IPCPR to Dallas Council: Vote to Eliminate Smoking Ban

The Dallas City Council has delayed until December 3 a vote on whether or not to broaden the current smoking ban. Meanwhile, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association suggests that they also consider eliminating the ban entirely. "Let's not automatically assume that the Council can only leave the ban as it is or make it more restrictive. There is another alternative and that is to do away with it completely," said Chris McCalla, legislative director of IPCPR.

Dallas (PRWEB) November 13, 2008 -- The Dallas City Council has delayed until December 3 a vote on whether or not to broaden the current smoking ban. Meanwhile, the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association suggests that they also consider eliminating the ban entirely.

"Let's not automatically assume that the Council can only leave the ban as it is or make it more restrictive. There is another alternative and that is to do away with it completely," said Chris McCalla, legislative director of IPCPR.

McCalla pointed out that smoking bans are usually based on two issues: misrepresented claims of harm done by secondhand smoke and a lackadaisical public that doesn't care if its rights are taken away from them. In response, he says that claims regarding secondhand smoke are usually false, business suffers and personal rights guaranteed by the United States Constitution are trampled on.

"Throughout the 707 core pages of the 2006 Surgeon General's report, it says no less than 108 times that the evidence is insufficient regarding the health impact of secondhand smoke, yet anti-smoking forces have twisted that report and others to suit their needs. Even the Occupational Health & Safety Administration doesn't regard secondhand smoke a significant workplace issue anywhere. Finally, the wild claims regarding secondhand smoke by an Environmental Protective Agency report were severely criticized as biased by the Congressional Research Service and the report was ultimately vacated and declared null and void by a Federal judge," said McCalla.

McCalla also cited a report by the Heartland Institute that "… studies have shown that smoking bans hurt small businesses…. In Ohio, for example, the Department of Job and Family Services predicted a 10,000-job gain for the state's hospitality and leisure industry prior to the ban's implementation. In reality, the industry lost 5,400 jobs during the first 12 months of the smoking ban," according to the Institute's report.

The Constitution says less is more when it comes to government control, said McCalla.

"Business owners should have the right to declare whether or not smoking should be allowed on their premises. Employees and customers should have the right to work or patronize those businesses. But when the government tells business owners how to run their businesses, smokers and non-smokers alike should be up in arms over the prospects of another Constitutional right being taken away from the citizens of Texas," McCalla said.

Contact:
Tony Tortorici
678/493-0313
tony @ tortoricipr.com

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