Recently Illinois lawmakers passed a law that bans cigarette smoking in bars, restaurants, and other public workplaces. There is one important vote left, the Governor, Rod Blagojevich. He is in favor of the ban but has not signed the legislation yet. I am torn on this issue. First of all, I am not a smoker. I do not like going into a restaurant, or any other place, that is full of smoke. I do not like smelling like smoke when I leave these establishments. Does the smoke harm me? Yes, it does. Does it bother me while I am in the establishments? Not usually, unless it is extremely smokey. I would love to be able to go to any public place and not smell or see smoke. That being said, I do not think it is right for the state to tell businesses that patrons can't smoke in their place of business. I think it violates their rights as business owners. Many business owners are concerned that it will hurt business. I would guess that it will hurt business for awhile but I think in the long run it will not. In fact, I would venture to say that in restaurants it may help the turnover of patrons. What I mean by that is that the some people will come in and eat and leave a little quicker because they might want to smoke. The big question I have to ask is do the people that smoke have the right to smoke anywhere even though it has been proven to harm the people around them. I would say that most smokers do feel that they have this right. This opinion baffles me. Just because I could legally carry a gun does that mean I can shoot at anyone that annoys me? I don't care if you smoke as long as you don't harm my family, or other individuals, while you do it. So I have covered three very different sides. I have covered the opinion of one non-smoker (me), my opinion on the establishment owner side, and my opinion about the smokers. Let's see what the Governor does. What do you think? Technorati Profile Blogroll Me!
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13 comments:
Mr. Carey,
Because no one in my family smokes, I would have to say that the smoking ban is an exellent idea. All smoking does is cause you problems; you spend alot of extra money that you could use on something more useful (like gasoline) and you kill yourself alot faster. Maybe with the ban on smoking in many public places would give the smokers a hint that smoking must be extremely harmful if you can't even do it in a restaurant. Children should not have to go into a restaurant and breathe in smoke, when they can't do anything about it. Causing them to sufer from the effects of smoking is not fair because they have no control over it. At least adults can choose to avoid smokey areas. I feel that the smoking ban is an exellent idea and might, in the long run, save children and adults from second hand smoke.
-Catherine
Catherine,
Excellent points! Do you think it is right for the government to tell the owners of businesses what they can and can't do in there establishments? I mean, they do own the place.
Mr. Carey,
I think that the government should allow the owners to make their own decision, but I think that the government should strongly encourage the smoking ban and maybe set some kind of schedule of when smokers can be in establishments. This may not be workable considering everyone eats at about the same time, but it is just a thoought.
-Catherine
Hey Shaun,
You are right on all points. I think that the solution is to require physically separate smoking rooms, NOT just separate tables. That way I don't have to deal with smoke, smokers can still smoke, and business owners can stay in business with a minimum of expense.
Jeff
Jeff,
That does sound like an excellent solution! I never thought of that. The cost of remodeling sure would be better than possibly losing business year after year.
Over 10 years ago I went in to a bar outside Livermore, CA with a coworker. We had a few drinks and my friend who smokes lit up a cigarette. He was immediately confronted and asked to put the cigarette out. I felt like we were in another country. I couldn’t believe that a bar wouldn’t allow smoking. I later found out that it was a state law. I just wrote it off as a strange CA law that would never catch on anywhere else. Kind of like the “English Only” laws in the early 1990’s. However, it looks like CA was leading the nation on this issue similar to emission standards for cars.
As a former smoker, and someone who has close smoking friends, I understand what it's like being treated as a second-class citizen. As a former nonsmoker, I also understand the irritation of being enclosed in an area full of cigarette smoke.
Until our nation becomes more socialist, when healthcare is paid for 100%, it's hard for me to rationalize bans on things that have been proven unhealthy. If public smoking is going to be banned, we should also illegalize drinking and consuming unhealthy foods such as McDonald's.
It is nice to have the option. A Chicagoland restaurant/pub recently was fined for setting up an outdoor smoking area under a tent. Nonsmokers could stay inside and not suffer the health risks, while smokers could enjoy their habit.
If this is a free country, we should be allowed to kill ourselves with unhealthy habits and support local businesses as long as it doesn't harm others. The laws need to be tweaked.
I agree with Mr. Zanger. I think he has an excellent point. My family, except my dad, smokes and I don't think it is right for the government to tell the business owners what their establishment can and can not do. I do not like the second hand smoke so a seperate room would be a great idea. Although in bars it would probably not happen because bars are always full of people who smoke. But, he has a good point. With all the people I know that don't want the ban to go by I am not sure if it will. Most of the people I know smoke and will not go to places without smoking. The government needs to realize that people are not going to quit just because of this law.
*anonymous*
Mr. Carey
I think that the owners should have the choice of what they want their establishment to be smoking or non-smoking. i have family on my dads side that smoke all the time. they really like to play cards and when i go into the rom they play cards in i get overwelmed by the smell of smoke that it is very hard to breathe. but, there are non-smoking bars and restaraunts that the family could go to if cannot stand the smell of smoke. when i come home from my dads my mom (not trying to be rude or anything) says you all stink. and me and my brother know that we do and it takes us many many showers just to get the smell of smoke out of our hair.....
Tori,
Just think about all the "gunk" that is in your lungs after you breathe all that smoke. Thanks for the comment.
Mr. Carey,
I am a smoker and would like to voice my opinion, mainly because I believe smokers have an automatic reputation of being against this new law. I do not agree with the law but I do agree that something needs to be done for those people who do not want to be around smokey restaraunts and bars. If you spend much time in Quincy you may have heard of the Tower. Tower has a room, blocked off by walls and a door, for smokers, while the non-smoking area is another room. The entrance to the restaraunt also serves as a seperator, you either go in the room for smokers, or for non-smokers. This allows a smoke free enviornment for those who do not like smoke, and a smoking enviornment to those who do. I think restaraunts who want to allow smoking should have to have a room that is closed in, so only those who wish to be in the smoking area are consumed with smoke. I also think this strategy would work for bars, certain bars can be smoking and certain bars can be non-smoking, this way anyone and everyone has a bar to be comfortable at. I do not feel the government has the right to put these types of limitations on a buisness, however putting standars, such as seperation barriers by walls and a door would be more resonable than not to ban smoking entirely.
-Andi Greenwell
Mr. C
The smoking ban was an excellent idea but it is not fair. The business should decide to have a smoke-free building or not. I do think that if the owner has a building where you can smoke then he should have to have a smoke-free section so that poeple who have a problem with smoke can enjoy they meal with no smoke.
-Chad Lentz-
Chad and Andi,
Thanks for you input on smoking (or not-smoking), whichever way you want to look at it. Andi, I think you and Zanger are on the same page.
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