HSB Tobacconist

Greetings

Last week at the Council Hearings on the smoking ban Councilman Fraser introduced another smoking ban bill. The second bill she introduced has no exemptions for bars or casinos. This is the bill that she will put up for vote this Tuesday. If that bill fails she plans to reintroduce the bill with casinos and bars that serve less than 25% food exempted (very few bars serve less than 25% food, only a handful of bars could legally allow smoking).

We found out late last week that the bill that doesn't exempt casinos and bars was written by Councilman Quinn. Quinn is Republican and he wants to force Charlie Dooley to veto at least one bill. Dooley is up for re-election next year. If he vetoes at least one of the smoking ban bills they will label him a pro-smoker and big tobacco lackey. It appears that both bills could pass by a 4 - 3 margin forcing a veto or allowing it to pass.

Our efforts to get calls and emails to the Council have been marginally successful. We concentrated on Councilman Stenger and he has received numerous calls. What we are hearing is that those that oppose the ban need a reason to do so. Councilwomen Erby, Councilwomen Burkett and Councilman O'Mara have received very few calls to oppose the ban. Please take the time to send them an email. You can copy and past these three and County Executive Charlie Dooley and send them all at once.

herby@stlouisco.com, kburkett@stlouisco.com, momara@stlouisco.com, cdooley@stlouisco.com

 Let them know you oppose any ban.

 The next council meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday August 4th, PM at the County Administrative Building. If possible, please attend and testify against the ban. Smoke-Free St Louis City is planning a rally just before the council hearings.

Help us protect the choice of the business owner to set their own smoking policy. Help us to protect our right to enjoy a cigar at a business that wants us and welcomes us.

Tony Palazzolo

(314) 630-5332

Let's get involved!

______________________________________________

Greetings

My name is Tony Palazzolo and I work with Bill Hannegan and the group Keep St Louis Free.  Bill was one of the main players that help defeat the county smoking ban in 2005 and 2006. We are currently working on defeating the St Louis City smoking ban.

As many of you may know Councilman Barbara Fraser proposed a smoking ban and that it be put on the November Ballot.  We oppose this for several reasons.

The public and business owners already get tovote.  Nearly 60% of St Louis County restaurants are already completely smoke-free by choice.  Employees and consumers can easily avoid smoking allowed establishments.

We believe in the property rights of the business owner.  They alone should determine if smoking is allowed or disallowed in their business.  The economic damage from smoking bans is real.  Nearly all of the economic studies showing that business is not harmed are done by public health advocates.  They are not motivated or trained to discover the truth.  We have had four economist that have studied smoking ban weigh in on the St Louis City Ban.  All agreed that smoking bans would hurt bar and restaurant business.  

The health risk of second hand smoke are vastly over hyped.  While no one will argue that it is good for you, the  notion that second hand smoke is more dangerous than actual smoking is simply ludicrous.  Many studies have shown no correlation to illness from second smoke exposure.  The two largest studies done to date have shown no correlation.  One is from UCLA and one is from The World Health Organization.  An excellent site to read about how studies and statistics are used to push bans is here  http://www.davehitt.com/facts/

Whynow?  This is a guess, but I would bet a fairly accurate one.  Council woman Fraser is running for the 24th State Senate Seat.  Quarterly reports came out last week and she is well behind her opponent Sam Page in fundraising.  She needed a way to get her nameout and bring in more money.  She only asked for the legislation to be written up on Monday for the Tuesday meeting.   She also now has leverage to ask for a nice donation from the Casinos.  She is in favor of exempting the casinos.  You can read about this here:

http://www.stltoday.com/blogzone/political-fix/political-fix/2009/07/campaign-in-24th-state-senate-district-may-be-expensive/ 

What can you do?  First thing you can do is contact your councilman.  You can find their information here:  http://www.co.st-louis.mo.us/Council/

Then show up at the council hearings.  The next one is this upcoming Tuesday, July 28th 6pm at 41 S Central Ave, Clayton MO (CountyAdministrative Building).  This bill is moving quickly and most likely will be voted on within two weeks.  If you have an interest in stopping this bill, please contact your councilman and attend the hearings.  Also pass this along to all those interested.

Lastly- as a person who works hard to pay taxes and provide for my family.  One of few things I get to do for myself is enjoy a nice cigar.  I should be free to enjoy a cigar at an establishment that wants and allows it.  If we don't stand up for our freedoms now we will surely lose them.

For updates you can look on the Keep St Louis Free website: http://keepstlouisfree.blogspot.com/  

Thanks for your time and support

Tony Palazzolo 

Tony Palazzolo Office (314) 630-5332

Fax 800-487-0965

all cigarettes are about to change... for real.

Check out this article at the PoliticsDaily.

Do You Hookah?

Hook-ah

-noun

a tobacco pipe of Near Eastern origin with a long, flexible tube by which the smoke is drawn through a jar of water and thus cooled.

To hookah is to smoke a pipe designed with a long tube passing through an urn of water that cools the smoke as it is drawn through. It is also called hubble-bubble, narghile, hubbly-bubbly, and many other names. A group of friends will come together to share a hookah. It is a time to slow down from the busy world and enjoy the friendships in your presence.

Hookah Flavors
(a few of them)

Chocolate Mint

Mint Lemon

Strawberry

Kiwi

White Peach

French Vanilla

Orange Cream

Apple Mint

At the shop we offer many styles of  Hookahs along with a huge array of Hookah Flavors. Come on by and check them out.   6362 Delmar on The Loop