Voice For Liberty

Wichita Smoking Ban Starts. Sharon Fearey is Excited.

Bob Weeks

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Today, September 4, 2008, marks the first day of the ban on smoking in Wichita. It’s not quite a total ban, and that has some smoking ban supporters upset. In a letter to the Wichita Eagle, anti-smoking activist Cindy Claycomb writes “If you are a supporter of clean indoor air, please do not spend your money in businesses that allow smoking indoors, including smoking rooms. If we continue to spend our money at places that allow smoking indoors, that tells the business owners that we do not care — that we will tolerate secondhand smoke even though we all know the harmful effects.”

Not everyone is upset, though. In the Wichita Eagle article Smoking ban takes effect; for smokers, end of an era, Wichita city council member Sharon Fearey is quoted as “I feel this is an exciting time for the city.” If, like council member Fearey, you appreciate increasing government and bureaucratic management of the lives of Wichitans, you might be excited, too. Those who value liberty and freedom, however, are saddened — even if they aren’t smokers.

Fortunately Ms. Fearey is precluded from running again for her seat on the city council by term limits. The two architects of this smoking ban — Lavonta Williams and Jeff Longwell — can run for election again. The position held by Ms. Williams is up for grabs in the March 2009 primary. Hopefully the citizens of Wichita city council district one will elect someone respectful of property rights, not to mention personal rights.

For more coverage of the smoking issue and why it’s important, these articles will be of interest: It’s Not the Same as Pee In the Swimming Pool, Haze Surrounds Wichita Smoking Ban, Property Rights Should Control Kansas Smoking Decisions, Let Property Rights Rule Wichita Smoking Decisions, Testimony Opposing Kansas Smoking Ban, and No More Smoking Laws, Please.

Comments

4 responses to “Wichita Smoking Ban Starts. Sharon Fearey is Excited.”

  1. Bob

    According the the book “Fundamentals of Smoke free Workplace Laws” published by the tax exempt charities that sponsor the ban through funding by drug companies making smoking cessation products, page 7 through 10 explains that they can allow no exemptions. If allowing exemptions is the only way to get a ban passed, on the last page, they instruct their followers to keep returning to lobby for exemptions to be removed one at a time for several years until all freedoms are finally gone. Here is the link. It’s LOTS of reading. http://www.no-smoke.org/pdf/CIA_Fundamentals.pdf

  2. Bob Weeks

    Thanks for the link.

    You’re absolutely right. In his comments, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer remarked that while this smoking ban isn’t perfect, it’s a start.

  3. Bob

    Businesses that want to spend money to retrofit their business should have some kind of assurance that they will be reimbursed if the money is wasted due to future exemption removals. Many businesses in many areas wasted thousands of dollars for ventilation sytems, patios, additions, ect only to see it wasted. The people pushing these bans are like traveling snake oil salesmen. They have absolutlu NO concern about the local economy or businesses.

  4. Rothbard

    You have been busy today. Good work.

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