Ban Smoking in Bars??

[TxBrew]

Here in Austin they are trying to ban smoking in bars. They already did it in restaurants but I mean come on bars that should be up to the bar owner.

 

[uglygoat]

i don't smoke, but there is something about a bar.... there should be smoke in it!!!!

 

[Tophe]

Yeah, i don't smoke either, but i would never complain about smoke at a bar. The bars there will lose a lot of business i bet if that happens. I think that in some countries, they have like a designated room for smokers to go smoke in that has a special filtration system in it.

 

[rightwingnut]

In NYC, they've banned smoking in all public places (indoors). Bar owners fought the ordinance, but lost. They say it's for the health of the workers. I say if you fear for your health, don't work where there's smoke. It is definately way out of the government's role...it IS the right of the owners to decide...just another one of those "you're not smart enough, so we'll decide for you" oppresive goverment regulations. Fear what's next.

 

[OSUmoney83]

In NYC, they've banned smoking in all public places (indoors). Bar owners fought the ordinance, but lost. They say it's for the health of the workers. I say if you fear for your health, don't work where there's smoke. It is definately way out of the government's role...it IS the right of the owners to decide...just another one of those "you're not smart enough, so we'll decide for you" oppresive goverment regulations. Fear what's next.

I grew up in toledo where there was one of the first bar smoking bans, now I live in columbus and they just passed a similar law here about 2 weeks ago, lookout cause its having the snowball effect. Anyways a couple of bars have started a "tips for first offense" jar that some regulars add to. First offense is only $150 fine, not sure what happens next. Other bars I've been to won't say its OK to smoke, but will never kick you out for doing it. Funny thing is the people voting for the smoking ban are NEVER at any of these bars in the first place.

 

[NUCC98]

Here in Austin they are trying to ban smoking in bars. They already did it in restaurants but I mean come on bars that should be up to the bar owner.

Today's the first day of the No Smoking Ban in RI.....news is that a lot of local bar owners (somewhere slightly over 100 I think) are trying to fight it. I just don't see it happening. I used to smoke, but quit about 6 months ago. Still, I don't get all twisted if someone's smoking in a bar...some vices just go better together. What does bother me are places that put smoking sections RIGHT next to non-smoking ones....where's the point in that!@?!@

 

[Janx]

I gotta say I *love* the smoke-free bar rule in California. We've had that law for 10 years or so and it's great. My hair and clothes don't stink if I got out for a beer. And bars didn't lose any business. I mean, heck, whatcha gonna do?

It did create a community on the street out front of every bar where the smokers have to go to have a smoke.

 

[D-brewmeister]

I gotta say I *love* the smoke-free bar rule in California.

It did create a community on the street out front of every bar where the smokers have to go to have a smoke.

That's great if you live in a place like CA. where you can step out for a smoke pretty much any time of the year and not freeze your A*S off! Try stepping out for a smoke in Idaho in January, the only community you find is a bunch of people huddling together wishing they could be inside. Probably similar in NYC in the winter -- not exactly a balmy climate. I think a smoking ordinance is a nice idea, but there should be some allowances for proprieters who want to design adequately ventelated smoking areas -- surely the technology exists to create an smoking bar environment that is not any more adverse to your health than sitting on the freeway at rush hour! Just have enforcement officers with air quality monitoring devices randomly check a given bar, and if it is out of some reasonable range of air polution, slap them with a fine.

 

[seven77]

I just see it as big government telling everyone what to do and how to run their own business. A bar is a private establishment, and laws telling them what can or cannot go on inside is just a form of dictatorship. What's next, government telling people they can't smoke in their own homes? .... which by the way, is also a private establishment.

There's a wonderful little machine called a "smoke eater", and I've never been in a bar worth going to that doesn't have one. At the same time, I never stepped into one of these bars and was overwhelmed by smoked.

Bottom line is.. if you don't want to work around smoke, don't get a job at a bar. This isn't russia where you're assigned a role where you HAVE to work at a certain place.

 

[Brewman]

its weird not having the smoke in the bars....... I quite almost 3 years ago but as mentioned if you don't want the second hand smoke then stay away....... if it was that good of an idea someone whould have opened a SMOKE FREE bar....... but if they did they prob would have gone out of business.......

 

[TxBrew]

Yea it's a really dumb regulation. More and more government regulations make it seem like private enterprise is being defeated. Laissez-faire.

 

[homebrewer_99]

All good comments and arguments both ways.

I am a former smoker. I've been smoke-free for 15 years. Going into bars and restaurants with smoke does not bother me one bit.

Business owners and smokers should join and make a "Members Only" Smoke Club where you'd have to list the by-laws that EVERY MEMBER HAS TO ABIDE TO - to get around the "law". It's comparable to where all the "boys" clubs and colleges had to integrate...how many guys to go girls colleges? I believe the answer is "none"! Why is that? The point here is if you take Gov't $$$ you have to integrate.

IF the Gov't really practiced what it preached all tobacco products would become illegal, but since tobacco is legal the Gov't wins in many ways:

Federal sales tax, State sales tax, taxes for: dry cleaning, carpet cleaning, new clothes, odor eliminators, etc., then there's the entire medical profession starting with cancer research and "cure".....there's money being made hand over fist on this scheme alone....you don't want to give up on that kind of profit potential.

Don't even get me started on the FDA or the Penal System...talk about making immoral decisions made by Gov't officials mandatory and ripping off the taxpayers!

This country was founded on hypocracy by hypoctites! Unfortunately, the bullsh*t never stopped flowing...if you always do what you've always done you'll always get what you always got.

Later.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I'll drink to that...

 

[NUCC98]

I'll end it......it's not right vs. left in this country...it's top vs. bottom......done.

 

[rightwingnut]

I'm a member of several other forums on topics like scuba diving or music and in those forums political posts are outright banned. As in, a mod would delete any political posts. I honestly think that should be a rule on this site as well.

OK. Agreed.

 

[SwAMi75]

I guess I'm a little strange, because I smoke, but I cannot stand second-hand smoke! I quit smoking in my own home about 5 years ago....I only smoke outside. I do enjoy having a smoke in a bar or restaraunt, and beer and smokes just go together really well. But I do not like walking into a place that is just filled with smoke...it's nasty. Like those little smoking rooms they have in some airports. They have big "smoke eaters" in them, but they're still just awful, stinky places. When I'm travelling, I'll duck into one and have a few drags, then get on my way. I can't imagine how some folks just go sit in there and shoot the breeze for hours while waiting for their flight.

I'm really not for regulating what a private business can or cannot do, but it's not a big deal to me as long as they have a decent place outside where you can go and have a smoke. For me being able to smoke inside is quite a treat, but not if I (and everyone else) is just totally stinking up the joint. I guess that's as much a function of ventilation and size as anything else.

 

[dzlater]

Here is one solution







Uploaded with ImageShack.us

 

[HIM_Tattoos]

I'll chime in, I am a smoker, and they banned smoking in bars here in July, I couldn't be happier actually. I bought an electric cigarette so I can still smoke inside if I want, otherwise it's a pain to go outside, but I enjoy not smelling like an ashtray at the end of the night.

 

[bob1852]

Is this the first 5.5 year thread bump in the history of HBT?

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Here in Austin they are trying to ban smoking in bars. They already did it in restaurants but I mean come on bars that should be up to the bar owner.

Get used to it, the antismoking nazis are on a roll. They passed a similar law here in MT a year or 2 ago. I don't even smoke, but I feel for the smokers standing outside to smoke when it's below zero. Biz has dropped off a bit for many bars/pubs since the smoking ban went into effect. Hell, you can't even smoke OUTSIDE on the sidewalk in Mesa, AZ anymore. It's always something. Regards, GF.

EDIT: Just saw the age of the original post... Never mind.

 

[Homercidal]

Passed here in May. I hear the bars are losing patronage, and as a side benefit, the school system, which is partially funded with lottery sales, are losing money because people are spending fewer dollars at the bar, which jmeans fewer lottery tickets too.

But, I went to a Karaoke bar this summer and in no time the place was a friggin smokestack. I guess the law doesn't count if nobody calls the cops. FYI - The ventilation system was non-existent and we came home smelling like a pack of camels.

I am personally for a smoke-free bar and the right to smoke in a bar if you want to.

 

[Meisterlowin]

Is this the first 5.5 year thread bump in the history of HBT?

This is a pretty impressive necro

 

[dzlater]

I didn't mean to revive the dead.
I meant to post that picture in this one
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/allow-smoking-our-new-pub-208301/

 

[Hang Glider]

Not sure if the "bars will lose business" argument holds water -

22% of Americans smoke - that means 78% do not. And some percentage of THAT population doesn't frequent bars because of the smoke. So they're likely to GAIN some patrons...maybe as many as they lose or more.
my 2 cents.

and yes, nice zombie resurrection, dzlater, intentional or not!

 

[lamarguy]

The majority of San Antonio will be smoke free in August, 2011.

The delay is to give business owners time to build patios for smoking outside. Seems like a very reasonable compromise.

 

[Airborneguy]

In NYC, the bar business dipped initially, but went right back up. Smokers rebelled, but once the appeal of the bar outweighs staying home to smoke, they returned.

Overall it is a smashing success and I don't recall anyone I know complaining about it.

 

[lamarguy]

Overall it is a smashing success and I don't recall anyone I know complaining about it.

You mean, complaining about it now.

People were screaming bloody murder around here. Houston had a similar backlash that disappeared quickly.

 

[Airborneguy]

True, there was a lot of complaining when it started. Even most smokers agree with it now though.

 

[jmendez29]

Not sure if the "bars will lose business" argument holds water -

22% of Americans smoke - that means 78% do not. And some percentage of THAT population doesn't frequent bars because of the smoke. So they're likely to GAIN some patrons...maybe as many as they lose or more.
my 2 cents.

and yes, nice zombie resurrection, dzlater, intentional or not!

Shortly after it passed here, there was an article in the paper talking about the loss to businesses. They claimed that it was because the smokers were spending far less time at the bar when they went there. Instead of staying for a couple of hours or more, they would stay for a half hour or so, and leave. There were more reasons, but that was the one that I remembered the most.

 

[BraveSirRobin]

In Michigan, smoking is banned in bars as well. On one hand, it's nice going out to the bars and not smelling like smoke. But on the other hand, I'm a believer in fewer government regulations and think it should be up to the bars to make the decision. When smoking was allowed I did tend to frequent smoke-free watering holes more so than ones that did allow smoking.

 

[kjung]

As someone who only smokes cigars, allowing smoking in bars really doesn't bother me, although I DO prefer bars with good SmokeEaters, or other vent systems, if I do go out. Especially if I'm going to a blues bar or a jazz club, I kind of expect a smoke filled room. It adds to the atmosphere.
There is a place near me that carries nothing but craft beer, in Indiana where they haven't passed a law...yet...that is non-smoking, and they don't seem to be hurting for business.

On a side-note, they're trying to pass an exemption for casinos in Illinois, because the owners are complaining that they've lost too much business due to the smoking ban. Personally, I have to believe that the economy has just as much, if not more to do with the losses.

 

[Airborneguy]

Kjung, same thing in NJ. Casinos were battling it for years.

I would like to see what happens at this point if the states that have had smoking banned for a few years got rid of the rules. I think too many people enjoy the relief, and a lot of places wouldn't go back. I personally would never go into a place that allowed smoking ever again.

 

[DelftBlue]

It's been the rule in quite a few European countries for a couple of years now. Here in the Holland, the rule only applies to tobacco: you can still go to a coffee shop and buy and smoke a joint (legally), so long as it doesn't have any tobacco it!

 

[kjung]

It's been the rule in quite a few European countries for a couple of years now. Here in the Holland, the rule only applies to tobacco: you can still go to a coffee shop and buy and smoke a joint (legally), so long as it doesn't have any tobacco it!

(mental note: look into moving to Amsterdam!!!)

 

[Kikshaaz]

The majority of San Antonio will be smoke free in August, 2011.

The delay is to give business owners time to build patios for smoking outside. Seems like a very reasonable compromise.

Wouldn't a good compromise to be allow bar owners to chose to be smoke free or not?

 

[lamarguy]

Wouldn't a good compromise to be allow bar owners to chose to be smoke free or not?

Sorry, not taking the bait...

 

[RegionalChaos]

Eugene went smoke free indoors where their are employees (employee health issue) a while back.

I think business owners should get to choose, and if they want a smoking establishment, then they need to install some big, decent, air handlers that can ensure the inside has clean air.

The implementation was nice though. At the time I was a smoker, but I didn't mind the ban. Too many bars were so smokey that by the end of the night you just flat out stank..

One thing I thought was interesting, was that the local authorities really went after bars, and completely overlooked coffee houses. Completely. 2 or 3 years after the ban was in effect they caught on, and started to go after the coffee houses. Funny that they were overlooked for so long.

 

[Kikshaaz]

Sorry, not taking the bait...

Ok but how about steering me to some good brew pubs around Se World in San Antonio. I am headed down there for Christmas.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I agree that's it's a great thing. I couldn't be happier that they banned them here a couple years ago. Not a smoker myself. But enjoy being able to go into a bar/restaurant and being able to enjoy myself. It's easy for people to say that smokers have a "right" to smoke. No, you don't have a right to possible inflict disease on other people. "But they don't have to be there if they don't like the smoke", not so much the employees if they're trying to support themselves and families.

 

[lamarguy]

Freetail and Blue Star are the only brewpubs. If nothing else, I highly recommend you stop by Freetail.

Ranger Creek is a new brewstillery that may be having tours when you're visiting. Cool guys.

Flying Saucer is the best craft beer bar.