Statewide Smoking Ban Passed!

[tim2462]

I'm glad it passed, now I can breathe easier

Maybe I won't die of lung cancer afterall

Maybe it'll help with the "interpretation" problem they're

having in Fayetteville with that smoking ban

[Mith242]

I've been a little surprised I haven't heard more backlash yet. I don't know if the smokers how aren't for this haven just accepted that this seems to be the way things are going or what.

[tim2462]

While I think it was a political move for huck, I'm glad it's law.

There are a few things ironic about this ban. Recently, Fayetteville has been having problems defining/redefining the city ban. Also, Little Rock wanted to pass a smoking ban. They asked NLR to join with them in the effort, but NLR refused. So, Little Rock was left scared to do it, worried about losing revenue to NLR. This new statewide ban should "clear" everything up quite nicely.

[Mith242]

While I think it was a political move for huck, I'm glad it's law.

There are a few things ironic about this ban. Recently, Fayetteville has been having problems defining/redefining the city ban. Also, Little Rock wanted to pass a smoking ban. They asked NLR to join with them in the effort, but NLR refused. So, Little Rock was left scared to do it, worried about losing revenue to NLR. This new statewide ban should "clear" everything up quite nicely.

I'm not sure if does totally clear up all the issues we were having between restaurants and bars up here. Will the state ban take precedence over the city one? The biggest problem is that Fayetteville didn't 'officially' put the 70/30 rule they were using to determine the difference in a bar and a restaurant into the ordinance. So we had a restaurant cut out some of it's menu so it could say it was a bar and then allow smoking. But the city took care of that recently by saying you can't serve any prepared food at all if you're a bar. The state law would seem to say it is okay as long as you didn't have any employees under 21 and didn't allow anyone under 21 in the bar.

[tim2462]

I'm not sure if does totally clear up all the issues we were having between restaurants and bars up here. Will the state ban take precedence over the city one? The biggest problem is that Fayetteville didn't 'officially' put the 70/30 rule they were using to determine the difference in a bar and a restaurant into the ordinance. So we had a restaurant cut out some of it's menu so it could say it was a bar and then allow smoking. But the city took care of that recently by saying you can't serve any prepared food at all if you're a bar. The state law would seem to say it is okay as long as you didn't have any employees under 21 and didn't allow anyone under 21 in the bar.

I'm not sure if the part about the under 21 was part of the final passing or not. It wasn't mentioned in todays news stories. They just said that the amended part exempted hotels with less than 25 rooms.

[Mith242]

I'm not sure if the part about the under 21 was part of the final passing or not. It wasn't mentioned in todays news stories. They just said that the amended part exempted hotels with less than 25 rooms.

Yeah that's right they did make a few final changes didn't they.

[mcheiss]

Does anyone think this might have a negative effect on our restaurant sales?

[Mith242]

I can't speak for everyone but it didn't really seem to hurt Fayetteville's when they passed the smoking ban here.

[tim2462]

Does anyone think this might have a negative effect on our restaurant sales?

Smokers will still be lazy and not want to cook much just as before.

We're all like that sometimes.

[Aporkalypse]

Does anyone think this might have a negative effect on our restaurant sales?

In Florida it had a small initial effect and then things returned to normal after a couple of years. What you did see there, though, is a lot of new outdoor patio dining areas as smokers would opt for outdoor seating. Of course FL is warmer than AR but I bet you see a lot of patios under construction over the next 2 years.

I do think LR's worries that people would just choose to go to NLR to eat instead were very valid concerns.

I'm glad this passed overall, this is very progressive for Arkansas to do as a state but with one of the highest smoking percentages nationally I worry about a backlash as well.

[flamailman1]

In Florida it had a small initial effect and then things returned to normal after a couple of years. What you did see there, though, is a lot of new outdoor patio dining areas as smokers would opt for outdoor seating. Of course FL is warmer than AR but I bet you see a lot of patios under construction over the next 2 years.

I do think LR's worries that people would just choose to go to NLR to eat instead were very valid concerns.

I'm glad this passed overall, this is very progressive for Arkansas to do as a state but with one of the highest smoking percentages nationally I worry about a backlash as well.

Wow, just as I am about to move to Jonesboro from Fla, I am delighted to read about this. The restauraunt owners cried about the same type of law down here, but I have seen no negative effects on their business. The outdoor dining areas are fine, although I agree that during the winter the smokers might have to make it through dinner without a smoke. Most folks I have spoken to tell me that they don't care to smoke in a restauraunt. As a matter of fact, they tell me they dont even smoke in their own homes!