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Smoke-Free Charlotte?


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For decades I wanted to vacation in Europe, but the thought of breathing toxic smoke everywhere was a huge barrier. Until recently, Europe was the capital of tobacco. Europe finally woke up. Now people can go to France without fearing for their health :wub:

One whiff of cigarette smoke gives me a headache, and a feeling of nausea. So I always visited Europe in the armchair fashion. Europe missed out on my vacation money......

Does everyone not realize Charlotte suffers the same curse as France did? People from non-smoking states come to Charlotte and almost any public venue is smothered in sickening second-hand smoke. Do ya'll really think they'll come back to the Queen City? I wouldn't.

My sister lives in Charlotte and I would love to visit, but the idea of going to restaurants and bars, and getting deathly sick, keeps me at a distance :dunno:

Doesn't every non-smoking state or city report increased sales in restaurants and bars, after their bans took effect?

WAKE UP CHARLOTTE!

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Illinois did a state ban on smoking indoors (including casinos) over a year ago and I don't hear any complaints. My friends that smoke don't mind going outside of a bar to smoke and everyone goes home smelling a lot better! If Chicago can do it with the harsh winter weather then Charlotte should be able to do the same. When I travel I can't stand a smokey bar anymore.

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I read today where it looks like a smoking ban in bars/restuarants will pass in Virginia. If it can happen in VA then I think it will happen in NC. The funny thing is these people that say they will never go to a bar again if they can't smoke. I used to smoke and it's really not that hard to walk outside for a few minutes and then walk back in!

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I'm with you hokiehigh... If VA can get a ban on smoking, there's no reason why NC can't do the same. I do look forward to the day when restaurants and bars are smoke free in NC. Maybe that will make some smokers think twice about the habit and how bad it is for you. Not to mention all those around you.

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I read today where it looks like a smoking ban in bars/restuarants will pass in Virginia. If it can happen in VA then I think it will happen in NC. The funny thing is these people that say they will never go to a bar again if they can't smoke. I used to smoke and it's really not that hard to walk outside for a few minutes and then walk back in!
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I am so hopeful that this thing passes. From what you have gathered, what do you think the chances are it will pass?

What was great news has now become extremely awesome news! This passed in the NC House today 62-56 and will now move onto the Governor's desk. Perdue has stated she supports it and will sign it so we can go ahead and call this a done deal. The current version will ban smoking in restaurants, but will still allow smoking in bars where patrons under 18 years of age aren't allowed (i.e. smoking will not be allowed at bars inside restaurants that also allow patrons under 18 in).

This is great news for the state of NC, but I do wish it would have been all encompassing.

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What was great news has now become extremely awesome news! This passed in the NC House today 62-56 and will now move onto the Governor's desk. Perdue has stated she supports it and will sign it so we can go ahead and call this a done deal. The current version will ban smoking in restaurants, but will still allow smoking in bars where patrons under 18 years of age aren't allowed (i.e. smoking will not be allowed at bars inside restaurants that also allow patrons under 18 in).

This is great news for the state of NC, but I do wish it would have been all encompassing.

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I was talking to a bar owner last night, and he said he was personally happy. He doesn't forsee too much long-term impact, and least he obviously hopes not.

One question though: He mentioned that he doesn't have a patio, so he's at a slight disadvantage to bars that do. Does anyone know for sure: Under this new law, will smoking still be allowed on patios that are part of a bar/restaurant?

Edit:

I think I found my own answer:

http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/Sessions/2009/...se/PDF/H2v8.pdf

"smoking is prohibited in all enclosed areas of restaurants and bars" and "enclosed area" is defined as: "An area with a roof or other overhead covering and walls (or side coverings of any kind) on all sides or on all sides but one." So if your patio has at least two sides open, smoking is allowed.

Researching, I see that some states ban it even on the grounds of restaurants and bars, which I assume would include patios.

By the way, the new law also allows local governments to pass more restrictive laws, which I don't think was the case before.

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Does this mean that a person "by law" can walk out of a bar/restaurant and stand at Trade & Tryon and light up in a crowd since it is not enclosed? I would prefer they ban it in true "public" places more so than a bar/restaurant that people can choose to go. Also, I read a lot of comments and blogs stating that bans have not hurt or even increased business and wonder from a pure business standpoint why most owners have not voluntarily banned smoking in their establishments already. You would think if it's good for business as most comments seem to lean, that a smart owner would have already banned this in their place .Maybe they have, I don't know how many non-smoking establishments there are versus smoking.

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My family avoids places like Applebees that have smoking sections in the middle of the restaurant. Its pointless, the smoke just floats around to other areas anyway and I don't want my kids breathing in someone else's death wish. So yeah, there may be places that see and increase in business because people stop avoiding them. Personally, I always hated going out to bars and coming home smelling like an ashtray even though I don't smoke.

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Does this mean that a person "by law" can walk out of a bar/restaurant and stand at Trade & Tryon and light up in a crowd since it is not enclosed? I would prefer they ban it in true "public" places more so than a bar/restaurant that people can choose to go. Also, I read a lot of comments and blogs stating that bans have not hurt or even increased business and wonder from a pure business standpoint why most owners have not voluntarily banned smoking in their establishments already. You would think if it's good for business as most comments seem to lean, that a smart owner would have already banned this in their place .Maybe they have, I don't know how many non-smoking establishments there are versus smoking.
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With the smoking bans in various South Carolina cities, business has actually increased since the smoking bans took effect. In Greenville, they banned smoking, then the ban was repealed. Most businesses kept the smoking ban voluntarily afterward.
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My joy in this new law was tempered Saturday night when I sat next to several human chimneys at the All-Star Race. Wow. I couldn't decide if I was surprised or not that smoking is allowed in the seats. Sure, you're outdoors, but you're also crammed in there like sardines. Is smoking allowed in the seats at Panthers games and area college games? How about at the Knights? All I know is: It really really sucked.

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Kudos to NC for getting this done...now York County/Rock Hill bars are on a level playing field here, since it was done a little while ago here...when I lived in Columbus, OH, we voted (2002) to ban smoking in bars and restauraunts....the bars in the city became much busier, and very quickly, the suburbs around the area did the samething...finally, in 2006, Ohio as whole did it...it's so much better to go to bars and restaurants up there now, and not smell like an ashtray after a couple hrs...I'll go out much more often in Charlotte once this is enacted....I actually have to thank that law back then b/c it helped me quit smoking...I wasn't a heavy smoker, and in fact I only smoked when I went out to bars, but, b/c of that ban, and a huge tax increase then on cigarettes, I decided to quit altogether....so, smoking bans can help some smokers quit...

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