The bill that passed the House five months ago would have exempted casinos, bingo halls, horse tracks, cigar bars and smoke shops from the ban. The Senate stripped those provisions in favor of banning smoking in all workplaces -- though American Indian casinos likely would be exempt because many state laws don't apply there because of tribal sovereignty. "
I was in a shop with Tom, the MI Camacho rep and Christian Eiroa when the news broke. We all immediately got a list of the MI government officials and started pounding the phones. I had to leave but continued to call on my way to my event while Tom and Christian headed down to the local radio station to get their voice heard. In the end, it looks like it's going to pass and will now include the ban of smoking even inside cigar shops. It's a sad day in Michigan. Hopefully some appeals can go through and people can compromise.....
According to the Declaration of Independence we have the right to throw out our government “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it”.
I wrote to my senator in Oklahoma when they were discussing it and told him it was a violation of Article 3 of the Bill of Rights which says
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Smokers have a right to assemble. It really makes me mad!