smoking bans
So there are a couple issues up on our ballot this Tuesday involving Smoking Bans. Not once, but twice, our county passed Smoking Bans in all establishments, including restaurants and bars.
The bar owners claim this has ruined business, because smokers won't come out if they can't smoke, and smokers are the bulk of their business.
I'm not a smoker, and I go to bars. Especially to see bands. If there's smoke, which there often is because so many people flaunt the smoking bans, I refuse to spend any money on drinks and usually leave quickly. And I'm pissed that I paid a cover to be annoyed by the smoke. I've actually considered demanding my cover back because the bar is breaking the law and it's forcing me to leave, but I'm just not that big of a bitch.
People aren't spending as much time and money at bars because the country, and especially this state, are in recession. People are spending more on taxes and healthcare and general living expenses, so they have less money to throw away on a few drinks at the bar. Sure, some of the smokers are staying home where they can smoke, but why are they more important than us non-smokers? (Especially us German/Irish non-smokers who can drink all night if we're not choking on smoke?)
But what really amazes me in all of the discussions about smoking bans is how everyone is oblivious to the health hazard it creates for the staff of said bars. I know - most people who work in bars smoke. This is only true at some bars. And most does not = all. Why is it legal for you to smoke around your waitress, barback, and bartender at their place of business? Does anyone come into your office and blow smoke around - all day, every day? Seriously, as someone who used to work in these environments, as a non-smoker, it sucked. If some day I develop a second-hand-smoke-related-ailment, should the employer who allowed smoking have to pay for all the related healthcare costs? People that work in bars are not "below" anyone else, and deserve the same rights as everyone else in their workplace.
And seriously, why are you still smoking? It's only cool when you're 13.
The bar owners claim this has ruined business, because smokers won't come out if they can't smoke, and smokers are the bulk of their business.
I'm not a smoker, and I go to bars. Especially to see bands. If there's smoke, which there often is because so many people flaunt the smoking bans, I refuse to spend any money on drinks and usually leave quickly. And I'm pissed that I paid a cover to be annoyed by the smoke. I've actually considered demanding my cover back because the bar is breaking the law and it's forcing me to leave, but I'm just not that big of a bitch.
People aren't spending as much time and money at bars because the country, and especially this state, are in recession. People are spending more on taxes and healthcare and general living expenses, so they have less money to throw away on a few drinks at the bar. Sure, some of the smokers are staying home where they can smoke, but why are they more important than us non-smokers? (Especially us German/Irish non-smokers who can drink all night if we're not choking on smoke?)
But what really amazes me in all of the discussions about smoking bans is how everyone is oblivious to the health hazard it creates for the staff of said bars. I know - most people who work in bars smoke. This is only true at some bars. And most does not = all. Why is it legal for you to smoke around your waitress, barback, and bartender at their place of business? Does anyone come into your office and blow smoke around - all day, every day? Seriously, as someone who used to work in these environments, as a non-smoker, it sucked. If some day I develop a second-hand-smoke-related-ailment, should the employer who allowed smoking have to pay for all the related healthcare costs? People that work in bars are not "below" anyone else, and deserve the same rights as everyone else in their workplace.
And seriously, why are you still smoking? It's only cool when you're 13.
posted by Silver Turtle at
12:38 PM
1 Comments:
I don't get it either. I'm so used to bars being smoke free, it's weird going up to Canada and being in smoky bars.
Yeah, I stopped smoking when I was 15, after I realized I wasn't impressing anybody.
By
Shamus O'Drunkahan, at 8:38 PM
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