Ohio Smoking Ban

Recently, a smoking ban was instituted statewide in Ohio for all public places including bars, dining facilities, etc.  There are many smokers really pissed over this, myself being one of them, but for different reasons than you'd think.

I understand the "I shouldn't have to breathe your second-hand smoke" argument.  I can even see the "Well, it's bad for you" comments as well and I agree with them.  I don't smoke in the car when my daughter is riding with me and respect friends I have that don't want me to smoke around them.

My beef with this ban is my taxes from the cigarette purchases fund so many public ventures and now I'm being told I can't smoke in them.  Jacob's Field for the Cleveland Indians is a great example.  The city instituted a 'sin tax' on alcohol and tobacco sales to help fund a large portion of the building cost then told me I can't smoke in it.  This is only one example of many.

That's fine that you ban me from smoking in all the public venues.  Now remove my tobacco tax from funding them.  You can't have it both ways.  (Ya, I know.  The state will do what it wants.) That's cool.  I will seriously look into buying my cigarettes via the internet or out of state on my business trips.  I'll push those taxes elsewhere...