Bredesen Wants More Smoking Bans
NewsChannel5 (Nashville, CBS) - http://newschannel5.com/content/news/20195.asp
Posted: 6/20/2006 11:15:00 PM, Updated: 6/21/2006 8:09:55 AM

There's no more smoking in Tennessee state buildings. The governor signed a smoking ban bill into law Tuesday, and he said he wants even more smoking bans passed.

Gov. Phil Bredesen said this may be the first of many bills to come. Other bills may deal with banning smoking in other public places like restaurants and bars. The governor said he knows that that is not an issue that will easy to win.

"I'll sign this and make it law," Bredesen said as he signed the bill.

Bredesen took a step forward for preventative health care in snuffing out secondhand smoke.

"I think you'll see this kind of breaks the dam. There will be further of these bills that will come up, and they will be debated, discussed, what they do economically, what they do health-wise, but this is the beginning of what I think will be a long series of bills," Bredesen said.

There are some who clearly believe smoking bans impinge on a person's freedom and people who believe they have the right to be free of smoke wherever they go.

"We hope that all employees will be protected in the same way that state employees are now protected in their workplace," Chart lobbyist Chastity Mitchell said.

"Tell them not to follow a tractor trailer or a bus or anything else, OK? There's smoke everywhere. Don't pick on smokers," a man said.

Even bar owners where the clean air replaces the drinks said it's not fair.

"I'm eating dinner, finishing my meal, I like to enjoy a cigarette," Matt Moss, owner of a downtown oxygen bar, said.

Moss said nonsmokers go to his business for health and smokers use it to detox. He has lived in cities where smoking is banned, and he said it's a forced and unwelcomed change in lifestyle.

"It's just extremely inconvenient, and life is based around convenience," Moss said.

Bredesen said he did not expect this bill to pass and does not expect an easy time with further bills.

That ban in state buildings like the Capitol will take place in July of next year. It is the end of the legislative session, so it is unlikely any other smoking ban bills will hit the governor's desk any time soon.