The Attempted Great Free State Smokeout

State legislator's formally followed John Leopold's lead today:

Backed by health advocates and restaurant owners and employees, two Montgomery County Democrats today proposed a statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants.

Similar efforts have failed in the General Assembly the past four years, in part because of resistance from Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Rob Garagiola and Del. Barbara Frush would extend to bar and restaurant employees the protections against smoking in the workplace guaranteed to all other Maryland workers.

"We've had a regulation in place since 1995 that protects most workplaces, with the exception of bars and restaurants," said Kari Appler, executive director of Smoke Free Maryland. "This legislation is attempting to close that loophole."

We'll see how far it gets in the legislature, particularly with the Senate President still opposing it.

Around the corner at the Arundel Center, the Leopold smoking ban met some resistance.... from Democrats:

I'm going to take my time with this one," said Councilman Jamie Benoit, D-Piney Orchard. "It gives me a lot of pause when government (takes away) the abilities of people to do things that are perfectly legal. On the other hand, it's a serious health issue.

"In any case, expect a very dividing vote if it comes to the county. I don't think we're going to see a consensus on this issue."

Councilman Daryl Jones, D-Severn, owns Bill Dotson's Live in Glen Burnie. The bar has been closed since a November fire.

Mr. Jones said a lot of his clientele smokes. But he wanted to examine any proposed bills before making a decision.

"The businesses that suffer are the small neighborhood businesses," he said. "The small neighborhood taverns would carry the brunt of that."

How do you like that?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that no smoking ban at the state or county level will pass in 2007...