Smoking Ban —Passed in Chicago

A

Andyman

Home sweet Home!!
Chicago, one of America’s most cigar-friendly cities, passed a smoking ban yesterday that goes into effect January 16. Washington D.C. also voted on a ban, but the mayor has threatened a veto.

The ruling in Chicago, which comes after months of heated hearings, includes a last-minute compromise that opened loopholes in the ban that will allow some form of smoking to continue in the Windy City.

The law, approved 45-1 by the Chicago City Council, bans smoking in restaurants, convention facilities, sports arenas, government vehicles used for city business, and the lobbies, hallways and other common areas in apartment buildings and condominiums. Smoking will also be prohibited within 15 feet of the entrance of a prohibited enclosed area.

The law does allow for smoking in cigar stores, hotel and motel rooms, private clubs and lodges, and bars, taverns and restaurant bars. Smoking in bars and restaurant bars will be allowed until July 1, 2008.
 
In Minnesota they had a county wide smoking ban that included all resteraunts and bars in Hennepin county. Just a couple days ago they voted to lift the ban on establishments that have less than 50% food sales. This is good news however Minneapolis, which is in Hennepin county has a city wide ban that still holds.
 
My hometown of Duluth, MN has a ban on all locations that serve any kind of food, this includes bars, bowling alleys, and pool halls... A big pain in the @#$
It really makes it difficult to enjoy a good smoke anywhere, I was even given a hard time at a tee box to a Duluth public golf course last summer. I told the individual to $@#! off... Politely of course. :sb
 
Andyman said:
In Minnesota they had a county wide smoking ban that included all resteraunts and bars in Hennepin county. Just a couple days ago they voted to lift the ban on establishments that have less than 50% food sales. This is good news however Minneapolis, which is in Hennepin county has a city wide ban that still holds.
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Watch that goofy Mayor now say how Minneapolis needs a level playing field.. The anti smoking Nazis always say how bars and restraurant business is not affected by the ban and actually gets better then why in hell would they need a level playing field...Christ the wheels are coming off the world and all some weak people can worry about is smelling a little smoke..Also that propaganda about second hand smoke killing 35,000 people a year ,,if that is true then we must have had some kind of pandemic back in the 50s 60s and 70s when people actually smoked indoors and at their desks.. Its all bullshit...

Jerry in Minnesota.
 
c2000 said:
Watch that goofy Mayor now say how Minneapolis needs a level playing field.. The anti smoking Nazis always say how bars and restraurant business is not affected by the ban and actually gets better then why in hell would they need a level playing field...Christ the wheels are coming off the world and all some weak people can worry about is smelling a little smoke..Also that propaganda about second hand smoke killing 35,000 people a year ,,if that is true then we must have had some kind of pandemic back in the 50s 60s and 70s when people actually smoked indoors and at their desks.. Its all bullshit...

Jerry in Minnesota.
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You are not saying that breathing second hand smoke is not harmful, are you? We can decry the smoking nazis all we want, but the science is correct.

I see it as a property rights issue. Ban smoking in all public buildings. The government (ie.. the citizens) have every right to do so. The danger exists when they go to a private bar owner and restrict his freedom by imposing their morality.

IF YOU DON"T LIKE THE SMELL OF SMOKE WHEN YOU GO TO A BAR OWNED BY A LAW ABIDING, TAX PAYING CITIZEN - THEN GO SOMEWHERE ELSE AND STFU!!

Quite frankly, I cannot stand the smell of cigarettes. To me they are disgusting. Do you know what I do when the bar is too smoky? Hold your socks 'cause this is going to throw you for a loop - I leave. I would never dream of demanding that someone else cater to my whims. People do a lot of stuff I don't like - I choose not to hang out with them.

I live in Tempe, AZ, a city with a complete smoking ban. I no longer patronize any bar or restaurant within the city limits. I take my business elsewhere. Of course, I wont even have that option soon as a state-wide ban is on its way.
 
It really all seems totally unconstitutional to me... I really wonder how far off are we from having smoking completly illeagal?? Seems like the logical next step.
 
Don't forget the newly enacted 70% tax on the whosale price of cigars, and our govenor who promised no new taxes has the balls to call it a fee...fee my ass... if anything it's a fine!!!!!!
 
c2000 said:
The anti smoking Nazis always say how bars and restraurant business is not affected by the ban and actually gets better then why in hell would they need a level playing field
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Obvious :BS

I live in Buffalo. The only industry we have is drinking. Last call is 4am, and that is routinely disregarded. A couple of years ago, the Commies and queers banned smoking. Of course, they said "It would help business"


Many bars went under, one of which, before closing its doors, said F it.

Their argument was that they are not getting paid a dime by the city, state, or county to enforce laws. Ordinary citizens don't have to write speeding tickets and patrol the highways on their way to work, they don't have to patrol the bar for smokers.

They did hand out wavers to smoking patrons saying it was illegal, but until their bartenders were given badges, they were powerless to stop them...so smoke away.

The place soared in popularity, I even started going (didnt smoke) just to support someone with the pair to stand up for Americans.

Then the government took them to court and buried the place in legal fees....another empty building in a Rust Belt City.
 
slowhand said:
You are not saying that breathing second hand smoke is not harmful, are you? We can decry the smoking nazis all we want, but the science is correct.
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The science is questionable. Hell, most of the field of epidemiology is very questionable.
 
slowhand said:
Come on now, let's be serious.
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*Taking off my Groucho glasses*

The science is questionable.

The risks associated with SHS are exaggerated.

*Putting Groucho glasses back on (becuse the next comment is slightly less serious...but only slightly)*

The main function of the field of epidemiology is to suck cash from the NIH.
 
Hoppy said:
Don't forget the newly enacted 70% tax on the whosale price of cigars, and our govenor who promised no new taxes has the balls to call it a fee...fee my ass... if anything it's a fine!!!!!!
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Amen Brother..

If I remember, thats why we fought for our independence from England.
 
slowhand said:
You are not saying that breathing second hand smoke is not harmful, are you? We can decry the smoking nazis all we want, but the science is correct.
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The thing is, that when you get down to it, the air you breathe outside is just as bad, if not worse, in a big city than it is if you're inhaling some second hand smoke. IMO.

I read a news article on yahoo just recently about a particular hotel chain that is getting rid of all of it's smoking rooms, and will become non-smoking only. I forget which chain it is..

BTW, Hello everyone. :)
 
Andyman said:
The law does allow for smoking in cigar stores, hotel and motel rooms, private clubs and lodges, and bars, taverns and restaurant bars. Smoking in bars and restaurant bars will be allowed until July 1, 2008.
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That gives Daley, and the tavern lobbyists, 2 and a half years to get the nonsense overturned for bars and restaurant bars. I rarely go downtown anymore anyway except to visit family (smoking permitted), or concerts or sporting events. Hope this trend doesn't extend like wildfire outside the city limits.
 
icehog3 said:
Hope this trend doesn't extend like wildfire outside the city limits.
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It will extend to everywhere if we don't get organized and kick up as much fuss as the smoking nazis do.
 
Jeff said:
It will extend to everywhere if we don't get organized and kick up as much fuss as the smoking nazis do.
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I feel that "homicidal" thing my counselor keeps talking about rearing its ugly head again....
 
Jokieman said:
I read a news article on yahoo just recently about a particular hotel chain that is getting rid of all of it's smoking rooms, and will become non-smoking only. I forget which chain it is..

BTW, Hello everyone. :)
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I beleive it was the Westin Chain..
 
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