Smoking Bans

[erufiku]

I just came across an article from last week's The Economist about the smoking ban in the US. Boiling it down to the major points reveals that the smoking bans that vary from county to county have actually caused an increased amount of deaths. This is because people are now getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, determined to drive to bars/pubs where the smoking bans are not enforced so rigorously. Also, it seems that a lot of people cause fatal accidents while driving over to the next country where the smoking ban is less rigorous. Ah, the irony...

So, how are the smoking bans affecting you?

From personal experience I'd say it's a good thing in general. Partying in the south of Spain always had me smelling like an ashtray next morning. Although I got to admit that spending a night in a smoky jazz bar had more to it than just second hand smoke

[MechAnt]

In Santa Barbara County, there is an indoor smoking ban of businesses and all smoking must be done 20 feet away from any door or operable windows. It's fairly dumb. The local hookah lounge was forced to close down and the pubs have to have people go out into the street or the parking lot creating some loitering problems. Fights break out more often with no one to truly stop them except the local foot patrol. Mind you, this is just in the college town.

[Ceraziefish]

Fortunately, the hookah bars in Seattle were able to reopen after the smoking ban closed them down (some of them, anyway).

Personally, I sort of like it, since I smoke cigarettes occasionally but I'm trying to stop. What really bugs me, though, is the smoking ban at my college... You can't smoke on campus except for at designated smoking tents, and people will harass you if you smoke even while you're walking to one of these tents.

These same people will just walk by if you set up a hookah in the field, though. *Is mindboggled.* Maybe they assume I'm smoking NHT (I go to a school that puts the "liberal" back in "liberal arts.").

[gaia.plateau]

I like the smoking ban, even though I've been a smoker for 10 years (only cigars, pipes, and shisha for the last 6).

I do think that hookah should be exempt though, at least in lounges that make the majority of their sales from smoking. Hookah is closer to incense or fragrant food than it is to cigarettes.

[mathuv]

I like the smoking ban, even though I've been a smoker for 10 years (only cigars, pipes, and shisha for the last 6).

I do think that hookah should be exempt though, at least in lounges that make the majority of their sales from smoking. Hookah is closer to incense or fragrant food than it is to cigarettes.

yeah i think hookah lounges should be exempt. if you dont go for the hookah...why are you there? maybe for the atmosphere and stuff but you shouldnt go to a hookah bar and expect not to smell/breathe in hookah smoke.

[SupremeOstrich]

We have a kind of weird indoor smoking ban in Louisville. Our *one* hookah bar in the whole damned city is still in business, and you can still smoke hookah inside, but no cigarettes.

I kind of like that part, because when people would come in and smoke cigs, it kind of ruined the point of them coming in the first place. I agree with the above post, why go to a hookah place if not t smoke the hookah? Otherwise....well i's just kind of a place to eat? Ugh.

[Texico]

We don't have a smoking ban on campus, but technically I'm not allowed to have a hookah with me in the dorm. I don't feel like risking smoking here, so I just walk about a block from my dorm, just off campus, to a friend's place and smoke there. It's actually an off-campus dorm-type thing, and there are quite a few people living there who also own hookahs. We congregate on the steps outside and are almost a local attraction to the people walking by haha. The drunks are most hilarious when we start doing smoke bubbles...

[SimplexCoda]

The smoking bans almost put a real damper in hopes to open a hookah lounge. Then I realized that I could never afford to own one. So the smoking bans are basically non-existant to me now.

[Ceraziefish]

We don't have a smoking ban on campus, but technically I'm not allowed to have a hookah with me in the dorm. I don't feel like risking smoking here, so I just walk about a block from my dorm, just off campus, to a friend's place and smoke there. It's actually an off-campus dorm-type thing, and there are quite a few people living there who also own hookahs. We congregate on the steps outside and are almost a local attraction to the people walking by haha. The drunks are most hilarious when we start doing smoke bubbles...

Haha, back when I lived in the dorms I smoked hookah all the time. Life's too short Sounds like you've got a good system going, though.

There's actually a huge argument at my campus right now. The smokers are getting really hostile about their wishes to smoke cigarettes and since they're getting hostile the nonsmokers are getting angry too...

[r1v3th3ad]

they tried passing a smoking ban in Allegheny County Pennsylvania(Pittsburgh)...its lasted a few weeks and was shot down. Because of that, all Eat N' Park restaurants went smoke free...bill in state house for a state-wide smoking ban.

[shoulinmonk]

while its not a bad idea in theory, it always goes too far.

no one seems to realize that once even a partial smoking ban is in place, more and more legislation will be put into place until smoking is illegal.....

[AKammenzind]

no one seems to realize that once even a partial smoking ban is in place, more and more legislation will be put into place until smoking is illegal.....

Yup, it's the same way with... well... everything. Ya think we'd learn eh?

[erufiku]

while its not a bad idea in theory, it always goes too far.

no one seems to realize that once even a partial smoking ban is in place, more and more legislation will be put into place until smoking is illegal.....

I don´t think that's really true. Granted, I did enjoy having a relaxing smoke with my coffee after a hearty three course mean in Spain, but I don't think the non-smokers should have to breathe in the second-hand smoke all the time.
The problem is that the legislations are too binary in defining 'public space'. So, in a restaurant I don't think you should be able to smoke. Same at (closed) bus stops, etc. But when it comes to bars and pubs, I think anything goes. If a bar decides to cater exclusively to non-smokers, you'll just have to find another one where you can light up.

[Majid]

In the Netherlands the ban will go into effect in june. Places that get the majority of their income from tobacco sales will be exempt, but hookah lounges make most of their money on drinks and snacks so i wonder how they will fare when june comes along. Edited April 15, 2008 by Majid

[erufiku]

In the Netherlands the ban will go into effect in june. Places that get the majority of their income from tobacco sales will be exempt, but hookah lounges make most of their money on drinks and snacks so i wonder how they will fare when june comes along.

I know this is too easy, but couldn't they bundle the hookah with food and/or drinks? Like, buy a bowl for 15 euros and they throw in a "complimentary" pint of your favourite beer?

[anathema]

smoking bans?

[heebo]

It hurts businesses which in turn hurts everyone else. If non-smokers are so concerned about air quality why are we still burning coal in power plants, driving cars or factory farming animals?

Smoke bans are another law that turns everyday non-violent citizens into criminals. I'd rather have the police going after real criminals instead of writing tickets to make some pretentious asshole feel better about their lungs.

[iron molly black]

This one REALLY got me. Around here, the churches have stopped burning incense for fear that the smoke will damage people's lungs. Taking things a bit too far?

What's next, the smoke from the neighbor's barbeque?

[mathuv]

This one REALLY got me. Around here, the churches have stopped burning incense for fear that the smoke will damage people's lungs. Taking things a bit too far?

What's next, the smoke from the neighbor's barbeque?

YES. Damned neighbours polluting my air with meat-scented smoke!

back on topic.. tht is a bit too far with the church.. i dont mind incsense but too much is too much. i beleive that hookah bars should be exempt from bans though, for hookah smoke only, i think cigarettes shoulnt be allowed to be smoked in a hookah lounge.

[iron molly black]

i beleive that hookah bars should be exempt from bans though, for hookah smoke only, i think cigarettes shoulnt be allowed to be smoked in a hookah lounge.

I do think hookah bars should be exempt, because you are going there with the express purpose to smoke. Same with cigar lounges.

I agree about no cigarettes in the hookah bar. I smoke cigarettes and I STILL agree. I was at Mush's place, and someone came in with a cigarette and I could smell it IMMEDIATELY and it didn't smell good. I think it ruins the atmosphere.

In CT, you can still smoke in "private clubs", such as the Irish Club, etc. In one small town, the local bar went out of business, basically because everyone joined the "Farmers Club" when the smoking ban went into effect, because you could smoke there. The guy tried to sue the State, but he failed, because he couldn't "prove" it was the smoking ban.

[Snoopy1966]

We have a smoking Ban here in the city I live in for Bars and restaurants. I like it because I can go see a Band and not reek like cigs afterwards. When I go to Green Bay to see a Band, my lungs hurt from all the smoke.

Now you can still smoke at the Cigar and Hookah lounge that is here, hopefully that will not change.

I agree, no cigs in Bars and Restaurants and no cigs in a Hookah lounge either.

[iron molly black]

Although I wish I could still smoke in the bars, I understand the need for no-smoking for the employees. I used to bartend, and it killed me when I had customers who smoked icky, cheap-ass cigars all night. I dreaded it when they walked in.

Here's another sort of related rant (hope it's not too far off-topic)...

When there IS a smoking area, such as restaurant with separate smoking-allowed bar, and parents bring their KIDS in there. First of all, it's a BAR, and second, it's filled with SMOKE. And mostly, I don't like kids anyways, go out of my way to avoid the little rats. lol

[Big Boss]

Nebraska just initiated a state-wide smoking ban which will take affect sometime next year. I cannot put into words how much I dislike this. There are two issues which really get to me. First of all, I believe that businesses should determine their own policies, whether or not they want their customers to smoke, not the state. Secondly, I attend/attended a state college here in Nebraska. This college is state owned, which makes the land the college is on state property. This smoking ban will outlaw smoking on state property. That means that the *entire* campus will be smoke free. That means someone can't light up on their way to class. Does this shock anyone else? Yeah, smoking is bad and I know I should quit, and I know that others should quit, but I'll quit when I'm damn ready to and so should they. My main issue with this whole smoking ban is the state imposing its own policy on independent businesses.

[mathuv]

Nebraska just initiated a state-wide smoking ban which will take affect sometime next year. I cannot put into words how much I dislike this. There are two issues which really get to me. First of all, I believe that businesses should determine their own policies, whether or not they want their customers to smoke, not the state. Secondly, I attend/attended a state college here in Nebraska. This college is state owned, which makes the land the college is on state property. This smoking ban will outlaw smoking on state property. That means that the *entire* campus will be smoke free. That means someone can't light up on their way to class. Does this shock anyone else? Yeah, smoking is bad and I know I should quit, and I know that others should quit, but I'll quit when I'm damn ready to and so should they. My main issue with this whole smoking ban is the state imposing its own policy on independent businesses.

so you were allowed to smoke in the hallways?

[Big Boss]

Nebraska just initiated a state-wide smoking ban which will take affect sometime next year. I cannot put into words how much I dislike this. There are two issues which really get to me. First of all, I believe that businesses should determine their own policies, whether or not they want their customers to smoke, not the state. Secondly, I attend/attended a state college here in Nebraska. This college is state owned, which makes the land the college is on state property. This smoking ban will outlaw smoking on state property. That means that the *entire* campus will be smoke free. That means someone can't light up on their way to class. Does this shock anyone else? Yeah, smoking is bad and I know I should quit, and I know that others should quit, but I'll quit when I'm damn ready to and so should they. My main issue with this whole smoking ban is the state imposing its own policy on independent businesses.

so you were allowed to smoke in the hallways?

What? No. I'm talking about outside. Walking from dorm to building. No smoking on school grounds. Period.