Ban hurts bar owners

To the editor,

There’s something insidious about a law our Legislature is allowing to go forward which would eliminate smoking in all bars and casinos, if someone doesn’t put a stop to it. Cigarettes were banned in restaurants some time ago, but the argument then — “was to protect children from second hand smoke.” So why have casinos and bars been targeted to become smoke free also?

I have no problem with smoking being prohibited as long as the owners of the businesses in question make that decision, but believe it should be their choice — and not that of our State Government. Ultimately this law will have a negative effect on the bar owner’s income and the State of Montana’s tax revenue, but basically it’s a property rights issue, plain and simple.

Contact your legislators and ask them to give these businesses the right to choose for themselves — SMOKING or NON-SMOKING, and everything will balance itself out. Customers can patronize the facility they are most comfortable in, and no owner will have been forced to comply with a no smoking law.

Remember — bad things happen when good people do nothing.

Mamie Swenson

Deer Lodge