Letter: Smoking ban in bars is property rights issue

Dear 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 secondhand 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