Smoke Free Arizona

[MCSledgehammer]

I consider myself a polite smoker- I know most of the people I know are non-smokers, and I accept the majority rule. I always ask those around me if they mind. If I have non-smokers over for dinner or something, I'll step onto the balcony for my after dinner cigarette. HOWEVER. I have noticed a few of my favorite local dive bars and all-night diners are suffering. Turns out a lot of people do as I do- if I want cup of coffee and a cigarette, I stay home.
While I feel for the employees of smoking establishments (I'm a pack-a-dayer, and those places got to be too much for me- not at all fair to the poor non-smoker trapped behind the bar), it is hurting local restaurants. My question is this: If there is such a demand for non-smoking places, why weren't there more of them?
(Okay, go ahead and lambast me- I'm braced for it.)

[South Texan]

Night clubs, restaurants, shops... those are all private property. The owner of the property should be the one that gets to decide whether a site allows smoking or not, not the government.

I hate cigarette smoke, but I hate invasive laws even more.

I hear you.

The next thing you know the government will be determining whether the business can refuse to serve persons of certain races, whether it can serve alcohol to children, when it can sell alcohol, whether it has to keep its kitchen cleaned to some health code standard, whether it can allow people to bring in pets to eat at the tables, whether it can let infectious persons prepare food, whether it has to limit the number of patrons allowed in its establishment as determined by some fire code, whether it can refuse to hire a minority waiter if it thinks patrons will stop coming if the minority is hired, whether it can sell spoiled food, etc. It is just outrageous!

[Andara Bledin]

See, you're taking this to the absurd. There are valid arguments, but those are none of them.

As MCSledgehammer mentioned, if there was such a huge demand for non-smoking restaurants and bars, why have places that have voluntarily gone non-smoking never prospered? I know of several that did that in Los Angeles, and they all had to either go back to being smoking allowed or they went under.

And that will be it from me on this. Anything else needs to go to fratching.

^-.-^

[Becks]

I consider myself a polite smoker.

Same here. I ask the people I'm with if they mind if I smoke. I try to get as far away from non-smokers as possible. I dispose of my finished smokey treats in a responsible manner. Man, if I didn't smoke, I'd be perfect.

I hate it when I'm outside- out of the way- minding my own business and a non- smoker decides to "protest". Instead of choosing one of the many places away from me and my cigarette they choose to stand right on top of me and make fake coughing noises. For this stupidity I have zero sympathy.

Oh, I DESPISE that!!!!!! And some of the worst are former smokers. You quit? Good for you. Seriously. I've tried. It's hard. I know smoking's bad for me. They don't allow me to drink on the job, but I can smoke if I so choose. I pay a whole lot of taxes for my smokey treats, let me enjoy them for as long as I want.

[GyroKat]

As Eddie Izzard says: There's no smoking in bars, and soon there will be no drinking, and no talking either!

[SuperB]

They may not be public places by your definition but people have to shop don't they? They deserve a smoke free environment. The employees and delivery people deserve a smoke free environment as well. Dinner out may be a luxury, technically, but a smoke free environment is still a right and people shouldn't have to be forced to stay home and miss out because they can't handle smoke.
The smokers I know are responsible and polite, but there are some out there who just don't care. Once at Disneyland, in a most definitely non-smoking area my kids and I had been sitting, waiting for dad to get off a ride they couldn't go on. A smoker walked up to where we were sitting and lit up. With all the other areas they could have gone to (including the smoking area) they chose to stop next to my kid and smoke. I made them leave.

Who I feel sorry for are smokers who live in apartments. There's talk, at least I think it's only talk right now, of not allowing smoking in apartments because of the smoke potentially getting in to other apartments. That's the kind of thing worth fighting. Not businesses. Businesses should be smoke free.

[April]

I know here, alot of bars and places are really suffering because of the new smoking ban. One owner said that he hasn't brought home a paycheck because after buying supplies and paying his workers there wasn't enough money for him to make money. Alot of the smokers are now buying alcohol at a liquor store and taking it home.

A couple of bars are protesting the ban and allowing smoking in the bars. They are willingly paying the fines and customers are donating money for the fines.

As for me, if it's such a big deal make it either or. Either all smoking, or all non smoking. Let the business owner decide.

[myswtghst]

But I'm a firm believer that a smoke-free environment is a right and anyone who chooses to smoke is the one who needs to make the sacrifices. Cigarette smoke isn't something that children, or asthmatics should have to deal with in a public place.

I'm a smoker (going on 6 years now) but I completely agree with this. I, too, consider myself a polite smoker--even in my car/apartment, I don't smoke with others around, and I always open windows/sliding door. I don't smoke around my non-smoking friends, and I'm perfectly content to go outside, out of the way. As for drive-thru's, I consider it EXTREMELY bad manners to smoke while I drive through, and always put my ciggy out before I go through.

I have family that don't smoke, have asthma and are allergic to smoke, and it's a pain when we go into a restaurant and have to practically beg, piss off the hostess, and sit in some dark corner just to get far enough away from the smoking section that it doesn't bother anyone.

I appreciate places that are attempting to accomodate smokers within the law--a lot of our bars have outdoor smoking areas, some of which have heaters/are covered, and one bar even has a "smoking bus" outside. I think it's great to have bars that are smoke-free, so people who don't smoke are forced to deal with it, but I like that some places are making an effort to make everyone happy.

And with that, I'm taking my smoke break.

[sarahj]

I don't smoke, I think it's disgusting. However these bans are idiotic. Don't want to go to a club and smell the smoke? Don't go to the club. Or find a non smoking one. Same thing for people who work in these places and complain. Hello, why'd you apply for the job then?

If people want to suck on their cancer sticks who am I to stop them?

Are you serious? I'm not allowed to have a night out because I can't breathe with all the second-hand smoke? There are NO non-smoking clubs around here now, but soon they'll all be like that. People who want to smoke can do so outside - it's called a pass-out. They can come right back in after.

And as for people who complain about smoke when working in a bar - we knew they'd be sucky customers when we decided to work in retail, and we still applied. Does that mean we're not allowed to complain anymore?

Note: I personally can't stand smoking. Smokers who do so outside, away from a doorway? Yay. Thank you! Smokers who do so when walking on a crowded sidewalk, thus blowing smoke into people's faces? Ew. You suck. As long as I don't have to breathe it, I don't care what you do.

Second note: Places you can still smoke: house, car (or other vehicle), train station (not undercover section, though), sidewalk (even when crowded), outside doorways, outside seating sections of restaurants, and parks. I know I'm missing some. Surely the ban on smoking in clubs isn't that bad for smokers?

I know this is snarky but I really feel strongly about this!

[Horsetuna]

Don't want to go to a club and smell the smoke? Don't go to the club. -rest cut-

People who go to clubs where people smoke go to because there ARE no no smoking clubs. Here in Calgary there was not a single one before the ban. I would be there a few hours and my eyes would be watering.

As for those who have to work in it - remember, that sometimes you have no choice but to work as a Waitress to make ends meet. Its not always easy to 'get another job' like those people who come here and tell us to stop whining and 'suck it up or get another job' cause people treat us like crap.

I was COUNTING on the smoking ban to go through in Calgary fully so I could work in a place I love (Casino), in the city I love (calgary). But then, the Casinos were exempt, and so due to my tobacco allergy, I was forced to quit aj ob I loved, and take a lower paying job that I dont love as much.

Sorry, but when my life style is affected in a negative way cause some people like to inhale smoke, then I get upset. Yes, those people chose to smoke, but I shouldnt' have to give up a good paying job and work for near-nothing and go without a lot of stuff because of their selfishness. I can't really leave my job to go and get a breath of fresh air outside as easily as they can step outside to light up. To me, the employees should have come first.

[KuzcoLlama]

This thread is now closed. Everyone is welcome to go to Fratching to debate smoke bans.