Statewide smoking ban looms if bill passes

Is indoor smoking too dangerous for workers?

AUSTIN -- State Rep. Myra Crownover of Denton, and state Sen. Rodney Ellis of Houston, are sponsoring bills in each chamber of the Texas legislature that would ban indoor cigarette smoking in any business in the state, including restaurants and bars.

This new intrusion into property and business owners’ rights (business owners will no longer be able to decide whether to allow their patrons to smoke) is being justified as a health measure to protect workers from dangerous second-hand smoke.

Spearheading this effort against freedom of choice is a coalition called Smoke Free Texas, founded by high-level political lobbying organizations such as the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and the Texas Parents-Teachers Association.

On January 29th, this lobbying syndicate organized a rally at the state capitol to kick off their public campaign to convince Texans to further criminalize cigarette smoking.  Smoke Free Texas chose publicity icon Lance Armstrong to give the keynote address for this special photo-op.  The Houston Chronicle reported (1/29/09):

The coalition wants Texas to join 24 states that have adopted a ban. And to help, they have enlisted cycling great and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong, who helped pass a cancer research funding law in 2007. The seven-time Tour de France winner, back home from competing in Australia’s Tour Down Under, said it makes no sense that Texas plans to spend $3 billion over the next decade to find a cure for cancer while failing to protect workers from secondhand smoke.

With a perfect image for the sports-addled American public, his handlers appear to be getting “Lance” positioned to someday run for political office as a unifying “celebrity candidate” in the mold of Arnold Schwarzenegger, current governor of California.

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KEY PEOPLE PUSHING FOR A STATEWIDE SMOKING BAN

Smoke Free Texas
c/o American Cancer Society
2433 Ridgepoint Dr.
Austin, TX 78754
(512) 919-1900

Rep. Myra Crownover (R-Denton)
(512) 463-0582 (Austin)
(940) 321-0013 (District office)

Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston)
(512) 463-0113 (Austin)
(713) 236-0306 (District office)
(281) 261-2360 (District office)
(281) 564-2228 (District office)

Comments (1)

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written by ColetteM, June 26, 2009

The people of Texas need to begin questioning the presumption of law. One acceptable definition of law is that it (law) "shapes politics, economics, and society in numerous ways and serves as a primary social mediator in relations between people." Yet, we as a society do not question "administrative" law which is designed to "enforce a specific regulatory agenda". In laymen's terms this means authority agencies can take money from the public in which the public has no recourse. Thus increasing government revenue and expanding government power. Examples like not wearing a seat belt, expired vehicle inspection/registration, failure to display a driver license, parking, smoking, and noise citations to name a few. The flamboyant nationally sponsored Click It or Ticket campaign is a horrendous misuse of governmental power (with tax dollars) guised, as always, as a means to "protect the public" from itself. There has been an obvious increase in expenditure for the promotion of such campaigns. The heavy advertising of regulatory programs like Click It or Ticket and TexaSure conveniently coincide with the proposed DPS checkpoints. Checkpoints were initially targeted at drunk drivers but are now aimed at (doing what with?) illegal immigrants. To imply checkpoints will curb illegal immigration is laughable as most of us realize the illegal immigration problem is a farce created and perpetuated by the government. It will more over be the average Texan who will be subjected to unreasonable search, seizure, and fines via these illicit checkpoints. Nationalized programs are on the rise while financial oppression of the people by the government remains popular and unquestioned. Now is the time to investigate the origin of authority. The sooner people begin researching actual law and how it may be applicable to them, the more likely we, as a society, will become disentangled from the web of this ever encroaching Feudal System.

Steadfastly yours,
Colette Michalec

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