Jump to full article: Milwaukee (WI) Journal-Sentinel, 2009-05-26
Author: Larry Sandler of the Journal Sentinel
Intro: It was a narrow loophole, but some local tavern owners thought they could squeeze through it anyway.
When Wisconsin's new smoking ban takes effect in July 2010, indoor smoking will be allowed in only one kind of tavern - cigar bars.
And as soon as the Legislature approved that law, even before Gov. Jim Doyle had signed it, tavern owners started calling Milwaukee's License Division to find out what they needed to do to become cigar bars, city License Manager Rebecca Grill said.
But by then, it was probably already too late to start a cigar bar, and even some taverns that now call themselves cigar bars won't meet the law's standards. Only one Milwaukee tavern, and a handful in the suburbs, expect smoking to continue at their businesses once the law takes effect.
The law bans smoking in nearly all workplaces, including restaurants and most bars. Many tavern owners fought the ban, fearing they would lose business if patrons couldn't smoke.
Jump to full article » |