Marriott to make all US, Canada hotels non-smoking

Reuters ^ | 7/19/2006 | Reuters

[xrp]

Marriott to make all US, Canada hotels non-smoking
Wednesday July 19, 6:34 am ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Marriott International Inc. (NYSE:MAR - News) on Wednesday said it will make all of its hotels in the United States and Canada entirely non-smoking, beginning in September.

The company said the policy change, which it called the largest in its industry, covers more than 2,300 hotels and corporate apartments with nearly 400,000 rooms.

Marriott, based in Bethesda, Maryland, said more than 90 percent of its guest rooms are already non-smoking. It said more customers have been demanding non-smoking rooms.

The change covers such brands as Marriott, Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Courtyard, Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn. Marriott has nearly 2,800 lodging properties in the United States and 67 other countries.

[traditional1]

"You are actually expressing anger over the fact that others do not sit and take it when you pollute their air and stink up their clothes. Hmmm. I don't see my disdain for others dictation of what I expressly described as a non-fact (100 ft. from a smoker, and purposefully walking over to condemn smoking that in NO WAY was affecting them, their clothes, their airspace, etc.).

Now, what I do in an outdoor setting such as MY PROPERTY, where I could be within 50' of the neighbors' property, would give them the "right" to protest my smoking outdoors then?

The weak-kneed argument of "polluting my airspace" is without factual merit, and the anti-smoking zeal you display in your post is mis-guided.

I'll smoke on my property, and in public, and where proximity to offended parties is an issue (in a closed space, or within a legitimate near-distance), I will, as I always have, accommodate their request to refrain from blowing smoke on them.

I don't care who complains about my smoking, only that they use adult logic and adult consideration. Anything less than that (such as "victimhood" responses like yours), is not worth my time.

[P8riot]

Our company made all of our workshops "non-smoking" the first of this year. Before then the guys could smoke while they were working and productivity was pretty good. Now they have to go outside to light up and those 15 minute smoke breaks are costing us money. Not to mention the dedicated smoking areas we had to construct to make sure that they are away from doors, windows, ventilation ducts, tanks, etc... I used to be able to walk through the shop with a cigar, but now I have to take it outside.

Of course I could just give them up, but why should I curtail my personal freedom to placate some PC bean counter with his head up his ass? Yeah, this was a good business decision. </sarcasm>

[Xenalyte]

First, where do you find illiterate in Appy's post? It's grammatically correct.

Second, let me make sure I have the rules straight. Non-smokers aren't allowed to comment on smoking. Former smokers aren't allowed to comment on smoking.

That leaves current smokers. For some reason, I'm not entirely sure that provides an unbiased sample.

[P8riot]

Hey, you wanna get in on this?

[pageonetoo]

As long as the government doesn't get involved, every non-smoker has the right to tell you they don't like your pollution.

Who told you it was "pollution"? Your thought processes must need warming a little. The anti-cigarette campaign is a movement by the lawyers, of the lawyers, for the lawyers.

In 1964, standing across the street, from New Hanover High School during lunch break, smoking a cig, I cAfter school, I went home to a cloud of Roi-tans and Pall Malls. My folks didn't know any better. Of course, Pop is 83, and just retired from his third career last year. And Mom is living in her own apartment. They divorced about five years ago, after being married for 53. Last year, Pop started smoking cigars again! I get him some good Dominicans these days.

Of course, some of the lawyers just stick to normal buiness.

[SheLion]

That seems like nothing more than equal treatment to me.

That's fine, but not for me.

If I can't watch TV in my room, order food in and smoke, then I won't be spending $65 and up for the damn room.

I will go someplace with my wallet and spend my money in a motel/hotel that wants me.

[Skooz]

The weak-kneed argument of "polluting my airspace" is without factual merit,

Actually, it is.

I couldn't care less if you or anyone else smoke a carton a day. I really don't care. Enjoy.

But the nanosecond the first microbe of your smoke touches my airspace, you are out of bounds. It's that simple.

[Skooz]

I will go someplace with my wallet and spend my money in a motel/hotel that wants me.

And that's how it should be. Free enterprise is beautiful (when it's allowed to be free, of course).

[SheLion]

Building management/maintenance could solve that by moving the big ashtray a few feet further from the door - but they generally have 'em right at the entrances.

Sure! Push us further away and later on, you will still bitch because you can SEE us! 

[pageonetoo]

I want them to move themselves because it's polite to do so, and because they realize that their habit is one many people find noxious.

...And because your rights are more important than his rights, you feel you should get your way only, correct?

I can understand authoritarianism. I can understand selfishniess. It comes in many different colors and smells and looks, and....

[AppyPappy]

It's OK. They are a little S-E-N-S-I-T-I-V-E when they don't get their fix. Nothing makes people grouchier than pointing out to them something that is very obvious that they are trying very hard to ignore.

Now I am illiterate. Soon I will be goose-stepping on my way to take away their civil rights. Truth rides in the trunk when emotion takes the wheel.

[subterfuge]

Second hand odor kills. <sarc

[pageonetoo]

But the nanosecond the first microbe of your smoke touches my airspace, you are out of bounds. It's that simple.

Waaaahhhhhh!

This one's for you!

[traditional1]

"But the nanosecond the first microbe of your smoke touches my airspace, you are out of bounds."

Please provide us with a copy of the deed for "my airspace", could you?

I hope you don't plan on grilling food on an outdoor barbeque, as "my airspace" could be at risk for the first microbe of your smoke, or your lawnmower could be upwind from me, or your car's exhaust system could emit "one microbe of smoke", or your fireplace could emit "one microbe" of smoke, etc., etc.

You anti-smoking zealots need to get a life.......factual didn't enter into your post at all.

[Skooz]

Like I said, smoke all you want. I don't care.

But keep your excrement out of my lungs. That really isn't too much to ask.

BTW, little in life is better than Macunudo Portofino after a day at work.

[freedumb2003]

It's people like you that are enabling the taking of liberties, for reasons that are not valid, due to your dislike of the smell of tobacco smoke.

Watch out perfume and cologne wearers. If you can impose your will on someone because you don't like the smell of what they do, you can do it for what they wear.

[Xenalyte]

Oh, for the love of Mike. Why do you persist in reading things into my posts that aren't there?

Sometimes a post is just a complaint. That was my intent, and the substance of my post. It was a "you know what chaps my hide" post.

I had no legislative agenda. Why will you not recognize that sometimes people like to complain without an underlying motive?

[doc30]

Gabz, you addressed this same spew not too long ago.

how rude. Were you in this house when the offer was made? Were you in this house to smell it? Were you there when I got a couple grand off the price because of the smoke infestation?

What I wrote is a fact. The house stunk of smoke and the whole place needed to be stripped for it to be liveable and I negotiated an additional couple thousand off the price because of the cigarrette smoke damage. Only another smoker would be oblivious to the asthetic damage smoking does to a dwelling. Oh and bleach doesn't get into the pad nor does anything for cigarrette butt burns in carpeting, either.

[Skooz]

Please provide us with a copy of the deed for "my airspace", could you?

My lungs. My clothes. My skin. My person.

Smoke all you want, but keep your excrement off of me, mmmkay?

And I am far from an anti-smoking zealot. I just don't enjoy inhaling your crap.

[SheLion]

But, you want "someone" to move them 15 feet away. Why haven't you champiomed their RIGHTS to have an INDOOR designated area?

It is about PERSONAL RIGHTS, and that was the purpose of my post in the first place. YOU GET ONE LIFE. I GET ONE LIFE. WE ALL GET ONE LIFE! We all get personal rights, in the Constitution, and by God! Pardon me, but I guess I have to shout my points for them to be understood!

Everyone was happy when smokers had little lounges inside where they work.  No one had to walk through us to get inside the building.

Now that we have been kicked outside, the anti's still aren't happy.  Now they want us 15-25 feet from the door.    When they can still SEE us, they will still bitch.

Well, they better get over it, because smokers aren't going anywhere any time soon!