Thread: How has a smoking ban worked out in your State?

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Smokers are the new Leper.



C'mon, Man, people don't CHOOSE to become Lepers. Here in Western Society we are trying to wean our citizens off of using nicotine. It's that simple. Maybe social ostracism will help.

Okay, before this gets out of hand with political and personal gripes, I'm going to ask you to please cease argumentative comments.
I know there are people on either side of the fence and some sitting on the fence itself.

Jack Reaper - I know that smokers are being made a target and a villain. It is unfair to smokers. It is also unfair to boycott a business or a town for following the rules, as they lose out in the end and people lose their jobs.
Smokers aren't the only group of people being kicked around either. There are plenty of people that get booted around in this nation.

Wolfman - Lepers don't chose to be lepers, but smokers don't always chose to be smokers. Many people who smoke do it out of habit and because that is how it has always been. It is hard to break the habit for a lot of people, because it is essentially their entire lifestyle.

Nicotine isn't the issue with cigarettes, it's just the fall guy. The chemicals used to treat cigarettes are the major issue and cause of disease.

Outright banning anything is not the answer, but public health is a current issue and there is a big push to improve the health of this nation. Banning smoking in public places is seen as an attempt at improving public health. Whether the ban is actually followed will prove if it is worth while or just a feel good law. De Jury and De Facto; On the books it may say one thing, in practice it's a whole different animal.

The bans get followed.
I have not heard of one person lighting up a cigarette in any public place since the law went into effect. The law is the law.

Wolfman- That is the loop hole, ain't it? Because smokers choose to be smokers?

I am not sure how it is in Canada or Somoa....but less than 20yrs. ago, smoking was acceptable just about everywhere. In the theatres, mall, grocery store, offices...dang near everywhere. Heck if you go back far enough, there was smoking in the court rooms, and in doctor offices.

Point is, when I was growing up...everyone seemed to smoke. Parents, Grandparents, Uncles , aunts, cousins, teachers, THE PREACHER, and most influential...friends. It is what people did! So, I am not sure if it was THAT much of a choice.

I've always said,"If it was illegal for anyone under 18 to buy cigarettes when I started (14), I might have never started!" But it wasn't...

BTW, ostracism isn't working! There are now "Smoke Easys" all over.

well, I grew up in that era and neither my parents or I smoked, as far as the ban, I think it will hurt business for a bit, but then will just be the same - , I know dogman you live where there are small business but I think by the time the real tourist season hits people will be used to the ban and just deal when they are on vacation and still go to the smaller places, when I go by alot of the different eating places, as I did yesterday they seemed as busy as before, as far as the bars, they might have a drop at first, but people adjust, maybe gripping, but they do!

in NW PA, from my own observtions, the ban is a waste. Just to clarify I am a non-smoker.

There is one business who went to non-smoking prior to the ban, and as a risk of losing employees in addition to the revenue he lost went back to allowing smoking. There is a bar that constantly gets fined and 'plays dumb' because they bring in more revenue allowing smoking. Every business that used to allow smokers now has a conglomerate of employees and/or customers standing around an outside ashtray before they enter the establishment. There is a local hospital that doesn't allow smoking on their property (makes sense), but they extended it to parking areas, so now the employees (instead of crossing the street) stand in the street to smoke. And the hospital security uses its resources tracking down smokers, while a woman gets stabbed and walks into the ER followed by her abusive husband (Thank god for the police department). Ive seen 2 small restaurants close, and one local "smoke easy'" flourish. These are all true stories, and the only benefit that I have seen is that people can't smoke indoors. But now they are smoking in hoards right next to the door. I think a greater health risk is the lawn care companies that spray their fertilizer and weed killer all summer long. If you can smell it, your inhaling it.

Wisconsin starts in July and I am curious to see how it will go.

everyone here sounded like that when it started here in central IL as well,, the business will hurt, etc, etc... you know what,, i dont know of one business that hurt from it. Im a smoker,, i still go out and can smoke where it is allowed. Most places have built nice smoke decks and what nots to accomodate us,,,, one bar in paticular here in Peoria built a nice huge pavilion type of a thing, with big screen TV's, bags games, all kinds of good stuff. Point being is that here,,, alot of folks said the same things ive read here,, like any kind of change,, it may hurt a lil bit at first,, but folks get used to it.. and the best thing for the biz folks is that you will see new faces that didnt frequent your establishment before,, because they didnt want to be around it.