Smoking ban clears state House committee July 24, 2007 BY DAWSON BELL A state House committee voted today to ban smoking in virtually all Michigan workplaces, including bars, restaurants and casinos. The smoking ban, approved on a 12-4 vote of the House Commerce Committee, would be among the most sweeping in the country. But whether the legislation is enacted in its current, or any other, form remains an open question. The proposal is backed by health and consumer organizations, but faces stiff opposition from many bar and restaurant owners. Committee Chairman Rep. Andrew Meisner, D-Royal Oak, said the legislation will put Michigan in the forefront of cultural change on attitudes toward smoking, something the state needs to shed its aging, smokestack reputation. The bill approved today contains exemptions for existing tobacconists and cigar bars, where Meisner said owners have invested in "tobacco infrastructure." Lance Binoniemi, of the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, said bar owners overwhelmingly oppose a government mandate on smoking. People in the hospitality industry "understand what the demands of their customers are," he said. "If (a ban) is what customers demand, that’s what they will do." But those choices should be left to the owners and operators, Binoniemi said. Contact DAWSON BELL at 313-222-6604 or dbell@freepress.com.