Smoking bans

[alslex1]

Lexington has enforced a smoking ban for over a year now. When Lexington passed this it surprised many, being in the middle of a huge tobacco producing state. Now other cities in Kentucky have adopted them as well. Georgetown and Louisville have passed them as well following Lexington. Some agree with them and some disagree, of course. I agree with the decision, it makes dining out a lot nicer and I've yet to see a restaurant close down due to the ban. What are your views on this?

[bobliocatt]

It works fine in Florida. This state banned smoking in restaurants about 3 or 4 years ago. Now its pretty weird, when traveling out of the state and a waitress asks you, what section would you like to sit in.....smoking or non-smoking.

[Mith242]

Fayetteville was the first city in Arkansas to ban smoking over a year ago. A lot of people thought it would really hurt many restaurants and such. The metro up here is made up of four main cities so many predicted that everyone would simply just go to one of the other cities here in northwest Arkansas. But that never really happened. They did a study earlier this year to see if business had dropped off after the ban had been in effect for a year. And all the restaurants actually had slighlty more business than the year before. Little Rock has talked about a smoking ban too, but many people there are also worried that everyone will start going to North Little Rock instead.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

nope, not yet but I hope they do. I was recently at a concert elsewhere and they had a smoking ban. It was much more enjoyable.

[ironchapman]

I know Georgia has passed one, though I believe the cities may alter it to how they please.

[Aessotariq]

It works fine in Florida.  This state banned smoking in restaurants about 3 or 4 years ago.  Now its pretty weird, when traveling out of the state and a waitress asks you, what section would you like to sit in.....smoking or non-smoking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'll second that. I love the Florida smoking ban, and I haven't heard the smoking/non-smoking question in so long that in my trip up to DC earlier this year, it almost felt like I didn't know the answer to the question.

[jmanhsv]

Huntsville this week just passed a type of smoking ban. The ordinance says that a restaurant either has to go all smoking or all non-smoking. If the restaurant goes all-smoking, they cannot employ or serve anyone under 19.

[tombarnes]

A smoking ban is under consideration for Washington, D.C., but I don't see it happening just yet. Too many politicians still like their cigars and port.

[Chemmie]

How would you like it if the government told you that you couldn't do something in your house? Or you couldn't allow your friends to come over and eat hamburgers because if could give them heart attacks?

These kinds of laws are an infringement on the property rights of businessowners. I'm not a smoker, and I really do enjoy the law here in Florida, but I do not support the law at all.

[doormanpoet]

I have written extensively over the years for various publications on the positive effects of banning smoking in all public places. For one, it lowers insurance costs for the businesses. Tennessee is so in love with tobacco, the state legislature keeps turning down every bill to ban smoking in all public places. Our legislators actually smoke in chambers! Bars and bowling alleys are hurting for business but our business owners seem too stupid to realize that non smokers outnumber smokers almost 10-1, yet they keep smoking in place. Go figure why America sees Tennesseeans as backward and stupid. Our legislature vaules tobacco sales more than anything else.

Our weekly alternative The Nashville Scene wrote a long piece on banning smoking in nightclubs. The owners sided with the smokers because they consume more alcohol. Go figure.

[Topher1]

How would you like it if the government told you that you couldn't do something in your house?

[EastSideResider]

Hopefully NC won't but a ban on because it is the founder of tobacco (haha). A lot of NC businesses would be effected.

[depechecureguyorl]

I'll 2nd that the ban is working fine in Florida. The ban mostly applies to restaurants and any place that serves food, yet some sports bars in Orlando still allow smoking. There is a supposed fine for businesses that don't adhere to the law. I'm a smoker, but I enjoy eating in a smoke free restaurant. I don't mind going outside to smoke, I do that in my own house anyway.

[Chemmie]

Fortunately a smoking ban in public places has nothing to do with what you can/can't do in your home.  In theory, one can make the choice whether or not to patronize a business where people smoke, but the same can't be said for the staff who may not be able to afford to find a different job.  And, BTW, the government has plenty of laws telling you what you can/can't do in your home (though most are antiquated and deal with sexual issues).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it has everything to do with what you can/can't do within your home. A business is privately owned, just like your home. And yes, the government does have pleanty of laws that regulate what one can do within their home or private business, but that doesn't make any of them "right".

Are you implying that people choose where they eat but cannot choose where they work? Hogwash. An employee that chooses to work at a smoking establishment knows exactly what they are exposing themselves to.

Again, I don't smoke and I enjoy going to places that are non-smoking after this law, but I don't agree with the law at all. It's a violation of the property owner's rights.

[ilektronik]

I hope NC or at least just Charlotte puts a smoking ban in place. I just moved down here from NY and never realized how much nicer it is to goto a bar or concert without having to choke on second hand smoke

(this is coming from an ex-smoker of 10 yrs who only quit a year ago)

[monsoon]

The Chinese love our ciggies and many believe they are good for the health. It's one of our few manufactured exports to that place.