Dozens of Local Strippers Protest Smoking Ban

January 12, 2006 (WPVI) -- They rallied at the Statehouse in Trenton Thursday against a smoking ban that goes into effect on Sunday. A group that includes strippers and bar owners is opposed to the ban that snuffs out smoking in public places like bars and restaurants.

"Let us smoke! Let us smoke!" Dozens of strippers, hundreds of avid smokers and bar and restaurant owners joined forces in Trenton to voice their anger over passage this week of a law that will ban smoking in bars, restaurants and all public places--except Atlantic City casinos. Stefannie Freeman/GO-GO DANCER: "I'm afraid we're gonna lose business. I'm a single mother raising 3 kids by myself." Eleanore Travia/Illusions Bar Owner: "I don't think the government has any right to tell me what I allow in my business as long as I run it by the law." Alan Blumenfeld/G-SPOT Bar Owner: "It'll hurt us severely. The people who work for me--if I lose 30% of my business, I lose 30% of my employees." Like many places, Mastoris Diner in Bordentown has a separate room for smokers, who are dreading the coming ban on lighting up in public. Kristin Aras/Middletown, New Jersey: "If you can't smoke at a bar we may not go there because you start drinking, you want to smoke and we'll have to not go there." Non-smokers are delighted. Jay Dunn/Hamilton Twp., New Jersey: "They have the choice of smoking or not if they're adults but they don't have any right to inflict that on me." "All about the freedom." Back at the rally, smokers were complaining that the ban will infringe on their rights. A crowd gathered across the street to watch the go-go dancers, who did nothing more than chant and smoke. Bar and restaurant owners complain it's not fair that casinos are getting a pass. Armando Frallicciardi/Lorenzo's Bar Owner: "To allow smoking in the Atlantic City casinos and not in restaurants and bars and have this bill proposed as a health issue is totally absurd." But Gov. Codey is making no apologies. Gov. Dick Codey/D-New Jersey: "I'm not helping them lose their jobs I'm helping them to save their lives."

(Copyright 2006 by Action News. All Rights Reserved.)

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