Wisconsin’s workplace smoking ban is barely a week old…but it wouldn’t last much longer if a Republican candidate for governor has his way. Former Congressman Mark Neumann says the smoking ban is a case of “government overstepping where they should be” and he’ll to repeal the measure if he’s elected governor.
Neumann says he’s not a fan of smoke-filled rooms, so the ban is desirable to him, but that doesn’t make it acceptable. He says business owners and citizens should be able to make their own decisions. For the people who get sick around cigarette smoke, Neumann says they should just find another place to go.
In an interview with WIXK radio, Neumann also downplayed the decades of research showing that cigarette smoking is dangerous. He says driving down the street and plenty of other activities can be dangerous, but people should be smart enough to make their own decisions about behavior that could be detrimental to their health.
Earlier this week, GOP endorsed candidate Scott Walker of Milwaukee told reporters he opposes the smoking ban in principle, but said it was too early to talk about carving out exemptions for bars or other businesses.
