From a Mason-Dixon poll a year ago:

*71% of Virginia voters support a law prohibiting smoking in most public places, including workplaces, public buildings, offices, bars and restaurants. Intensity of opinion was quite high, with 60% 'strongly' favoring protection of workers and individuals in public places.

* The smoke-free workplace law enjoys broad support across party lines, with support from 78% of Democrats, 69% of Independents, and 66% of Republicans polled.

Exactly who are the 59 Delegates who voted against a ban last year worried about ticking off?

Exactly who are the 59 Delegates who voted against a ban last year worried about ticking off?

Some dude named R.J. Reynolds, I heard.

is who they are afraid of.  This is a no-brainer.  Even if there is a nationwide ban, R. J. Reynolds and other tobacco companies will still be making billions selling their carcinogen poison overseas.

I'm starting to think I'm the only Democrat who is extremely opposed to this legislation.. and I've never smoked!

My own (not all that defensible) position is that I wouldn't vote for it, but I wouldn't be upset if it passed.  I think there are probably less restrictive means of achieving the same ends, and that we ought to explore those first.  In any event, I suspect the smart politics would be to pass a bill that permitted localities to make their own decision on the issue.  Of course, that's not really the right thing to do - either it's a justifiable restriction or not, and where you are in VA shouldn't matter.

"extremely opposed?"

By the way, here's a map of states with various types of smoking banks.  Note that 31 out of 50 states have some sort of smoking bans (states in gray have no smoking bans anywhere).  Even the bright-red states of Idaho and Georgia ban smoking in restaurants.  Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Florida and Nevada ban smoking in restaurants and non-hospitality workplaces.  And the list is growing every year...in red states and blue ones.

...lots of cities ban smoking.  For instance, in Texas:

Dallas, March 1, 2003 banned in all restaurants, bowling alleys, and city-owned facilities. Bars are exempt and hotels can offer smoking rooms. Private clubs are still subject to these regulations.

Houston, September 5, 2005 banned in restaurants, but excludes bar areas inside restaurants and bars/taverns. Ban extended to bars and restaurant bar areas in September 2007.

San Antonio, 2003 previous smoking restrictions ordinance was updated and strengthened - now banned in all "public places", including restaurants, "except for enclosed bar areas, enclosed dining areas and outdoor seating areas designated as smoking"

Wikipedia lists the current state of smoking restrictions and bans worldwide.
smoking bans

Virginia is way behind the curve.

NC has a strong anti-smoking (in public places) bill going into effect any day now (may have already).  We are so going backwards in Virginia!  Thank you, Morgan Griffith. (Not!)

Why do you think you're the only Democrat opposed to this legislation? Plenty of Democrats voted against the smoking ban last year, and plenty of Republicans supported it ...
http://www.raisingkaine.com/sh...

Thanks so much for your support, Lowell!  Hopefully 2008 will be our year.

We should be announcing the Senate patron within the next few days at the Smoke Free Virginia blog.

(I'm not sure how this comment will show, but this is Cathleen Grzesiek.  I chair the coalition working on the smoke free legislation.)

Keep up the great work!

is pass something to allow cities and counties to ban smoking in restaurants, it would be a big help.

n/t

The smoke-filled cafe became a thing of memory in France. Following up on a ban last year on smoking in many indoor locations, cigarettes were prohibited in dance clubs, restaurants, hotels, casinos and cafes.

IHT

and Germany . . .

Meanwhile in Germany legislators have introduced smoking bans in bars and restaurants throughout eight states - although fines will not be imposed for the first six months of the year in Berlin.

Smoking restrictions are already in place in the states of Lower Saxony, Baden-Wurttemberg and Hessen, while Saxony, Saarland and North Rhine-Westphalia will introduce bans in the next few months.

Germany

The "free choice" argument is not persuasive.  Think of it this way.  Would we want to allow companies under OSHA regulations to be able to simply waive regulation by personal fiat?  So, a company could "choose" to expose its workers to, say, asbestos, because those workers can find a job elsewhere?

I'd like to see legislators sign a pledge: "I will not accept money from the tobacco industry."  Pure and simple.