OK folks this new ban the government is looking at has me worried. Anybody heard anything about smoke shops falling under the expanded ban. They say they want the ban to include all places of employment and a smoke shop is a place of employment. Folks we need to hit this off at the pass. Call your state reps and senators and tell them your feelings about this expanded ban. Anyone heard anything share with the club and wear the phones and e-mails out. What is next no toliet paper in the bathroom.

There was a thread about the bill introduced last year, but I can't find it and suspect it has probably been deleted by the Man (or Tom or Charlie trying to clear "space"). I've seen a couple of articles (I believe in the Tennessean and one of the television station's news websites) about the new "push" (for lack of a better term as I don't believe the legislature is currently in session and thus no new bill would have been introduced). The articles I've read quoted Sen. Herron and/or Rep. Swafford who were the sponsors of last years bill. The bill introduced last year dealt only with the "age restricted venue" exception. There is a seperate exception carved out for smoke shops. Last years bill never made it out of committee.

Oddly, enough I thought the owners of age restricted venues (e.g., bars) would have a problem with the removal of the exception on liberitarian grounds (i.e., it's my place and I'll decide what legal activities are permitted / prohibited on my property). One of the points of the articles I've read is that at least some of the owners of such venues want the exception removed. IMHO, their motivation appears to be the nullification of what they perceive to be the competitive advantage of those owners who allow smoking.

There it is, two posts in one day and only one of them busting Tom's chops.

Folks - All of us who enjoy having a few...very few places to go and enjoy smoking a cigar need to take notice of this. There is a new bill being introduced in January 2010 that if passed will remove what few exemptions there are in the current smoking ban in Tennessee. All shop owners and managers, club members and cigar smokers in general must come together to fight this. For cigar smokers, this will pretty much mean you can smoke at home, and only at home. For shops, this will devistate our business.

I say we organize a public smoke out! We can all meet at capital hill and herf. Call the media and let's do this!

Seriously, who wants in? When is this being voted on?

We would need more than 10 people to make this work, so we have to be serious about doing it, or just sit back and complain about it after in gets approved.

"Did we give up when the German's bombed Pearl Harbor! Hell no!"

I'm down. We can all smoke Tat tubes (Red or Black) and if they pass the bill, we can send it to the local representatives, along with instructions on where to shove said tube.

Pat

Maybe we need to do that before they vote. It might give them an idea what they have to look forward to.

When is the date for the vote? I sort of doubt it will pass, but then again, you never know these days. I think it would be fun protesting it either way. We need some time to organize, and get some of the shops on board to help out.

I'm in just hope it's a warm day.

I'm in!

As a general rule, the legislative process takes a while what with committees, subcommittees and so forth. Thus a bill introduced in January likely would not make it to a floor vote (if ever, as a high percentage of bills never make it out of committee) for some months.

Probably the best way to keep up with pending legislation is http://www.legislature.state.tn.us/. If you got the gumption you can register and set up a "My Bills" section to keep track of any pending legislation in which you have a particular interest.

I'm not doubting your info Scott. This is obviously of interest to you on even more levels than the rest of us here. Is it your understanding that the new proposed bill would remove the exemption for, "Retail tobacco stores that prohibit minors on their premises"? (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-17-1804(9)) Last years bill targeted only the exemption for "Age-restricted venues." (Tennessee Code Annotated Section 39-17-1804(1)). Do you know who the proposed sponsors are to be?