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Should cigarette smoking be allowed in some bars & restaurants?

Should cigarette smoking be allowed in some bars & restaurants?


  • Total voters
    107
...i am a fire fighter. Are you stupid? Off your meds a bit? Or just trolling on purpose? Chill out kid.

Wow...that sucks for anyone in a fire. But didn't you notice the avatar? Should answer the questions.

Regardless, you ain't Patrick Swayze and it ain't your way or the highway. Free country means people are free to make choices, and we may not like the choices other make but we have to respect that they have the free exercise to make those choices.
 
I included the extreme option as a poll option, because I know some people feel that way, but even I don't advocate that. I do, however, think allowing roughly 10% to 15% of establishments to allow smoking is a reasonable compromise.

This I would be OK with, radcen. I don't want all restaurants to open this back up, but a small majority would be OK so smokers can relax and smoke while they eat.
 
This I would be OK with, radcen. I don't want all restaurants to open this back up, but a small majority would be OK so smokers can relax and smoke while they eat.

Smoking in restaurants was already on the decline due to proper consumerism. You don't need government and laws to accomplish this, you can do it yourself while maintaining the freedom to choose.
 
Wow...that sucks for anyone in a fire.

Regardless, you ain't Patrick Swayze and it ain't your way or the highway. Free country means people are free to make choices, and we may not like the choices other make but we have to respect that they have the free exercise to make those choices.

So trolling. Thank you for your answer kid.
 
Some people with diseases that affect their respiratory system can suffer very significant distress when they inhale a whiff of smoke. So I can agree with a ban on smoking in any government building that those people may be required to enter, such as courthouses and other government buildings such as the DMV or a police station.

However, I think it is wrong for the government to ban smoking in private businesses like bars.
 
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I included the extreme option as a poll option, because I know some people feel that way, but even I don't advocate that. I do, however, think allowing roughly 10% to 15% of establishments to allow smoking is a reasonable compromise.

There are machines already available that circulate and clean the air. You could have those instead.
 
Smoking in restaurants was already on the decline due to proper consumerism. You don't need government and laws to accomplish this, you can do it yourself while maintaining the freedom to choose.

Disagree. I went into a Cracker Barrel about 5 years ago, in one of the Southern states, and they asked me if I wanted smoking or non-smoking. I almost swallowed my tongue. Even as recently as 5 years ago this happened, and the entire restaurant stunk. Could you imagine going into a Cracker Barrel and it smelling like stale cigarette smoke? This one did. We ate there because it was the only place around for a while, but it was not a very good experience.

Can't expect people to do the right thing because most of them will not.
 
I just don't understand big government nanny-staters. It's not that hard to not go into the establishment that allows smoking. I did it all the time, it was easy.

Yep, even before the ordinances there were non-smoking restaurants (not many bars granted) all over the place around here. I ate in them all the time.
 
Disagree. I went into a Cracker Barrel about 5 years ago, in one of the Southern states, and they asked me if I wanted smoking or non-smoking. I almost swallowed my tongue. Even as recently as 5 years ago this happened, and the entire restaurant stunk. Could you imagine going into a Cracker Barrel and it smelling like stale cigarette smoke? This one did. We ate there because it was the only place around for a while, but it was not a very good experience.

Can't expect people to do the right thing because most of them will not.

Then don't go to Cracker Barrel. See how easy that is? If enough people don't go because of smoking, they will change their policy.

And free isn't about "doing the right thing" as that's a floppy definition dependent upon who ever is defining the "right thing". It's about the choice.
 
Disagree. I went into a Cracker Barrel about 5 years ago, in one of the Southern states, and they asked me if I wanted smoking or non-smoking. I almost swallowed my tongue. Even as recently as 5 years ago this happened, and the entire restaurant stunk. Could you imagine going into a Cracker Barrel and it smelling like stale cigarette smoke? This one did. We ate there because it was the only place around for a while, but it was not a very good experience.

Can't expect people to do the right thing because most of them will not.

So why the heck didn't you just walk out? It's just silly and no matter how you try to spin it, eating at that particular restaurant wasn't necessary, no one was going to starve to death in the time it took you to find another restaurant or just go home and eat.
 
Yep, even before the ordinances there were non-smoking restaurants (not many bars granted) all over the place around here. I ate in them all the time.

Exactly, and everyone can have their desire. People who want to smoke can go to smoking establishments. People who don't can go to non-smoking establishments. Hell in CO there were many places that allowed dogs...actually that was pretty much every place so if you didn't like dogs you may be screwed there.
 
Exactly, and everyone can have their desire. People who want to smoke can go to smoking establishments. People who don't can go to non-smoking establishments. Hell in CO there were many places that allowed dogs...actually that was pretty much every place so if you didn't like dogs you may be screwed there.

Yeah, and I'd be one of them. But then I'd never lobby to have all restaurants ban dogs.
 
Yeah, and I'd be one of them. But then I'd never lobby to have all restaurants ban dogs.

Well to be fair, the animals were never in the cooking areas and many restaurants didn't allow them inside; but they could chill on the patio or something outside.
 
Then don't go to Cracker Barrel. See how easy that is? If enough people don't go because of smoking, they will change their policy.

And free isn't about "doing the right thing" as that's a floppy definition dependent upon who ever is defining the "right thing". It's about the choice.

So why the heck didn't you just walk out? It's just silly and no matter how you try to spin it, eating at that particular restaurant wasn't necessary, no one was going to starve to death in the time it took you to find another restaurant or just go home and eat.

Had there been other choices, I would have walked out. I guarantee that if there was a restaurant where I live that allowed smoking, I'd never patronize the place. I'd choose somewhere else. But I was on a road trip, and as I mentioned, this was the only place around for a while.

Also, I don't have to worry about restaurants changing their policy. The government has taken care of that for me.
 
Shouldn't this really be a decision that the owner or owners of an establishment be allowed to make for themselves?
 
Had there been other choices, I would have walked out. I guarantee that if there was a restaurant where I live that allowed smoking, I'd never patronize the place. I'd choose somewhere else. But I was on a road trip, and as I mentioned, this was the only place around for a while.

Also, I don't have to worry about restaurants changing their policy. The government has taken care of that for me.

Once again, an excuse that doesn't fly. You could have easily headed down the road. Takes many days to starve believe me. And if you're good with the "government" taking care of things for you that you could easily do for yourself, well, there are deeper problems going on. You're way too old to need a nanny.
 
We did exempt Casinos because the edginess of smoking is integral to their function. Twice, we had Casinos that were smoke-free and they quickly closed their doors. But inside the Casino, the restaurants are strictly NON-SMOKING.

There have been many attempts in the past to create "smoke free businesses", and invariably they all fail. This only works when you have a nanny government that forces them all to stop smoking.

I always hated the idea of the Government saying when a business could not allow a legal activity. And if the commercials we heard were true, that "80% of people prefer smoke free establishments", then establishments would have been created and thrived that catered to that 80%.

However, I remember that when California instituted the ban in 1998, a lot of bars ended up closing their doors. Everybody was outside in the parking lot with their friends, instead of inside buying their product. And membership in the VFW and American Legion soared when those who were eligible realized that as a private club, they could allow smoking if the chose (and they all did). I frequently had friends ask if I could take them to one of the posts, because we could relax, have a few drinks and smoke with nobody bothering us.
 
Shouldn't this really be a decision that the owner or owners of an establishment be allowed to make for themselves?

The basis of most of this legislation had to do with the employees, not the customers so much. As a smoker (I used to smoke in theaters, airplanes and department stores believe it or not), I've watched the noose tighten. My initial reaction was anger but I've come around to accepting these restrictions.

But place like NYC that make it a point to make smokers suffer and allow no exceptions - are just jerks to me. Everything needs some balnc.

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Now that I discovered E-Cigs, I smoke in all these places again. Ha-ha!!!

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There are many things not left to owners. Bathrooms, fire alarms, minimum wages etc. In many cases, this may be for the best although it does feel like an imposition.
 
There have been many attempts in the past to create "smoke free businesses", and invariably they all fail. This only works when you have a nanny government that forces them all to stop smoking.

I always hated the idea of the Government saying when a business could not allow a legal activity. And if the commercials we heard were true, that "80% of people prefer smoke free establishments", then establishments would have been created and thrived that catered to that 80%.

However, I remember that when California instituted the ban in 1998, a lot of bars ended up closing their doors. Everybody was outside in the parking lot with their friends, instead of inside buying their product. And membership in the VFW and American Legion soared when those who were eligible realized that as a private club, they could allow smoking if the chose (and they all did). I frequently had friends ask if I could take them to one of the posts, because we could relax, have a few drinks and smoke with nobody bothering us.

Yes, I remember this also and L.A. was even earlier in the restaurant bans. OTOH, the law allows for owner operated bars with no employees to allow smoking thereby giving those owners a real advantage. So, you know, everything is a tradeoff.
 
Once again, an excuse that doesn't fly. You could have easily headed down the road. Takes many days to starve believe me. And if you're good with the "government" taking care of things for you that you could easily do for yourself, well, there are deeper problems going on. You're way too old to need a nanny.

OK. :lol: As for why we didn't "head down the road," well, again - on a road trip with kids in the car. You take what you get.

We aren't ever going to agree on this, so have a fabulous evening. :2wave:
 
I don't think smoking should be allowed in any establishment where the public or workers are expected to breathe. Sorry, I was an idiot who smoked for 35 years and now has a smoking related illness. I am not sympathetic to anyone who thinks they have a right to smoke any place they want. Everyone does have the right to expect a smoke free environment.

If you smoke, do yourself, family, friends and co-workers a favor and STOP. You'll eventually learn to enjoy a cup of coffee or a beer without that poison. If you fail, try it again and again and again until you succeed.

/rant
 
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