Protesters Storm Iowa Statehouse

About 100 Rally Against Smoking Ban

About 100 Iowans gathered at the Statehouse today to protest inaction on legislation to reverse the state’s public smoking ban.Many alleged the law is unconstitutional, the subject of a lawsuit that is scheduled for trial on June 29.“I am not the most educated person in this room but I think a long time before I completed my education, I could read that to know that this law was not constitutional,” said Larry Duncan, owner of Otis Campbell’s Bar & Grill and one of the leaders of the protest at the Capitol said before the crowd.

The event in the Capitol rotunda lasted over an hour. At times, (when they weren't outside catching a smoke) the applause was so loud that it could be heard in the chambers of the House and Senate.

At last we have an issue that Iowans can get behind. This was a bigger turn out than the recent anti-war movement. I have to admit as an ex-smoker I actually enjoy going to bars again. Lets hope the legislature holds their ground. And remember never take the legal advise of your bartender.