Jul
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Butt out
July 1, 2008 |
At midnight last night the state-wide smoking ban took effect. What does that mean to you and me here in Stuart? Cleaner air when we go out in public? Sure. Better tasting food and drink? Possibly. Healthier living? Time will tell.
It also means just one more way of being told what we can and can’t do. I’ve mentioned (and ranted about) this before, but it bears repeating. I don’t smoke, but don’t tell me I don’t have the right to. I can carry a gun around, but I can’t smoke in a bar? That’s ridiculous. But I can still smoke at the casino because casinos make more money. And we don’t really care about the health of the casino workers, do we? Apparently not. Or at least not enough to outweigh the cashflow.
So when you come to the bar don’t blame me for taking away your rights. At least you can still smoke outside. Until next year when the state takes that away too.
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I don’t smoke but I’m afraid this action is going to close down a lot of small businesses.
If smoking is so bad for everyone then the state should ban it all together instead of taking the taxes it provides to the state. This is just another example of your democrat representatives knowing what’s best for you. Vote them all out of office!
Actually, our State Rep. Clel Baudler (A REPUBLICAN) voted for the smoking ban. So don’t blame this solely on the Democrats.
The majority of the reps are democrats and chubby chet could have vetoed the bill. I’m a registered democrat but won’t be voting for any of them next election.
Stay home and smoke your brains out then.
This was neither Rep or Dem decision. this was a “feel good” thing first of all, but a public health thing in the end. What’s wrong with this is that it isn’t across the board. If it makes money for the state, it is protected (casinos). If not, then the hell with the small business person who is already in the toilet with the current economy. People who don’t want to smell smoke won’t go into a fog filled bar unless they have a bigger problem, such as being alcoholic and can’t resist, or looking for love in all the wrong places. Waking up in the morning smelling like an ash tray AND booze is such an ugly thought and quite a goal in life. Ugh! At any rate, the lawmakers may have made a mistake by letting the casinos off the hook. This will end up in court, I’m sure.
I am thrilled that there is a smoking ban. I can go out to eat or to a bar if I want and not have to put up with second hand smoke.
Yeah to all that voted for the ban.
I don’t think you really have to be an alcoholic or a whore to come to a bar. It might make things more interesting though.
Up until yesterday, my goal was to smell smokier and boozier every day. That meant I was making money and my customers were enjoying themselves.
All Hail the Nanny State. If smoking in public places must be banned, can we also ban stupid people who speak out loud? They raise my blood pressure and that is not good for my health.
when is the sin tax and banning for health going to hit the pork and beef producers?
“I don’t smoke, but don’t tell me I don’t have the right to.”
Can I switch this around and say I also don’t smoke, so don’t tell me I don’t have the right to breathe clean, non-toxic air in a generally public place?
I understand your point is that you are a private business, and you should be allowed to let whatever happen in your establishment that you want, and that if I don’t like it I should go to another bar that doesn’t allow smoking. But the fact is, bar owners are too focused on making that extra $ than doing what is right for the health of the general public, and there aren’t ANY bar owners willing to go that extra mile to do the right thing. People are literally DYING from this, Nate. And it’s not just the smokers that are dying.
There, I said it.
You’ll get used to it, and I’m guessing most people will love it. After all, MOST people do NOT smoke. Why do the 90% of us that don’t have to suffer when that 10% decides they want to light up wherever the fuck they want?
I will agree with you it’s complete bullcrap that casinos are not subject to the ban, however.
And please to be posting pictures of your kittens!
I’m actually quite glad I no longer have to smell the smoke from all those death sticks. Ahhhhhh. So nice.
Maren, if this was really about health the casinos wouldn’t be exempt. If this was about health McDonald’s and Pizza Hut would be shut down. If this was about health they wouldn’t let children ride on escalators.
Most people probably will love this, but most people don’t come to my bar. I’m trying to look out for my rights as a business owner to conduct my business as I see fit. I’ll adjust because I have no choice.
“If this was about health, they wouldn’t let children ride on escalators.”
Haha! You’re absolutely right. When I was about 8, I was at someplace with a daycare group and got my shoelace caught in an escalator and nearly lost a foot! Thanks for bringing that painful memory up again.
I think it looks very very bad everybody standing outside the bars smoking!! That is just my thoughts I do not smoke but I feel if the smoke bothers you so bad stay the hell home.
one would think that we are a nation of children who cannot tie our own laces the way the government thinks that it has to make our every decision for us.
if you do not wish to breathe smoke vote with your dollars and do not visit the establishment.
all the bill had to say was a sign needed to be posted on the door stating that it is a smoking or non smoking establishment. them the consumer had the option to patronize the business or not.
this is just another nail in the coffin of our personal freedoms.
if the people of this country do not wake up soon and start saying no by voting all these big brothers/big government out of office we will continue to lose other rights one by one.
nate until this law passed you had every right to decide how you wanted to run your establishment. now you don’t. maybe your business will not fall off during the summer but what will happen this winter when it is to cold to stand outside to smoke? what will happen when people come in for one drink and leave and go home because they can sit in a nice warm house and have a smoke while they drink? what will happen when the next law they pass says that you may only serve two drinks per customer? what will happen when you have to ensure that no one leaves your establishment intoxicated or else you will be held liable for any wrong doing they might do after they leave?
it appears that the government is trying to breed personal responsibility right out of the citizens of this country. every law they enact like this is one step closer to turning every one into the village idiot that everyone else has to look out after.
i say this law is a crock. every person with two functioning brain cells should be calling their elected officials and demanding that the law be repealed immediately. they should also tell them that they should not waste their time on any other crock laws the remove personal responsibility from the equation.
there are already enough laws to cover just about every situation in one form or another.
in the mean time i suggest you turn your establishment into a private club with no membership fees other than producing a valid identification as proof of age when applying for membership. print up a ruby’s membership card on the computer, put their name on it and issue it at the bar. private clubs are exempt from the law. hang a sign on the door stating it is a private club and membership is free with valid id, visitors are welcome and have a stack of guest membership cards ready to just write the name on for people who are just here for a few days or weeks.
I sure hate it when I walk down the street I have to breath the exhaust blowing out the back of some of the old (and new) cars. Not a matter of health Its a matter of freedom of choice to smoke or not to smoke If smoking is so bad, why is tobacco legal to sell? ANd you only have to be 18 to buy tobacco but 21 to drink?? Business owners should have the final say if smoking is allowed or not.. Not the government. Alcohol isnt healthy either so wtf is the difference??? Mostly comes down to the US government threting to take away funds, etc to states that dont pass the law…
the only reason alcohol is not illegal is because they tried that and it failed, remember prohibition. maybe bar owners should do the same thing. small front rooms, large hidden entrance back or underground rooms where all the fun really goes on.
let the government threaten all they want. this is a states rights issue. the only thing a state has to do is call their bluff. it is illegal to withhold funds. if the federal government tries it then the attorney general can just get busy and challenge it. jez, you would think that someone in power in one of the 50 states would grow some stones and stand up for their state.
One of the jobs of the government is to protect the health and safety of the citizens. That is why there is OSHA, FDA, Fire Codes etc. Back in the day, it was no big deal to have all kinds of fire code violations. When the government (Fire Dept) came around and did fire inspections, the businesses acted the same way they are now “I dont like the government telling me how to run my business”. Of course these fire codes have saved NUMEROUS lives over the years. Hopefully this smoking law will save lives as well.
Any business owner knows they are subject to the ever changing laws of the government when they purchase the business.
can you not make a distinction between setting and enforcing a standard of compliance on material things and personal liberty? there is a difference you know.
Take a look at the Dept of Health website and see just how intrusive this law is.
http://www.iowasmokefreeair.gov/
Well wasn’t it nice if them to let me smoke in my own tractor, driving down my own road, doing my own business of growing food crops to sell to some restaurant that I will no longer patronize. Give me a break.
Someone can drink alcohol and the people near them are not effected by it. With smoking, all the people around them are inhaling the smoke. There is a big difference.
I do not like second hand smoke and I am glad there is a ban on it for restaraunts and other public places.
Nate, I will have to stop by the bar more often now. Couldnt stand the smoke before hand.
Why dont the owners of businesses that want to allow smoking make it a private business and sell membership tickets for $1 and then anyone coming into the business is allowed to smoke? Anyone not wanting to go into a business with smoking wouldnt have to come in, would they??