Taverns brace for smoking ban in different ways

Kennebuc Journal ^ | 12-15-03 | CHUIN-WEI YAP

[SheLion]

This might work in SOUTHERN MAINE, but in NORTHERN MAINE decks just won't cut it. We had 30 inches of snow yesterday with 30 mph winds and sub zero temps. Decks outside? This is rediculous!

They always say there is "two Maines......." well, this just goes to prove it!

Outside smoking decks my arze!

[SheLion]

[metesky]

It's only gonna get wierder from here on in. Rose and I won't go out anymore.

[billorites]

Ah, the Chez in Waterville!

I knee-walked home from their a few times.

[SheLion]

It's only gonna get wierder from here on in. Rose and I won't go out anymore.

Come 1 January, me either. If they think for one minute that I will go out to eat, spend MY money and sit there without enjoying a relaxing smoke, they can ALL kiss my azz!

Stubborn? You bet I am! I refuse to stand outside to smoke for ANYONE! If I can't smoke at a restaurant or bar/tavern, I won't GO!

What's that saying? "HELL NO I WON'T GO!" heh!

And our RINO Lawmakers in Augusta just couldn't fight for us, could they? Oh! Of COURSE not! They are all warm and cozy in their little "private smoking rooms!"

b a r f!

[Gabz]

I don't think the decks will work in Southern Maine either.

Consdering they do't work in Delaware because it gets dang cold and that's how many 100s of miles south of Maine.

[verity]

And the 'skeeters will get you in the summer.

[roxxon]

Nope!
B.C.'s weather in the winter is much milder than anywhere around the east coast of Canada or the United States.
The decks are not cutting it here either.

Funny:
Most municipalities under the so-called WCB. B.C. provincial smoking ban...
(There are 8 that police and enforce there own harsher smoking bylaws here, some like Victoria do not allow smoking rooms(DSRs)and most like Vancouver city allow tiny smoking rooms, not the size of the provincial standard.)

The problem is many of the business owners here have not constructed good-sized, ventilated DSRs.
Some have and are doing a booming business.
Others went smoke-free, in an attempt to save money.
Most of those places have now applied to build DSRs or smoking patios.

Here is the kicker:
The WCB would rather see you build an indoor smoking room with good ventilation than convert or construct a new or old smoking patio as a semi-indoor-outdoor smoking area.
They will not allow such a patio-smoking area to have four walls unless...
There is an expensive reverse-ventilation system installed as well.
So you might as well build a smoking room.
Over 400 businesses have applied to build new smoking rooms in the province within the last 6 months.

Some rooms here are terrific others, even hardcore smokers wouldn't enter.The ventilation is so poor.
Vancouver's legal smoking rooms:
None of them would pass the WCB provincial code that I have been in.
There total size can be no more than 14 sq. ft. by 14 sq. ft.

Back to the topic of smoking decks...
Over 20 places I know of who have good smoking decks, that are mostly enclosed(4 walls)and heated have come under WCB inspector fire.

One pub advertised itself as smoke-free during the WCB smoking ban in 2000.
They lost so much money that they built a smoking deck almost the size of the entire bar in front at it's entrance.
It was surrounded in plexiglass with nice wood-trim all around.
The WCB o.k.ed the patio after the ban was tossed out in court...
Now they have told the owners the patio is to big and too enclosed.The WCB have said either take down the front wall or the two side walls of the deck and make it 15% smaller or face large fines.

The owner's only real option now is to spend even more money, the original deck cost over 40k...is to install an expensive reverse-ventilation system and seal off all four walls.

The outdoor smoking deck, thing gets old really fast with some smokers.
Usually young people or older people trying to quit accept indoor smoking prohibition better than the rest of the smoking public.
I know a number of smokers who originally welcomed the smoking ban here, as a means to help them quit have had a huge change of heart.
Many of them rarely go out or stay as long as they used to before smoking was banned.
Even with heated decks.

When the weather is shitty or nice many bar-night-club customers, just stay home and drink at house parties.
Complacent business owners and politically correct, anti-smoking politicians just don't get it.

The tourism industry is continually suffering in Vancouver, Victoria and the other 6 municipalities that have their own tougher bans than the provincial standard.
Yet these fuckers won't back down into accepting the B.C. WCB provincial standard that allows for:

All restaurants and bars to have smoking rooms up to 45% of the business's total area as DSR.

In gambling venues or bingos up to 65% of the area can be DSR.

We won a huge victory of sorts in B.C.
In the year 2000 most municipalities had complete 100% smoking bans.
With no exemptions or DSRs allowed.
Now restaurant smoking via DSR has made a return in many B.C. locales.

Of course the anti-smoking groups are trying to get the DSRs removed.
This government will not do it.
They realize the implications and the negative impacts this would have and have had on tourism here.

Their original plan was to have all the municipalities minus Victoria accept the provincial standards.
Many of these municipalities did just that.
Others like Vancouver city and Victoria have spend hundreds of thousands of dollars foolishly, policing their own
Nazi-smoking bylaws.

I truly believe in Maine future winters will be bitter for most bar and nightclubs.
Even with smoking patios.
Spring-Summer seasons will become their bread and butter.
If they hope to survive, especially the "little guys."

This is not going to be accepted in the way the antis, politicians and some complacent business owners believe.

It's not much fun going to an empty bar or club, paying premium prices for drinks and being forced outside in shitty weather or onto a crummy smoking patio to smoke.
People will stay home save money and go out less often.
The "hordes" of non-smoking customers will never appear.

Maine or B.C. is not silly, California.

In B.C. you can drink and get food service on patios, on decks and in DSRs.

I loved that article about the uncovered deck in Maine.
That's going attract hordes of smokers in the pissing rain, cold and snow.
Sure it will.

I can see many of these business owners having a serious change of heart over a short period of time.
They did it here too and we have much better overall weather conditions in British Columbia, Canada.

[Cboldt]

I don't think the decks will work in Southern Maine either. Consdering they do't work in Delaware because it gets dang cold ...

I concur with that assessment. It was cold and windy here yesterday, and most people (probably all) would have been darn uncomfortable outdoors after less than half a minute -- unless well bundled up. I know I was uncomfortable just unoading groceries w/o gloves.

Granted, Northern Maine is --much-- more severe, weatherwise, but outdoor decks won't be any help to limit reduction in business due to restricting smoking to the outdoors.

[SheLion]

Granted, Northern Maine is --much-- more severe, weatherwise, but outdoor decks won't be any help to limit reduction in business due to restricting smoking to the outdoors.

It all boils down to this:

[Gabz]

This is not going to be accepted in the way the antis, politicians and some complacent business owners believe.

You've got that right.

[SheLion]

By-The-Way:

[Conspiracy Guy]

Ping to exploited kittie.

[steve50]

Cute cat SheLion. Reminds me I need a replacement feline.

[CSM]

I took in a stray a couple of months ago and I am more than willing to pass it on to you. I am finding out I am just not a "cat person".

[Judith Anne]

Freakin' Regulators! Vote the bums out!

[Gabz]

If only it were so easy.

[SheLion]

Cute cat SheLion. Reminds me I need a replacement feline.

I'm open for adoption! heh!

[SheLion]

Freakin' Regulators! Vote the bums out!

I'd love to do to our lawmakers what they did to Davis in California!

[OPS4]

smokeless tobacco will rise!Half smoked cigars will get chewed, people will wear the patch after they eat, and the rest of the non smokers will not have to share.

Always a way to get your nicotine.

Ops4 God BLess America!