Senator says support for smoking ban growing
Debate by state senators on a border-to-border smoking ban (LB395) has yet to be scheduled in this early part of the session, but the bill’s sponsor hopes it comes up soon.
Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney wants an up or down vote from his colleagues this time — no long debate like last session.
When the bill comes back, Johnson wants it to resemble Lincoln’s ban more than it does now. He would change the amended bill so it does not allow cities, counties or villages to opt out of the ban with a vote of residents.
A poll paid for by the American Cancer Society’s Nebraska division and released Tuesday showed support is high among 500 adults surveyed in early December. The poll showed that in the 10 months since the last survey, support for prohibiting smoking in most public places is up ever so slightly from 69 percent to 72 percent.
The survey was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percent.
The poll showed those who strongly opposed the ban decreased from 22 percent to 17 percent between February and December.
Support is still highest in the Omaha-centered 2nd Congressional District, where 76 percent favor the ban, and lowest in the 3rd District — central and western Nebraska — at 68 percent.
About one-fourth of people surveyed said the rights of smokers and business owners are more important than the rights of employees and customers in businesses that would be affected. Seventy percent said the opposite.
“In spite of a vocal opposition to it (in the Legislature), the support for legislation is strong and appears to be getting stronger,” Johnson said.
Ted Wright of Ted’s Tobacco is one of those businesses affected by Lincoln’s ban. Lincoln does not exempt smoke shops from its ban, but the statewide law likely would.
Wright said that on general principles, each business should be able to “call its own shots.” He would not oppose the statewide ban as long as smoke shops were exempted, however.
The Lincoln smoking ban has hurt his business, he said, because people cannot sample the products they’re thinking about buying.
“But it didn’t put me out of business. I’m doing well enough,” he said.
People that come into his store from out-of-town especially do not understand why they can’t sample the tobacco, Wright said.
Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.
Sen. Joel Johnson of Kearney wants an up or down vote from his colleagues this time — no long debate like last session.
When the bill comes back, Johnson wants it to resemble Lincoln’s ban more than it does now. He would change the amended bill so it does not allow cities, counties or villages to opt out of the ban with a vote of residents.
A poll paid for by the American Cancer Society’s Nebraska division and released Tuesday showed support is high among 500 adults surveyed in early December. The poll showed that in the 10 months since the last survey, support for prohibiting smoking in most public places is up ever so slightly from 69 percent to 72 percent.
The survey was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies of Alexandria, Va. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.38 percent.
The poll showed those who strongly opposed the ban decreased from 22 percent to 17 percent between February and December.
Support is still highest in the Omaha-centered 2nd Congressional District, where 76 percent favor the ban, and lowest in the 3rd District — central and western Nebraska — at 68 percent.
About one-fourth of people surveyed said the rights of smokers and business owners are more important than the rights of employees and customers in businesses that would be affected. Seventy percent said the opposite.
“In spite of a vocal opposition to it (in the Legislature), the support for legislation is strong and appears to be getting stronger,” Johnson said.
Ted Wright of Ted’s Tobacco is one of those businesses affected by Lincoln’s ban. Lincoln does not exempt smoke shops from its ban, but the statewide law likely would.
Wright said that on general principles, each business should be able to “call its own shots.” He would not oppose the statewide ban as long as smoke shops were exempted, however.
The Lincoln smoking ban has hurt his business, he said, because people cannot sample the products they’re thinking about buying.
“But it didn’t put me out of business. I’m doing well enough,” he said.
People that come into his store from out-of-town especially do not understand why they can’t sample the tobacco, Wright said.
Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.
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