Smoking ban

_Fenton

I get to vote on the issue today, although it's pointless since all the Tea Baggers are all riled up about it and will show up in droves to vote it down.How does everybody feel about this?  Even though I smoke sometimes, I think it's fine to leave this up to a majority of voters.  Second hand smoke IS cancerous, it's not like we're voting to ban public yodeling.

CaliopeSpidrman

Banning smoking altogether or just in bars/restaurants?

GroomzMcFinehiney

Is it a ban on smoking anywhere, or just in bars and restaurants and stuff?  I'm all in favor of smoking being limited to an outdoor or in your own home activity. Also, I'm in favor of teabagging.

_Fenton

Bars and restaurants, sorry.

ChristinS

Even though I sneak the cigarettes when I'm away from the husband, I plan on going out to vote yes on this today. I just don't think it's an indoor activity. And it's so unfair to everyone else who isn't smoking. It makes me most stabby in the winter, when I have to decide whether I want to wear my coat into the bar and have to get it drycleaned ASAP, or run around outside with no coat. Grrrrr. I really hope this passes. I love when we go out in a city with a smoking ban.

Kamikaze3

They have the ban in MA and I can't tell you what a difference it makes. I am all for it. Then again I get severe headaches from cigarette smoke so I am biased.

GroomzMcFinehiney

In that case, I'm in favor.  Even when I was a full-time smoker, I preferred smoke-free bars.

katie.i.do

i've found that while people initially resist it, once the restrictions are in place a while, people don't miss smoking inside bars at all. a lot cleaner, less smelly, and when people need a cigarette they just go out for a few minutes and socialize on the sidewalk. I've gotten to the point where smoking sections in restaurants surprise and sort of disgust me.

CaliopeSpidrman

Our smoking ban went into effect back in January, I believe.  I don't go out to bars and stuff, so I can't say I ever had an issue with it.  But the Bingo hall is much nicer without all the smoke (they had smoking and non-smoking sides divided by plexiglass), although they've lost quite a bit of business.

AngieP900

I am for it. It makes it easier to tell which bars will be the most fun inside based on the crowd outside. And it is nice to not wake up in the morning, catch a whiff or yourself and want to die.

FallinAgain

I think bars and restaurants should get to choose since they are privately owned, but should have to be either smoking or completely non-smoking and should post which they are and then let the market sort it out.

_Fenton

The only downside would be when I come home from a womens only gathering and Twan is like, "You smell like smoke!" and the obvious excuse is, "The bar was smokey!"  But this is just for the county, not the city, so downtown bars will still be putrid.

ChristinS

And it is nice to not wake up in the morning, catch a whiff or yourself and want to die. Oh that's the worst. You wake up with a hangover and get a whiff of your hair. Vom.

mashedpotato

I agree with Fallin.  A private business should be able to decide for themselves, although I would prefer a non-smoking establishment.

ChristinS

Not necessarily true about the city bars Fent: [url]http://www.kplr11.com/news/kplr-city-smoking-ban-aldermen-pass-102509,0,5521253.story[/url] I'm not sure the final status on this but I thought I heard on the news that if the County ban passes the City ban will go into effec too.

CaliopeSpidrman

I remember the days when I used to go out, I would come home and my hair weighed an extra 20 pounds from all the smoke.  That's the worst. 

ChristinS

I think the problem with that Fallin is that very few bars are willing to make that decision and risk losing business to smoking bars. There are just a small handful of bars in St. Louis that have done this.

_Fenton

I totally didn't know that!  I'll still vote for it though.  I think establishments will never go smoke-free voluntarily because the handful of smokers put up such a stink.  (ba-DUM-dum)I'm 99.9% sure this isn't going to pass, though.

AngieP900

The smelly hair is the worst. Even in times of chain smoking my hair couldn't even begin to smell like it would after a night in a smokey bar. It was a special kind of PITA since I try not too wash my hair more than a couple of times a week.

FallinAgain

I'm sure it's a problem, but there is something that rankles me about the government telling private business owners that they can allow smoking in their establishments.  I would be more comfortable with the gov. banning smoking on, say, public streets.  And I detest smoking and very much enjoys the results of Chicago's ban.

shanollee

I think ours went into effect in January-ish also.  I am loving it so so much

SarahBethBR

I love living in a city with a smoking ban.  It actually weirds me out when I travel and see someone smoking in a restaurant.  I get the argument that it's the business owner's decision, but secondhand smoke is harmful.  Should I have to stay out of bars because someone else wants to spew smoke into the air?  I don't think so.I say if the majority of voters want it, go for it.

the_mulva

smoking grosses me out. I also think it's rude to do it indoors or in a crowd unless you have written approval from every person in a 10 ft radius.

lindsayll

I love the smoking bans for restaurants and bars.  So much nicer to get home and only smell like a fraternity party room, and not an ashtray to boot.I used to be a social smoker, especially when I lived in VA, land of tabacky.  If your eyes are going to burn and your hair and clothes are going to be stinky anyway, might as well be sucking on the good end and getting some enjoyment out of some first hand smoke, right?  But moving to a city with a smoking ban pretty much cut that down to nothing.  And it was a good thing, IMO.

tastyburger

I enjoy IL's smoking ban.  Also the law about smoking w. kids under the age of 2 or something.  I can't remember what the exact law is.but I kind of see Fallin's point about businesses should be able to choose.  the only problem w. that is that the businesses probably don't WANT the choice.  I mean, you choose either way and you are pissing off a percentage of the population.  Law?  well, that's not your fault, is it?

_Fenton

Fallin, do you think voter initiatives qualify as government intervention?I think in most cases government should protect as much freedom as possible.  But there are conflicting freedoms here, so leaving it up to voters seems fair.

mrs.R.tobe

Smoking in bars and resturants has been banned here for a couple of years now. I also think there is a ban here for smoking in your car, if there are kids in the car....I am a fan. I hate smoke. If people want to poision theirselves, don't do it around me.

CaliopeSpidrman

I'm with Fallin on this one.  I think businesses should be able to choose.  Just like you can choose whether you want to be a patron or employee of that business. 

the_mulva

I tend to agree w/ the skeeviness of the govt telling private business what to do. But, I wouldn't be surprised if some business owners are all for the ban b/c they want to ban it in their establishments, but don't want to lose the business of someone going to another establishment that allows it. If it's unilaterally banned, they dont have to worry about it. But, that's just a guess... i dont' really know.

Knottie_22382082

I agree with Fallin that the decision should be left entirely to the individual places of business.  However, I know that in TN, the restaurant lobby actually agitated for the ban.  I worked in the state legislature when our smoking ban went through, and the bottom line we heard from the restaurateurs who testified in committee was that they wanted the state to be the bad guy and make the decision for them so they didn't have to answer to the pissed-off smoking customers.The way the ban works in TN, though, is that if an establishment requires patrons to be 21+, they can still have smoking if they want.  Only restaurants and bars that let in people underage actually fall under the ban.  I think this is a decent compromise, although I would personally prefer it if there were no smoking anywhere, like in Chicago. 

FallinAgain

Yes, b/c the govenment is still going to enforce it. If there are enough people to pass a ban (or close to it), as a business owner, I'd bet there would be enough people to appreciate Fallin's Air that Won't Kill You and Make You Stink Bar and Grill.