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Pittsburgh, PA: Restaurants fuming over smoking ban
United Pro Smoker's Newsletter ^ | July 14, 2006

Posted on 07/15/2006 7:30:05 AM PDT by SheLion

The Pennsylvania Restaurant Association has thrown its support behind a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, casinos and private clubs.
So why couldn't we find any local establishments who agree with them?

Admittedly, we used a small sample, but when staff writer Jeff Pikulsky talked to owners of Mon Valley clubs and restaurants last week, he found angry opposition to the proposed ban.

Monessen Elks Club Steward Marcy Zites estimated that 70 percent of her club patrons smoke and feared that a ban would be bad for business.

Those sentiments were echoed at the Foster House in North Belle Vernon, where bartender Lisa Vestrat said customers have been complaining about the possibility of a ban.

At the High Point restaurant in Coal Center, Loretta Sepesy lamented, "People like to have a drink and cigarette. They take away all of your rights anymore."

The proposal to ban smoking in public places was introduced by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, a Republican from Montgomery, and is currently being considered by the Senate's Public Health & Welfare Committee. Similar legislation in the House died in committee last month.

The ban is being offered out of concern for the health and welfare of employees who work in those facilities and are exposed to second-hand smoke. A recent report from the U.S. Surgeon General brands second-hand smoke as a health risk and recommends that it be banned from public gathering places.

We understand the concern of the state's Restaurant Association and its desire to be on the politically correct side of the smoking argument. But we think the organization should have contacted more of its members to see if they feel the same way.

It's our position that in a free society, this decision should be up to the individual restaurants, not the government. Restaurants who want to ban smoking should be welcome to do so, and customer response will determine if they are right or wrong.

"The sun does more damage to peoples' bodies than second-hand cigarette smoke," said Monessen Elks Club trustee Brian Mears. "What is the government going to do next, shut down the sun?

Shh, Brian, don't give them any ideas.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: anti; antismokers; augusta; bans; budget; butts; camel; caribou; chicago; cigar; cigarettes; cigarettetax; commerce; epa; fda; governor; haha; individual; interstate; kool; lawmakers; lewiston; liberty; maine; mainesmokers; marlboro; msa; nannystate; niconazis; osha; pallmall; pipe; portland; prosmoker; pufflist; quitsmoking; regulation; rico; rights; rinos; ryo; sales; senate; smokers; smoking; smokingbans; taxes; tobacco; tobaccophobics; winston
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To: Despot of the Delta
You should tell him he ought to worry more about those 170,000 chicken and getting Histoplasmosis than worrying about smokers.

You misunderstood my comment. My young non-smoking friend was the first to start the round of applause when some pecksniff anti-smoker and friends got up and left the establishment we were in yesterday because the waitress refused to tell the smokers to put out the cigarettes. We were sitting at a bar OUTSIDE. I explained the entire episode in a much earlier comment.

161 posted on 07/15/2006 8:23:32 PM PDT by Gabz (Taxaholism, the disease you elect to have (TY xcamel))
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To: dakine
hahaha

Enjoy your Twinkies or strawberry shortcake or diet Dr. Pepper while you can.

This insanity is coming your way, hahaha.

162 posted on 07/15/2006 8:25:06 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Graymatter
I buy more guns than whiskey and more whiskey than fireworks, so I'm happy.

You must be my long-lost brother.

163 posted on 07/15/2006 8:28:11 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: elkfersupper
This insanity is coming your way, hahaha.

It will be too late when they finally open their eyes to see the train coming.

But they can't say they weren't warned.

164 posted on 07/15/2006 8:29:25 PM PDT by Gabz (Taxaholism, the disease you elect to have (TY xcamel))
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To: Ditter
Maybe it makes the smokers food taste better or maybe they don't notice it, I couldn't say which.

The sooner you wind up with one nationwide restaurant, called McTacoAppleBees, the sooner I'll like it.

Hope you will too.

165 posted on 07/15/2006 8:31:15 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Dan Nunn
Governments are going to be making more and more of these laws in the future.

You and I are the government, Dan.

Speak for yourself.

166 posted on 07/15/2006 8:33:04 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Ditter
We might have well be seated at the bar because the smoke was thick at our table. All 11 people refused the table and we were ready to leave when they hastily found us another spot.

Poor baby.

why not try another restaurant and leave the people who want to be in that environment alone?

167 posted on 07/15/2006 8:35:46 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Hazcat

"Why should I have to "apply for a waiver" so I can run MY business the way I want to?"

Because the friggin nanny state and anti-smoking nazi's (including people that CLAIM to be "conservatives") say so.
It is disgusting


168 posted on 07/15/2006 8:38:19 PM PDT by MadLibDisease (Hey Ahmadinejad, your mahdi is full of pig crap)
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To: Dan Nunn
I still say don't outright ban smoking, but require a waiver.

Try as I might, I just can't understand the mindset of the statist.

169 posted on 07/15/2006 8:38:40 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Ditter
What you have are the results of those complaints.

What you have is mob rule.

Hope you can live with the consequences.

170 posted on 07/15/2006 8:41:05 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Dan Nunn
How is it fair to deny a majority of the population who wishes clean air?

People in hell wish for ice cubes.

What's your point?

171 posted on 07/15/2006 8:44:53 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Dan Nunn
Now there's a whole new market of people to appeal to.

And the mom & pop restaurants are disappearing.

Hope you enjoy dining at McTacoApplebeesKFC.

172 posted on 07/15/2006 8:48:22 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Ditter
Only a smoker would think smoker eaters work because your sinuses are used to smelling it.

And it is glorious, BTW, because it is the smell of freedom.

173 posted on 07/15/2006 8:50:41 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: VermiciousKnid

Laws, laws, laws, everywhere you turn. I probably break half a dozen laws every single day and don't even know it...  They are drunk with power, and WE let them get away with it.

You got it. The 800 pond gorilla in the room.

The federal government creates about 3,000 new laws and regulations each year. State government each create about a quarter that many. Almost every person breaks the law at least a few times each year. Not just traffic laws either.

Consider this: if it was physically possible to apprehend every person that violated the law -- including judges, lawyers, police, grocery clerks, etc. -- the American economy would come to a screeching halt... And cause a major disruption to the world economy.

Get this: politicians and bureaucrats proclaim from on high that each new law is necessary to protect the "little guy" and/or save people and society from running headlong to destruction.

Here's the rub: with massive lawlessness already occurring, how is it that people and society haven't long ago run headlong over the cliff-edge? Yet instead, persons and society have increasingly prospered in health and wealth despite massive lawlessness. 

United States has 5% of the world population yet has 25% of the prison population.

Conclusion: unconstitutional laws and regulations created by lawless-to-their-oath members of congress and bureaucrats are parasites leeching/draining off the productive host--workers and entrepreneurs.

Lift the parasitical elites off the backs of the productive workers and risk-taking entrepreneurs and the American economy will go into orbit... Puling the rest of the world up with it.

There's a few key things to lifting off the lid of government oppression and abuse...

174 posted on 07/15/2006 8:51:55 PM PDT by Zon (Honesty outlives the lie, spin and deception -- It always has -- It always will.)
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To: MadLibDisease; SheLion
Because the friggin nanny state and anti-smoking nazi's (including people that CLAIM to be "conservatives") say so.

AMEN. Although I do prefer to use the word "gnatzies" when referring to the control freaks. It means small minds buzzing in your business.

I've got a general nanny state ping list, She Lion has the generally smoker related nanny-state ping list....would you like to be included on either?

175 posted on 07/15/2006 8:57:00 PM PDT by Gabz (Taxaholism, the disease you elect to have (TY xcamel))
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To: Ditter
or that it doesn't destroy the taste of food for them.

You anti-smokers have completely destroyed the dining-out experience for me.

Keep going and you'll be able to enjoy your Soylent Green Slurpee in a pristine environment.

176 posted on 07/15/2006 8:57:02 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Bommer
I have yet to walk into a tabacco store where they are pumping smoke from in Marborlo country!

Well then, you should try it sometime. Might loosen you up.

177 posted on 07/15/2006 9:01:42 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Ditter
I have left without saying a word many times.

I think we all would appreciate it if you just kept that up.

178 posted on 07/15/2006 9:03:44 PM PDT by elkfersupper
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To: Gabz

"I've got a general nanny state ping list, She Lion has the generally smoker related nanny-state ping list....would you like to be included on either?"

Yes, I'd love to be added to both. Thank you!!!!!


179 posted on 07/15/2006 9:28:17 PM PDT by MadLibDisease (Hey Ahmadinejad, the mahdi is full of pig crap)
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To: MadLibDisease; SheLion

You are now on mine - I'm sure you will be on the lioness's in short order!!!


180 posted on 07/15/2006 10:09:02 PM PDT by Gabz (Taxaholism, the disease you elect to have (TY xcamel))
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