CA: Patrons, bars spurn smoking ban

The Bakersfield Californian ^ | Mar 4 2006 | STEVEN MAYER

[SheLion]

California Smokers Use Prohibition Tactics to Get Around Ban

While cops try to sniff out the worst offenders, in many cases they're butting up against organized opposition. Bartender phone trees warn each other of impending busts, powerful fans blow away tell-tale scents of "smokin' in the boys room" and tin cans double as ashtrays in case of an unexpected visit by police.

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[SheLion]

Go to Smoker Friendly Bakersfield, California!!! Spend your money in Bakersfield!!

[Echo Talon]

"It's screwed. If you drink, you're going to smoke," said 71-year-old Ned Webb as he puffed on a generic cigarette at Stella's.

LOL!

[trubluolyguy]

You probably won't get eighty-sixed for smoking cigarettes at Stella's Sand Trap. But you might be asked to leave if you ask too many nosy questions about smoking at the east Bakersfield tavern

---

I am not even a smoker (quit last year) but I love bars like this. You are supposed to smoke in bars. You don't like it, don't work there or go elsewhere. I am glad that a bar in my town/state is doing the same thing. They simply figured out that they can afford the fine because all the smokers go to their establishment. The other bars are going under in a hurry and the waitresses and bartenders the anti-smoking Nazi's were worried about are losing their jobs.

[L98Fiero]

Where there is prohibition, there will be speak-easys.

[duckman]

Jeez, it seem so simple. If you don't like the smoke in a private establishment, go somewhere else.

[MineralMan]

I'm guessing that if you're the one to complain about one of these bars, you won't be welcome there in the future.

I think what's needed is full-on SWAT team raids on these bars. Pull up the war wagon. Yell, POLICE! WARRANT! Then have all the guys in the body armor swarm into the place, M-16's at the ready. Arrest everyone with tobacco on their breath and use plenty of those nylon tie handcuff to make sure they don't resist.

Yeah...that's the ticket....

[WVNan]

Somebody please find Mr. Reed and tell him it's not the Bill Bennetts of the world who are pushing the no-smoking laws. Soccer Moms maybe, but not conservatives (at least I hope not).

[Mr. Blonde]

Oklahoma's law against smoking in restaurants went into effect March 1st. The exception to the law is if more than 60% of your revenue comes from the sale of alcohol. I don't know how this will affect places like (the supposedly world famous) Eskimo Joes which is a restaurant during the day and a bar after 9 p.m. Hopefully, they can't smoke there even when it is a bar so people will start going to a bar I don't absolutely despise. Thursty Thursdays be damned.

[Gabz]

Soccer Moms maybe, but not conservatives (at least I hope not).

Your hope is for naught.....stick around the smoking threads and see just how many "conservatives" are in support of these bans.

[Gabz]

Your point is unclear - you like the ban or you don't?

[E Rocc]

Summit County, Ohio recently passed a smoking ban in restaurants and bars. I was in a not-to-be-named restaurant at 12:30am last week and they were flouting it. The "old" smoking section was nearly filled and they'd bring out the ashtrays by request. There was only one table in use in the non-smoking section.

-Eric

[Publius6961]

When you leave these smokey bars, the smell comes with you, saturating your hair and clothes and leaving a tightness in the chest.

How much IQ is required to figure out the solution?
Stay the hell out of those establishments!

When did it become a "right" to be able to go into any business you want, regardless of how many others you inconvenience?

[Mr. Blonde]

I don't like going to Eskimo Joe's as a bar, and the food is average. So I'm hoping the ban is in effect for them. I think it is smart that they still allow smoking in bars, but I do wish they would do something about the smell in bars.

[kitkat]

***Where there is prohibition, there will be speak-easys***

SMOKE-easys

[Gabz]

Thank you for the clarification.......I think there is still too much blood in my caffeine stream this morning :)

[WVNan]

That is sad. To be conservative is to resist government control except where society at large is endangered. I don't think smoking falls into that catagory.

[SheLion]

I am not even a smoker (quit last year) but I love bars like this. You are supposed to smoke in bars. You don't like it, don't work there or go elsewhere. I am glad that a bar in my town/state is doing the same thing. They simply figured out that they can afford the fine because all the smokers go to their establishment. The other bars are going under in a hurry and the waitresses and bartenders the anti-smoking Nazi's were worried about are losing their jobs.

And the anti's promised that businesses would pick up.  Yea, right. 

You are the kind of non-smoker we like.  You are tolerant of everyone's rights.  That's the way it used to be.  Thanks so much!

[Zon]

Similar to many of the EPA's environmental laws government forced smoking bans are illegal takings. Prohibit a person from building on a wet piece of his private property is an illegal taking. In Oregon some people are winning in court and are being compensated for the taking.

When a bar is prohibited from smoking not only is the taking not compensated, the bar owner is not compensated for policing the patrons that smoke.

[SheLion]

Yeah...that's the ticket....

Crazy, isn't it?