I cannot understand why MI cannot have a smoking ban in public places. We live in FL half of the year and the smoking ban does not decrease business. It was put on the ballot in that state. Are our leaders afraid to put it on the ballot here? I am sure it would pass with flying colors. I will not vote for anyone who votes "no" on the smoking ban being proposed this year. Most voters in MI are waiting and hoping the ban will pass.  Jean Burt

Well in MI our voted in legistlators don't take time to put things on the ballot.  They make the decisions without asking voters or business owners for their input to issues.  If you don't like an R rated movie don't view it, if you don't like smoking, don't visit our establishments.  At least Mike Bishop said something about the smoking ban--vote for Mike for Gov--he listens.
We allow the addiction of gambling in MI because it generates tax revenue. Has anyone done an audit on where the lottery money really goes?  The school systems in MI sure don't show the six figures that the lottery claims to give to our schools.
We allow the addiction of drinking in MI because it generates tax revenue.
John Q Public will pay for drinking & driving offenses but what about politicians that get caught?  "Oh, I didn't know vicodin & wine would affect my driving but I'm still in public office!"
Why don't the people addicted to nicotine get some of the federal monies to buy the products to help them quit?  Ask MI legistlators where all the stop smoking monies really go to.  Those public service commercials to quit smoking don't add up.

Mass transportation because gas is outrageous-well we better start hiring the unemployed citizens for those jobs.  This weekend, my son, 2 Grandsons & myself went downtown to see the Red Bull Qualifying.  We were shown up by a DDOT bus driver as we were trying to leave.  While we were strapping in the young one, another car was waiting for our parking spot.  In the meantime a DDOT bus pulled behind the car waiting for our parking spot & began to continually beep his horn.  My 10 yr old Grandson looked out the back window to see the bus driver of #4198, on May 31, 2008, on Congress street giving us the middle finger.  When the DDOT driver backed up to go around us, the finger & horn were displayed to us again.  I'm sure the unemployed worker would gladly replace that driver with a smile on their face.
This makes you want to visit the city of Detroit again soon.
I will also contact anyone who listens on Hart Plaza.  Is this not city property?  Why has a fence been put up & now you are charged admission to enter city property?  I guess Detroit needs a new name of "Thugland" where you pay to enter.

A former proud Detroiter with a new attitude.

Although smoking is a very important health issue, I think that our legislators often time spend too much time debating or fighting over the wrong issues.  There needs to be some better prioritizing of issues.  Mass transit in southeast Michigan is something that needs to be more aggressively addressed.  The disparity between where the jobs are located and where the works live is ridiculous.  You have young girls, women, teens catching three or four buses, forced to be out early in the evening or late at night just trying to earn a buck.  It isn't fair.

Focusing on getting a better mass transit system in SE Mich is a not just a hot-button issue.  It is something that would greatly unify the region.  Even then more jobs could come to the Downtown Detroit area, as the highly skilled workers (most of whom unfortunately live way out) would be able to get to work without having to go into hock because of the high gas prices.

As far as smoke, this is dumb at least to me.  Because some where you go you are going to encounter a smoker so lets get over that whole issue.  There are bigger issues to focus on here in Michigan.