Smokers no longer have a friend in Pennsylvania

After more than a year of haggling over who or what to exempt, the Pennsylvania Legislature has agreed on a statewide smoking ban. The bill is headed to Gov. Ed Rendell's desk for his signature.

Once it becomes law (90 days after Rendell signs it), the ban would prohibit smoking in most workplaces and public spaces in Pennsylvania.

The final vote in the state Senate was 41-9 on Tuesday. The House overwhelmingly approved the bill last week.

Rendell, who has indicated he will sign the bill, is also pushing for a higher cigarette tax and the expansion of taxes on other tobacco products.

Not sure how that's going to work. You ban smoking, but you tax it to fund other programs. You have to go deep inside the liberal mind of Ed Rendell to figure that one out.

The ban covers cigarette, cigar and pipe smoking in restaurants, offices, schools, sports arenas, theaters, bus stations and train stations. But a dozen exemptions remain. You can still light up in most bars and taverns, casino floors and private clubs like the VFW or the American Legion hall.