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Mecklenburg County wants to Ban Smoking in Restaurants


monsoon

Mecklenburg County wants to Ban Smoking in Restaurants  

115 members have voted

  1. 1. Should Mecklenburg County ban smoking in restaurants?

    • No
      29
    • Yes
      86
  2. 2. Now that Mecklenburg has determined that it is unhealthy, will you go to restaurants that allow smokers?

    • No
      37
    • Yes
      78


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The observer has an article today that says the Mecklenburg County Commission is going to again ask the NC Legislature for the right to ban smoking in restaurants. Last year the Legislature turned them down. (probably not surprising for a state known for big tobacco, and some of the biggest names in the state made their fortunes in this industry) This year the county has received a study that says that restaurants with smoking sections have 5X the amount of dirtier air even in the non-smoking sections over restaurants that don't allow smoking. The federal government this year also documented the dangers of second hand smoke. I assume this ban would include any public bar but not private clubs.

On the other hand, people who support smoking say that it is a person's right to smoke and to let the marketplace decide which restaurants allow smoking or not. They say it's bad for business as well.

Yet, businesses that have banned smoking do not see any drop in business.

So the question is, should Mecklenburg ban smoking in restaurants, and if not, will you continue to go to places that have second hand smoke in the air?

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Here is the article that talks about how unhealthy even the non-smoking section of a smoking-allowed restaurant is.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/15784783.htm

People don't need to smoke when they eat. That whole notion is dated. I am firmly behind a local ban, and think it is much more practical than getting a state wide ban.

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I watched this "debate" at the Meck Co Commision last night. It was very interesting that the owner of the Gallway Hooker Pub in Cornelious which currently allows smoking said they are in favor of the ban. They said they would like to make their establishment non-smoking today, but they feel that the people would just go to the bar next door that allows smoking. However if everyone had to ban smoking then the Gallway would not lose business.

It was also interesting that a guy from Helena, Montana flew into Charlotte yesterday just to speak at last nights Meck Co Commision meeting. His city has banned smoking in restarants and bars and one month after the smoking ban there was a 20% drop in the heart attack rate for the city. Other cities that have instituted the ban such as Pueblo, Colorado have seen a similar drop in the heart attack rate.

This really have become a public health issue and I think its a no brainer that the ban should be instituted.

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I was talking to one of my customers a few days ago about this topic actually. They were from up North (I believe the Boston area) and I asked them how they liked living here so far. She said that this area is great and there is far less traffic. However, she said, the smoking in restaurants really caught her off guard. She didn't know you could do that anywhere in the US. I mentioned to her a lot of what I have read on here from this issue (in other threads) and she also reminded me that this region is Tobacco Junction, USA. Hopefully this ban goes through for all public indoor spaces, there's nothing like getting smoke blown in your face while you're eating. This coming from a guy who stopped smoking two years ago.

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I moved from DC area this past year... A smoking ban in restaurants was passed in Montgomery County, MD. I don't believe restaurants in Bethesda MD experienced any drop in sales afterward, just increases if anything. It was interesting though, that across the Potomac River, in northern Virginia, the general thought was that a ban would never be enacted, it being such a big Tobacco state.

I would think NC is the same deal. Are there any communities in NC that we know of that already have a ban on indoor smoking at restaurants?

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Ok, this may be a strange question, but if you ban smoking inside restaurants, does that also include outside dining? Because, if it does, what's to stop somebody from standing on the sidewalk next to the restaurant's outdoor dining and lighting up? It sort of defeats the purpose.

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Ok, this may be a strange question, but if you ban smoking inside restaurants, does that also include outside dining? Because, if it does, what's to stop somebody from standing on the sidewalk next to the restaurant's outdoor dining and lighting up? It sort of defeats the purpose.
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well, i guess we'll just have to see what kind of strangle hold tobacco lobbiest have on the politicians up in raleigh.... as i understand it the state has to vote on whether they will allow mecklenburg to place a ban on smoking. i hope this passes.

quick question... would bars that serve any kind of food be subject to this ban?

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Why can't businesses make the choice for themselves? Smoke free or Smoke friendly - no in btwn. And let the chips fall where they may in terms of public support of smoking and non smoking establishments. I'm not a cigarette smoker and I came from a city where smoking was banned in restaurants/bars and I thought the ban was ridiculous and an intrusion by government that is unwarranted.

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Why can't businesses make the choice for themselves? Smoke free or Smoke friendly - no in btwn. And let the chips fall where they may in terms of public support of smoking and non smoking establishments. I'm not a cigarette smoker and I came from a city where smoking was banned in restaurants/bars and I thought the ban was ridiculous and an intrusion by government that is unwarranted.
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I would love to see this passed - nothing worse than eating a meal and having someone smoking in the table next to you.

Once this becomes the law, they need to work on upping the fines for throwing cigarette butts out of your car. Ever notice how many of these are lying along our roads? I don't think anyone uses their ash trays anymore.

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Every statistic I've ever seen shows bar/restaurant business does not decline when a smoking ban is instituted.

After the ban took effect in Washington State last year, some of it's most outspoken support was from smokers themselves. Turns out even smokers hate going home after a night out, and smelling like a stale ashtray!

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