So, with a lack of good political discussion topics, I came up with this one. I am from Columbus, Ohio, and there is going on a ballot after a city counsel vote a smoking ban in all public places and 20 ft. from all entrances.
In new york and several other cities the restaurant or bowling lane or hotel can have walled off smoking areas with separate ventilation systems, but the proposed ban here would not allow this.
How do you feel about this?
I think the ban is a great idea, and I can’t wait for it to pass.
Any bans near you?
Several restaurants have already gone non-smoking only, like applebee’s, and they have lost some bar business, but have doubled their other patrons, such as families.
The argument for the ban adds that the smoke is poisonous, and he owner of the business cannot legally endanger his employees, if it was asbestos, which is less poisonous, the restaurant would be shut down immediately and cleaned.
The argument against the ban is that the restaurants will lose business, especially places like bowling alleys, which usually have large smoking crowds. Also, the business should be able to decide how to run the place, without gov’t regulations.
Another opinion is that the economy should be left on it’s own, with increased patron regulation, i.e. refusing to go to a business with smoking, thus forcing the business to go smoke free or opening up a niche for other smoke free businesses.
Do you smoke? For or against the ban? Is there one near you?
(if you think this is spam, you need to read the forum dictionary)(it isn’t)
As i said, i think it is great, and will be good for the economy.
Anyone have info on the issue in Europe?
okay, there is [at least in california] a problem with this
pretty much every OTHER place is off limits to smokers
that said, I am not a smoker and it isn’t enough of a problem for me to particularly care.
It shouldn’t be banned. However I don’t smoke myself, and I don’t think others should smoke anywhere but designated areas out of courtesy to those who don’t smoke.
Ban smoking? Thats the dumbest thing ive ever heard…
ban it in public places.
although i think that private business can have the option of installing smoking rooms/sections, that adhear to strict rules and regualtions.
here in NZ we are putting in a somking ban in bars/clubs, but they are not allowed to set up smoking rooms or anything, its just a flat ban. and many pubs and such are going out of bussiness (rural ones)
so yeah.
but i think its a step in the right direction.
Alltaken
Ban smoking at public places, Becaus not everyone like the smell…
It is almost like farting in public, nobody likes that, it only smells diskusting…
Smoke home but not in public, thats my opinien… 
They should also ban skiving ciggy breaks at work.
A person at work with has 10 minute ciggy breaks every half hour - makes for a nice short working day for her meanwhile I work my butt off… :<
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Brian
ofcourse it should be baned… once you are smoking you are not only destroying youre health you are also destroying the health of those around you gaints their will. I can’t see how is that so hard to understand.
In sweden we just got a law banning smoking in bars. Yay!
I hope that more areas will be restricted soon.
And hopefully, in some years, smoking can be banned at all places.
LOL sebastian, don’t let dittohead see your avatar LOL
Alltaken
Smoking is ban in public places here in Quebec. Not sure if it’s Canada-wide or not though, but I’m pretty sure it’s not.
I do think it’s a good idea. I personally don’t smoke by choice. People who smoke in public places are basicly forcing their smoking habbits down other people’s lungs.
Martin
It is not Canada wide. Most communities and/or cities have bylaws concerning this.
b01c
Its ridiculous for the government to ban smoking at all restaurant, bars etc. That’s like them saying your not allowed to smoke in your own home. I beleive that the decision on whether or not smoking is banned on a property should be made by the property owner. If you don’t like the smoke go to a place that doesn’t allow smoking.
I’m always going to have a tough time with smoking since three (so far…) people close to me have died of it. (Actually, drowned would be a better word for it.)
I certainly don’t want to be subjected to their version of voluntary slow-motion suicide as a spice to my food.
But, I think that it should be a decision made solely at the discretion of the owner of the restauraunt. If they think it’s “sexy” to allow smoking of cigars or what have you in their establishment, as long as they post a sign outside the door warning me not to go in, they’re free to do as they please. And I won’t go in.
In public places like office buildings, post offices and so-forth, smoking should be flat-banned partly because the ventilation in those places is already so terrible. (Employees should be reminded to take a periodic walk outside.)
Not really, your home is a private place and restaurants etc. are public. I agree smoking should be banned in public or at least there should be well sealed off areas where no-one else is affected. Not those crappy sections restaurants make out; smoke travels. It stinks up the place and makes my eyes water too. When I pay for a meal, I don’t want that in my face. Banning it saves you the trouble of having to confront others about their inconsiderate attitude as that could lead to a bust-up.
Smoking bans are political fashion statements; lobbying by pseudo-political bussyboddies who want to weild power over others without actually having to step up to the plate and take responsibility for the power that they (could/would) weild if they got there by their actions rather than by their petitions.
When smoking in public is banned for all smokers; ie people, cars, busses, trucks, trains, factories, power generation plants, incinerators and other waste disposal entities, sugarcane farmers, refinery burnoffs etc etc, I’ll believe that it’s more than just political masquerading and legislative oneupmanship.
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Agreed.
Not really, your home is a private place and restaurants etc. are public.
Resturants aren’t owned by the state, resturant owners have the right to do anything they wish on their property, like banning or allowing smoking.
You don’t own the resturant, nor the property, neither does the government own either, so where do people get off thinking they can regulate industry and actualy help people? Fewer people will go into buisness because their would/are so many regulations and rules that whether you conduct a good profitable buisness or not they get screwed for not adhering to a certain regulation or law.
Thus the economy goes south, then you all ask for a “stimulus package” to get things going again, just prolonging a recession.
Like pollution laws. The number one polluter in america is the government, where do they get off making laws that buisness’ can’t pollute when the one making the law is the worst?
If a buisness is making/selling crappy products then it’s your job, not the governments to stop them, by simply not buying from them anymore.
What would you think if you were in a restaurant with your wife & kids, maybe even with your precious little newborn baby, and someone comes in and sits down next to you and starts to burn stuff which produces clouds of toxic fumes?
Wait a minute… I was trying to think up an enlightening analogy, but that’s actually the literal truth. You can’t even exaggerate the vileness, the inconsiderateness, the stupidity.
There are people driving down the road right now with little kids in the car, windows rolled up because it’s too hot or too cold, and they’re smoking. And it will be the same in their house when they get home.
Well, there’s nothing we can do about it.
Those people have the “right” to do that to their children.
That makes me very sad.
Those kids can’t protect themselves. We can’t protect them. They may not even know they need protection. Their parents may not even understand what they’re doing.
Society has a responsibility to protect the innocent & helpless.
Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.
lemme start of first with the fact that i do NOT smoke, and do NOT plan on it.
i feel that they should either ban smoking altogether, or not ban it anywhere (other than bars and stuff like they already do.)
its all about freedom. after cigarettes, whats it gonna be? imho theres already enough bans on stuff, last thing they need is a new one.