Posted on 03/02/2003 5:11:15 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Eateries resist telling smokers to snuff it
Owners say they aren't obliged to enforce ban; Poss endorsed
03/02/2003
If Dallas Mayor Laura Miller expects restaurateurs to become her anti-smoking patrol, she's mistaken, industry leaders said Saturday on the first day of Dallas' restaurant and bar smoking ban.
The Greater Dallas Restaurant Association is instructing owners to abide by the new city ordinance, such as by posting "no smoking" signs. But it is telling them not to feel compelled to enforce it.
"We are not going to get into a confrontational situation if someone is smoking," said Mark Maguire, president-elect of the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association and owner of Maguire's Regional Cuisine and the M Grill & Tap in Dallas. "We're going to choose not to confront it."
At a smoke-free happy hour at Maggiano's Little Italy restaurant, Mayor Laura Miller praised the ban as a victory against illness.
"It's a public health issue, first and foremost," she said. "You have to stay strong and believe in that."
RICHARD MICHAEL PRUITT / DMN |
But count restaurant association leaders among the nonbelievers.
Ms. Miller angered them enough that the association on Saturday made its first mayoral endorsement ever - recommending City Council member Mary Poss, who is challenging Ms. Miller in the May 3 election.
Ms. Poss vowed Saturday that, if elected, she would attempt to overturn the ban.
"Some of these businesses will not be in business," she said. "Others will move to the suburbs."
Ms. Miller played down the endorsement.
"It doesn't surprise me. The restaurants are nervous because this is a big change," she said. "They'll come around quickly."
The mayor cited studies indicating that smoking bans increase restaurant patronage rather than drive it to other cities, as some restaurateurs fear.
At the Cadillac Bar in Dallas' West End, general manager Mark O'Brien said he opposed the ban, although he reported normal business Sunday and no problems among nicotine-starved patrons.
In keeping with the restaurant association's guidance, he said he would not harass customers who decide to light up at the risk of being fined as much as $200.
Among the smokers who were grumbling but not puffing at the Cadillac was Jared Davidson.
He said he would consider taking his cigarettes - and money - to restaurants in Addison, Arlington or Fort Worth.
But he remained at the Cadillac on Saturday.
Mr. Davidson sat quietly, his food before him and a half-empty glass of suds inches from his left hand. But at his right, the ashtray was gone.
"It's really weird - really weird - going into a bar, having a beer and not being able to have a cigarette," said Mr. Davidson, gesturing as if holding an invisible cigarette between his index and middle fingers. "It's going to take some getting used to."
MONA REEDER / DMN
|
At Dick's Last Resort, a West End bar and restaurant, Douglas and Karen Lambert sat at the bar drinking beer. Mr. Lambert smokes; his wife doesn't.
He said he would abide by the ban; he doesn't even smoke in his own house. But that doesn't mean he likes the new city restrictions.
"It should be up to the establishments, the owners, to decide where customers can and can't smoke," he said.
Likewise, it's up to customers to take their business to restaurants that appeal to them, Mr. Lambert said. "If you don't want to smell smoke, don't come in."
Jason Buckner of Dallas said he agreed with the ban.
Dining in a Dallas restaurant without the smell of burning tobacco wafting his way, and coming home without smelling of smoke, will be a welcome change, he said.
"I can't really stand smoke," he said. "The ban is a real benefit to people who want to be healthy."
Where and when did I ever say anything about a "right" to smoke????
In your imagination I guess.
If an establishment I enter permits smoking then I am granted a privilege by the owner. It is the owner of that establishment that has the "right" to say if I can smoke or not.
As I have said in the past and I will say again - YOU HAVE NO CLUE.
I and others like me are fully in support of laws prohibiting smoking in public places of accomodation, and we are winning because the logic is irrefutable.
What logic????????
I fully support your right to smoke in your home.
So big of you.
What about the business owner?
A friend of mine owns a bar downtown, she's a smoker (her husband isn't) and the 3 other staff members they have are all smokers. 90% of their clients are smokers.
Because you don't like to be around smoke and would probably never set foot in this place, you still think it is just fine and dandy to ban smoking from this place???
I'm so glad you have finally understood the idea of private property.
I own the private property that includes an establishment that invites certain members of the public.
I am in total agreement with you.
I assume you walked or rode a bicycle to that park.
Any other way would be polluting the air, wouldn't it?
I will spend an hour in a closed garage with 100 of my smoking buddies and everyone smoking continually for that hour.
You spend an hour in a similar closed garage with a car running.
We'll discuss how bad SHS is over a beer after the hour.
Sounds like my husband
Not according to the truly militant anti-smokers. They claim that smokers insist on smoking where ever and whenever they want - that's not true.
Smokers just want places where we can smoke.
Heck I won't even smoke in my own house if my SIL is around, because I know how much it bothers her - fortunately she lives in California and rarely hits the east coast!!!
This time around the anti-smoker money people got caught and got cut off.
It was published in the Sunday morning paper that a NYC based website was generateing the hundreds of faxes that were received.
When I saw the editor's note under the letter this morning I was very happy I had already swallowed my coffee - otherwise it would have been every where.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.