All Iowa bars, restaurants and workplaces will be mandated as smoke-free starting July 1, when the ban takes effec

Culver signed the bill during a ceremony in the Rotunda of the Statehouse, surrounded by hundreds of anti-smoking activists.

Culver said there are compelling arguments, like freedom of choice, against the ban, but "plain and simple, this bill will save lives."  At minimum, my clothes will smell good when I go to the Casino in Council Bluffs!  BUT WAIT, that isn't true!!

Gambling areas of casinos (OF COURSE) and the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown (WHAT????) are not required to abide by the law.  Bars and restaurants in casinos are covered by the ban.

This new law reeks as bad as cigarette smoke itself ( I AM a former long-time smoker) AND Omaha smoking ban which carved out the Keno halls as exempt from the smoking ban placed on Omaha establishments which served food.

Iowa is the 28th state to enact some form of ban on indoor smoking.  Or the 29th state, if you count Nebraska enacting their own ban which starts in June, 2009 (sorry, Keno lobby!).

So, I am conflicted, as I hate the man telling me what to do to m body, but I love those lower dry cleaning bills, unless I want to try my favorite game of chance.

So now, I have a nicotine fit, I have to go to gamble.  Maybe we need the gambling lobby to fight Tort Deform for us!