Posted on 07/31/2006 5:15:29 AM PDT by SheLion
The issue is no longer just about smoking.
Passing a state law outlawing smoking in most public places was, by this comparison, the easiest thing to do.
The law was not required to address the inevitable hardships such a bill was destined to inflict.
There was clapping and backslapping on the floor of the state Senate the afternoon it passed there. But none of that really matters now, when the issue is one of how it impacts people's lives.
They are men and women who once ran tiny, yet prosperous, packed-to- the-kegs establishments, who now tend mostly empty bars. The looks on their faces would be no different had their roofs actually fallen in.
They call me. What am I supposed to do, I ask? Write about it, they respond.
What has happened is a statewide tragedy, sponsored by the government. And where are all of the people, they all want to know, that the government promised would flock to their now-smoke-free bars?
The loudest of them, of course, has been Jim VonFeldt, owner of the venerable Billy's Inn at 44th Avenue and Lowell Boulevard.
In the weeks between the governor's signing of the bill and July 1, when the law went into effect, he rallied a relatively small band of tavern owners to challenge the law in court.
A judge denied their sought-after injunction. The litigation itself remains pending in the courts.
Jim VonFeldt has just returned to Billy's from his banker when he calls me, yet again.
He has owned the place for 21 years; his wife's family owned it for nearly 20 years before that. His two grown children are his only employees.
And now, he wants to talk.
It is just after 1 p.m. when I walk into the joint. The only sound emanates from a television in the corner, droning a detective show. Only bearded, vacant-eyed Jay, who has occupied the same far-corner barstool for decades, inhabits the place.
Jim VonFeldt walks up from the back, carrying a large stack of documents. He begins reading from them.
Total business is off 35.14 percent since July 1, he begins. Liquor sales, jukebox, cigarette, vending and Lotto scratch-off machine receipts have declined in 23 short days by at least half.
"That video golf game used to average $75 to $100 a week. The last two weeks, the vendor and I split the 6 bucks that were in it," Jim VonFeldt says.
"Where are all these people the government told me would make my life better? My most loyal customers come, but maybe they have a drink. Most have just stopped coming altogether."
As leader of the Coalition for Equal Rights, the tavern owners' group, he gets calls every day, he says. Three come in as we chat, including one from the lawyer representing the group.
"This is simply crippling," he moans into the phone to the lawyer. Hanging up, he beseeches me to look at the blue folder in front of him. It is filled with his complete financial records, the same ones he has just handed his banker at Chase to leverage his house to the hilt in order to pay his bills. I decline.
So he hands me his state workers compensation bill.
"I don't have the money. All of my cash flow has been depleted," Jim VonFeldt said. "And if I don't have workers comp, I can be fined up to $17,000. I don't know what I am going to do."
To emphasize his point, he walks me to the automatic teller machine I had used a month before.
A large "out of order" sign now lies across the keyboard.
"I don't have enough $20 bills to put in it," he says.
He reads from a stack of notes taken during myriad recent conversations with Coalition members, of patrons saying they are going outside for a smoke but never come back, of fights the bartenders inside can no longer break up, of thieves cleaning out cash registers when bartenders themselves sneak out for a drag or two.
Many owners, Jim VonFeldt says, are doing what he did two days ago: writing Bill Owens and begging for an exemption to the law.
"The ban has decimated my business," his letter to the governor begins. "I am one or two weeks away from bankruptcy.
"If I lose this, so goes my whole family. Please grant this exemption for my family."
The last sentence he has typed in large bold letters.
While he waits to hear back from the governor, he fumes.
"We've got young men now fighting all over the world for what they tell us is for democracy and freedom," Jim VonFeldt, 60, said.
"Yet our own government is taking away my freedom to operate my business right here at home. It's just not right."
He sighs.
"At a time when I should be planning for retirement and the good things in life, the only thing I'm planning is how to survive. If I fail - and this worries me the most - I fail my children.
"I don't know what I am going to do."
I doubt that smoke itself bothered that many people. There IS a reason the anti's came up with "SHS will KILL YOU" commercials. If most people were truly upset about the odor, the lies wouldn't be needed.
I guess we'll see.
A few places in town will survive. What I've been seeing around here has been a contraction of the market. Fewer customers, not enough to support the previous number of taverns, but once enough go under, the remaining few have good business with the remaining customers.
The drunks probably just moved over to the casinos, which are exempt.
That's because the gays smoke, just not cigarettes.
Exactly.
I truly believe you. That is why there is a problem.
This is a fact
some of the drunks who contributed to their bottom line could be costing lives.
This is speculation.
And this is how you define an equation?
It is to laugh.
I hope it is enough to wake up the decision makers but I doubt it. The legacy media won't give it the coverage it deserves because it doesn't fit their agenda, the politicians don't care and the public is clueless and apathetic.
6 things you can't have too much of: sex, money, firewood, horsepower, guns and ammunition
fixed it
7 things you can't have too much of: sex, money, firewood, horsepower, guns, ammunition and guitars. (grin)
You obviously have a list. Cough it up, Eichmann.
The idea that driving after drinking causes accidents is speculation in your mind?
Surely there is a restaurant you would do anything to visit. I have one.
It's on Figueroa Street in L.A. Real Spanish cuisine. Like Botine's in Madrid. Reservations are 2 months in advance. They have steamed Paella with real saffron rice and little scallops, crabs and clams mixed in. Mmmm. BBQ'd Ribs and chicken. Lobster tails bigger than a cat. And shrimp bigger than a you-know-what:) And calamares. And Sangria with fruit floating around in the pitcher. And fresh Spanish bread and butter. Oh, and steamed cafe with Anis liquor.
Are you hungry yet?
Dress nicely and bring $$ and an empty stomache if you can wait that long:):)
You become so tiresome so quickly.
The very sad thing of it is: the highly paid professional anti's are being paid for with smoker's tax dollars! They say they want smoke free, but if every state did go smoke free, this would put the idiots out of a job.
They talk out of both sides of their filthy mouths.
You're cruel.
There are plenty of people who drink and don't smoke.
List? Sure. Here you go
Bans in public places or bars/restaurants
* Alabama
o Birmingham
o Citronelle, March 1, 2006 banned in workplaces, restaurants, bars, homes providing daycare, and city parks.
o Cottonwood, banned in workplaces, bars, and restaurants.
o Fairfield
o Gardendale
o Homewood
o Huntsville
o Irondale
o Jacksonville
o Luverne, banned in workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
o Montgomery
o Mountain Brook
o Pell City
o Trussville
o Vestavia Hills
* Alaska
o Anchorage, 2001 banned in most workplaces. Bars that don't serve food are exempt.
o Bethel, 1998 banned in all public places.
o Juneau, 2002 bans smoking in most public places, but stand-alone bars and some bar/restaurants are exempt until 2008.
o Sitka, October 5, 2005, passed a non-comprehensive ordinance. The only exemptions are for stand alone bars and clubs. An interesting feature was that kids are not allowed where smoking is allowed, which helped the Elks Club make the decision to go smokefree by a vote of their membership. The Moose Lodge is currently out of compliance, as they are allowing smoking in a building they share with a theater, and kids are being allowed in an upstairs room above the bar area.
* Arizona
o Chandler
o Coconino County, Arizona
o Flagstaff, May 1, 2005, banned in restaurants, bars, and workplaces. Exempts private clubs, certain areas of nursing homes, and hotel + motel rooms.
o Gilbert
o Goodyear
o Guadalupe, banned in workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
o Mariana
o Mesa, 1996
o Peoria
o Prescott, November 2005, banned in restaurants, bars, and workplaces.
o Sedona, March 10, 2006 banned in all workplaces, restaurants, bars, and most indoor facilities. Exempts private clubs, nursing and adult health care facilities, Native American rituals, tobacco stores, and outdoor patios.
o Surprise
o Tempe, 2002 banned in all indoor workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
o Tucson
o Youngtown
* Arkansas, July 21, 2006 banned in almost all workplaces. Exceptions include establishments that do not allow patrons younger than 21; retail tobacco stores; long-term care facilities including nursing homes; gaming floors of operations regulated by the Arkansas Racing Commission; designated smoking rooms in hotels; and workplaces with fewer than three employees.
o Fayetteville, 2004 banned in restaurants.
* California, 1994 banned in almost all workplaces (excepting tobacconists), including all restaurants, and in 1998 smoking was banned in bars.
o San Luis Obispo, 2 August, 1990 became the first city in the world to ban smoking in all public buildings
o Calabasas, 2006 banned in all indoor and outdoor public places. Believed to be the strictest ban in the United States.
* Colorado, statewide ban goes into effect July 1, 2006, making Colorado the 13th state to pass a smoking ban. Colorado's ban exempts casinos, private homes and cigar bars. A group of bar owners tried to block the ban from taking effect in July, [1], fearing that casions would have an unfair advantage over bars. Their request for a restraining order on the ban was denied by Judge Babcock, but the group is currently proceeding with a lawsuit against the statewide ban.
o Boulder, 1995 banned indoors except for isolated rooms in bars and restaurants.
o Superior, 2000, banned smoking in bars and restaurants, including patios.
o Fort Collins, 2002, banned in workplaces including bars and near doors and windows.
o Pueblo, 2003, banned smoking in bars and restaurants.
o Greeley, 2003 banned smoking in bars and restaurants. Fort Collins and Boulder are generally regarded as "liberal" cities and Greeley was Colorado's first "conservative" city to enact the ban.
o Eagle County, 2005, voters banned smoking in bars and restaurants.
* Connecticut, 1 April 2004 banned in bars, restaurants, and workplaces with more than five employees. All 3 states bordering Connecticut (NY, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island) also have statewide bans on smoking in bars, restaurants, etc.
* Delaware, November 2002 banned in all public buildings, including workplaces, bars, restaurants, and casinos. Delaware is now among a group of 6 contiguous Northeast states (Delaware, N.J., N.Y., Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts) with bans against smoking in bars, restaurants, etc.
* District of Columbia City Council passed a ban on January 4, 2006 modeled closely on NYC's that applies immediately to all restaurants & is extended to bars, nightclubs, taverns and the bar areas of restaurants in January 2007.
* Florida, 1 July 2003 banned in all workplaces, except private homes, tobacco shops, designated rooms at motels and hotels, and stand alone bars with no more than 10% of revenue from food sales.
* Georgia, 1 July 2005 banned in restaurants and bars that allow minors to enter, or employ minors.
* Hawaii, Smoking ban in resturants are enforced by Honolulu and Maui counties [2]. A smoking ban which will apply to county and state facilities, workplaces, and enclosed or partially enclosed public areas was signed into law on July 10, 2006 and will take effect on November 16, 2006.
* Idaho, July 2004 banned in restaurants, retail stores, sports venues, child care centers, schools, and hospitals.
* Illinois
o Bedford Park banned in all public places. Effective June 1, 2006.
o Bloomington banned in all restaurants and bars. Effective January 1, 2007.
o Buffalo Grove banned in all public places. Effective October 1, 2006.
o Burr Ridge banned in all public places. Effective July 10, 2006.
o Champaign banned in all public places. Effective January 31, 2007.
o Chicago, January 16, 2006 banned in all public indoor places. Effective January 16, 2006, the ban prohibits smoking at restaurants without bars, common areas in residential buildings, sports arenas, convention centers, stores, malls, train platforms and outdoors within 15 feet of any public building entrance. But there is a potentially delayed start specifically for bars, taverns, and restaurant with bars, as these sites are given 2.5 years (until July 1, 2008) to comply with the ban or implement an air-filtration system that will allow the indoor air with smokers to be of the same quality as the outdoor air.
o Cook County, Illinois, March 2007. Effective in Cook County, except for municipalities with its own bans, indoor smoking is banned in all public places except for private clubs and nursing homes.
o Deerfield, March 1, 2006. banned in all public places, including parks and other outdoor assemblies.
o DeKalb, banned in all indoor public places, and will be phased in for all restaurants starting September 1, 2006. Ban will later be phased in for bars starting September 1, 2007.
o Elk Grove Village banned in all public places. Effective March 1, 2007.
o Evanston banned in all public places. Effective July 1, 2006.
o Highland Park banned in all public places. Effective June 1, 2005.
o Hinsdale banned in all public places. Effective July 1, 2006.
o Lincolnshire, August 1, 2006 banned in all public places except enclosed bar areas and separated and ventilated dining areas of restaurants.
o Lindenhurst banned in all public places, including outdoor patios. Effective November 16, 2006.
o Normal, banned in all restaurants, bars, and parks. Effective January 1, 2007.
o Oak Park banned in all public places. Effective July 1, 2006. Separate floors of restaurants exempt until March 1, 2007.
o Park Ridge banned in all public places. Effective August 1, 2006. Bars exempt until December 1, 2006.
o Skokie, August 7, 2003 banned in all public areas and places of employment, except for stand-alone bars, isolated bar areas of restaurants with separate HVAC systems, tobacco stores and bowling alleys. Restaurants with bars were given one year from adoption to complete any changes required to comply with the ordinance. To allow smoking, restaurants with bars are required to have at least 50% of the establishment be smoke-free, and the smoking area must have a wall or barrier and a separate HVAC system.
o Springfield, September 17, 2006 banned in indoor workplaces, including restaurants, bars, bowling alleys and private clubs. Exemptions include retail tobacco stores, some nursing home rooms, stage productions, hotel rooms and private homes not used for child or adult day care.
o Urbana banned in all public places. Effective August 1, 2006. Bars exempt until January 1, 2007.
o Vernon Hills banned in all public places, except parks and outdoor dining areas at least 15 feet from entrances. Effective October 1, 2006.
o Wilmette, July 1, 2004 banned in all public areas and places of employment.
* Indiana
o Bloomington, January 1, 2005 banned in public buildings including outdoor dining areas. Smoking is allowed only outside at a "reasonable distance" from doors, vents, and windows - measured by whether smoke can drift inside. Also banned in bars and private clubs as of 2005.
o Carmel, March 5, 2006 banned in all workplaces, enclosed areas and common-use areas(i.e. restrooms, lobbies, etc.), nursing homes and retirement facilities, condos, and restaurants. Exempts bars that don't employ or serve people under 21, tobacco stores and bars, private vehicles, private and fraternal clubs, and hotel/motel rooms, providing that 20% or fewer rooms are designated for smoking.
o Fort Wayne, [January 1999] banned in restaurants, except in separate, fully enclosed area(s) within a restaurant with a ventilation system. Exempted bars and bowling alleys.
o Indianapolis, March 1, 2006 banned in all workplaces, day-care facilities, sports arenas, and restaurants and bars serving or employing minors younger than 18. Exempts bowling alleys, tobacco bars, tobacco stores, and private clubs.
o Muncie, July 15, 2006 banned smoking in restaurants and bowling alleys, except those with attached bars that were closed off from the rest of the building. Exceptions were also made for bars and taverns.
o West Lafayette, July 1, 2007 banned in all workplaces except homes, some hotel rooms, retail tobacco stores, tobacco bars, private clubs and outdoor areas in the city, including Purdue University's main campus.
* Iowa
o Ames Banned smoking in most public places other than bars, bowling alleys, truck stops, and restaurants (after 8:30 p.m.). The state supreme court ruled that municipalities did not have the authority to pass such bans thus invalidating the city's ordinance. Due to an aggressive grass roots movement, though, today more than 95% of restaurants are completely smoke-free.
* Kansas
o Lawrence, July 1, 2004 began a ban on smoking in "all enclosed public places" within the city.
* Kentucky
o Daviess County, January 1, 2006 banned in any public establishment open to children under 18. Exempts private businesses and bars.
o Georgetown, October 1, 2005 banned in most public buildings. Smoking is still allowed in some hotel rooms.
o Letcher County, takes effect July 1, 2006 in all public buildings and restaurants. Exempts private clubs, private buildings.
o Lexington, April 27, 2004 banned in public buildings.
o Louisville, November 15, 2005 banned in all public buildings, except bars and taverns, restaurants with profits from bar sales at least 25%, Churchill Downs, and with permission from the city.
* Louisiana, Gov. Blanco has indicated she will sign SB 742 into law, banning smoking in all workplaces, restaurants, and other indoor public venues. Exempts bars and casinos. It will take effect on January 1, 2007.
o Lafayette
o Mandeville, June 10, 2005 banned in public places, workplaces, virtually all areas of public parks, and restaurants without a liquor license. Exempts bars and any restaurants with a liquor license.
o Shreveport, May 10, 2005 banned in public buildings, city parks, public areas, restaurants, and shopping malls and retail stores. Exempts bars and any businesses that sell alcohol.
o Terrebonne Parish, January 12, 2006 banned in shopping centers and malls, adult, child-care, and health-care facilities, parish buildings, sports arenas, museums, retail stores, restaurants without a liquor license, and bus stops. Exempts restaurants and bars with liquor liceneses.
* Maine, January 2004 banned in bars. Smoking has been banned in restaurants since 2000.
* Maryland
o Charles County - banned in restaurants but not standalone bars since June 2006.[3]
o Howard County - passed smoking ban on June 5, 2006. The ban goes into effect in August, 2006, but restaurants and bars with existing ventilated smoking areas will have until August 2007 to comply.
o Montgomery County, July 1, 2003 - banned in all eating and drinking establishments. [4]
o Prince George's County, December 23, 2005 (ban goes into effect 45 days after passage) banned in all bars and restaurants. private clubs are exempt.
o Talbot County, April 2004 banned in all bars and restaurants. Exempts fraternal clubs.
* Massachusetts, July 2004 banned in all workplaces, including restaurants and bars, except private clubs and cigar bars. Massachusetts is part of a stretch of contiguous Northeast states (Delaware, N.J., N.Y., Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts) with bans covering bars, restaurants, etc.
o Freetown, Massachusetts, January 1, 2004 banned in all businesses.
* Minnesota
o Hennepin County (which includes Minneapolis), March 31, 2005 banned in public areas. As of January 3, 2006, this ban will be rolled back excepting businesses that derive more than 50% of revenue from liquor sales.
+ Minneapolis: Smoking banned in bars, restaurants, clubs, pool halls and bowling alleys. Smoking allowed on outdoor patios.
o Ramsey County (which includes St. Paul), March 31, 2005 banned in public buildings, excepting businesses that derive more than 50% of revenue from liquor sales.
+ St. Paul: As of March 31, 2006, smoking will be prohibited in all bars and restaurants in the city. The ban was long opposed by former mayor Randy Kelly but signed by mayor Chris Coleman on January 11.
o Duluth: Smoking prohibited in restaurants and restaurants with bars. Exempts restaurants and bars with separately ventilated, enclosed rooms, where no one under 18 is allowed. Effective date January 1, 2004.
o Cloquet: Smoking prohibited in restaurants. Exempts bars, and bar/restaurants with separately ventilated, enclosed rooms, where no one under 18 is allowed. Also includes 5 feet from entrances. Effective date September 7, 2001.
o Bloomington: Smoking is prohibited in all bars and restaurants, including 25 feet from entrances and outdoor eating areas of restaurants. Exempts 50% of outdoor eating areas as designated for smoking area. Effective date July 19, 2004.
o Golden Valley: Smoking is prohibited in all restaurants and bars, including 25 feet from all entrances, and outdoor dinning areas. Also included public parks and recreational facilities. Effective date March 31, 2005.
o International Falls: Smoking is prohibited in all indoor areas of restaurants. Exempts restaurants with on sale liquor license which report more then 20% of sales from liquor, as well as separated areas of restaurants with on sale liquor license. Effective date November 11, 2005.
o Mankato: Smoking is prohibited in all restaurants and bars. Exemption include a one year hardship clause for businesses providing sales receipts of more than 15% loss for one year, from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2007 on which all exemptions will be terminated. Effective date July 1, 2006.
o Moorhead: Smoking is prohibited in all restaurants. Exempts bars. Effective date December 15, 2004.
o Moose Lake: This was the first city in Minnesota to prohibit smoking in restaurants. Exempts bars. Effective date August 1, 2000.
o Beltrami County: Smoking is prohibited in restaurants and bars, including 10 feet from entrances. Exemptions include smoking allowed in restaurants and bars between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m., in guest rooms of hotels and motel, in rented or leases cabins or resorts, and dormitory rooms, all of which expires on January 1, 2007. Effective date January 1, 2005.
o McLeod County: Smoking is prohibited in restaurants and liquor establishments, including 10 feet from entrances. Exempts establishment with on sale liquor license that established prior to the date of adoption of this ordinance (establishments with seating capacity for fewer than 50 persons at a time that either serve no food or only pre-packaged food, like frozen pizza). Effective date August 1, 2006.
o Meeker County: Smoking is prohibited in restaurants, bars, and private clubs. Temporary exemption to establishments with liquor license that will expire on July 31, 2007. Effective date August 1, 2007.
o Olmsted County: Smoking is prohibited in restaurants. Exempts bars and restaurants with a separately enclosed bar, with separate ventilation system. Effective date January 1, 2002.
* Mississippi
o Starkville: As of May 20. 2006, smoking is banned in all indoor public places, including bars, restaurants, and city buildings. Smoking is also prohibited in certain outdoor areas.
* Missouri
o Ballwin, March 11, 2005 banned in public places, workplaces, and restaurants without liquor licenses. Took effect for bars and restaurants with liquor licenses on January 2, 2006.
o Maryville, banned in restaurants. Exempts all bars, and exempts restaurants that get 50% or more of their sales from alcohol.
* Montana, 1 October 2005 banned in public buildings.
* Nebraska
o Lincoln, January 1, 2005 banned in public buildings, except outdoor dining areas and designated hotel rooms.
o Omaha, enacted a ban in June 2006 that takes effect this October. A five year sunset clause exempts stand alone bars, Keno parlors, and tobacco-only shops.
* New Hampshire, all local bans are currently on hold, due to a state supreme court decision.
o Colbrook, banned in restaurants.
o Keene, February 4, 2002 banned in restaurants and bars, except in bars with separated ventilation systems.
* New Jersey, January 2006, banned in bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, etc.. Exceptions in NJ: cigar bars and on the gaming floors in Atlantic City casinos. This ban was signed into law on January 15, 2006, and it went into effect April 15, 2006. New Jersey's smoking ban thus connected a stretch of Northeast states with bans against smoking in bars and restaurants, spanning Delaware, N.J., N.Y., Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts.
* New York, July 2003 banned in all workplaces, bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, pool halls, and company cars, except Indian casinos and "cigar bars". New York is part of a group of contiguous Northeast states (Delaware, N.J., N.Y., Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts) with bans covering bars, restaurants, and other indoor sites.
o New York City, March, 2003 - banned smoking in all restaurants, food-service establishments, and bars.
* Ohio
o Centerville, 4 April 2005 bans all smoking in enclosed public places and places of employment. Smoking will be allowed in establishments having 55% or greater of their gross sales come from alcoholic beverages. Also exempt are bowling alleys established before 4 April 2005, tobacco shops, and family owned and operated businesses.
o Columbus, 26 September 2005 bans all smoking in enclosed public places or places of employment. Exceptions tobacco shops, private clubs, and 20 percent of hotel rooms.
o Marble Cliff, banned in workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
o Summit County, February 2006 smoking ban being adopted with a number of exemptions -- smoke shops, 20 percent of hotel rooms, bowling alleys, private clubs and racetracks. Akron's less-restrictive Clean Indoor Air Ordinance, on the books since 1990, prevails in the city. It allows smoking in bars, bowling alleys, bingo halls, restaurants, banquet halls, hotels and tobacco stores. Because the two laws conflict, enforcement is being delayed indefinitely.
* Oklahoma
o Smoking is illegal inside and within 25 ft of all State-owned buildings, including courthouses, municipal buildings and public education facilities.
o Smoking is banned in any indoor workplace - including restaurants and hotels - unless a separate ventilation system under negative pressure is installed for ventilating the smoking area. Some exceptions are built into the statute. [1]
* Oregon
o Corvallis, August 1997 banned in businesses and public buildings, within 3 meters of entrances, including bars and restaurants.
o Eugene, July 2001 banned in all public areas, including bars, restaurants, and venues. [5]
o Multnomah County, July 1, 2000 banned in workplaces, except bars, truck stops, and private residences. [6]
o Portland, September 2005 The local mass transit agency Tri-Met prohbits smoking within all bus shelters, transit centers, and most MAX train stations. This rule is enforceable by a fine, exclusion, or arrest.
* Pennsylvania
o Philadelphia a ban on smoking in almost all workplaces, including restaurants and most bars
* Rhode Island, 1 March 2005 banned in almost all indoor workplaces, except some gambling facilities.
* South Dakota, 2002 banned in restaurants that don't have a liquour license. Smoking also banned in public buildings
o Sioux Falls 2003 closed the loophole allowing restaurants to obtain a liquour license, without intention to use it, to keep their smoking sections of their restaurants. Restaurants that have liquour licenses must have liquour on their menu and available to customers.
* Texas
o Alvin, 2002 banned in restaurants. Bars and taverns exempt.
o Austin, September 1, 2005 ban extended to all bars and clubs. Smoking is still allowed in bingo halls, fraternities, hotel rooms, and nursing homes.
o Beaumont, ban takes effect August 1, 2006 in all enclosed public places, including workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
o Carrollton, banned in restaurants.
o Dallas, March 1, 2003 banned in all restaurants, bowling alleys, and city-owned facilities. Bars are exempt and hotels can offer smoking rooms.
o El Paso, January 2, 2002 banned in all workplaces, bingo halls, restaurants, bars, and public areas and waiting rooms of doctor's facilities.
o Laredo, March 2006 ban takes effect in October 2006 in all public places, workplaces, restaurants, and bars.
o Lubbock
o New Braunfels, banned in most indoor public places, including restaurants. Private clubs and stand-alone bars exempt.
o Odessa, banned in restaurants.
o Plano, banned in restaurants.
o Robinson, banned in all public places. Exempts bars.
o Rollingwood, banned in restaurants and bars.
o Round Rock, banned in workplaces and restaurants. Bars are exempt.
o Schertz, 2001 banned in restaurants, except if restaurant bar sales account for greater than 25% of a restaurant's business. Bars exempt.
o West Lake Hills, smoking banned in public places.
o Woodway, banned in restaurants, bars, and workplaces.
* Utah, in 2006 Utah became the 12th state in the country to ban smoking in bars. On March 1, 2006, the Utah State Legislature passed amendments to the 1996 Utah Indoor Clean Air Act that will fully ban smoking in private clubs, bars and taverns by Jan. 1, 2009. The new amendments will also restrict smoking from day cares; private schools; social, fraternal and religious organizations; and even workplace smoking areas. The 1996 act already banned smoking in restaurants.
* Vermont, September 1, 2005 banned lighted tobacco products in any indoor place of public access, including restaurants, bars and facilities owned or operated by a social, fraternal, or religious club. Vermont has banned smoking in restaurants for some years but smoking was still allowed in bars until the ban was extended in 2005.
* Washington, 8 December 2005 banned in all workplaces, including bars, restaurants, bowling alleys, and non-tribal casinos. Also bans smoking while standing within 25 feet of a door or window that can open or a ventilation intake; private property is excepted from this ban, and "smoking clubs" have opened that allow smoking. Currently it is the strictest smoking ban by state in the country.
* West Virginia local smoking bans of varying degrees in place in all counties except Mingo County, Pocahontas County, and Monroe County. The bans have been set by county health departments. The "banning" began in 2001, starting with Kanawha County.
* Wisconsin
o Appleton, banned in all public places, restaurants, bars, workplaces, childcare facilities, and private clubs. Exempts tobacco stores and motel and hotel rooms, providing that 25% or less are designated as smoking rooms.
o Eau Claire, banned in all restaurants.
o Madison, July 1, 2005 banned in all workplaces, including bars, cigar bars, and restaurants. Exempts private clubs. [7]
o Shorewood Hills, 1995 banned in all restaurants, bars, and workplaces.
* Wyoming
o Laramie, April 2005 Smoking outlawed in all public places, including restaurants, bars and private clubs.
[edit]
Outdoor smoking bans
This sign at a public park in Turlock, California prohibits smoking at or around an outdoor children's playground area. State law prohibits smoking within 25 feet (8 m) of such areas.
Enlarge
This sign at a public park in Turlock, California prohibits smoking at or around an outdoor children's playground area. State law prohibits smoking within 25 feet (8 m) of such areas.
* In the state of California, outdoor smoking is banned within 20 feet (6 m) of all public building entrances, exits, "operable windows", and air intakes. This applies to all public and state-owned buildings, including all buildings part of such large entities as the 10-campus University of California system, the 23-campus California State University system, and the 109-campus California Community Colleges system. Many California public universities take tougher stances than the statewide required minimum, either by extending no-smoking zones past 20 feet (6 m) or severely restricting outdoor smoking to specific areas, such as California State University, Fresno and San Francisco, which prohibits all indoor and outdoor smoking on its campus except for in several designated outdoor zones.
* Smoking is prohibited within 25 feet (8 m) of playgrounds, sandboxes, or "tot-lots" throughout the state of California.
* Solana Beach, California, a small coastal town in North San Diego County, California enacted a total ban (with no designated smoking areas) on smoking on its beaches in 2003, the first community to have done so in the Continental United States. Many other coastal communities in California have since enacted similar bans, although policies regarding the scope and enforcement of such laws vary. Other coastal California cities and communities with beach-smoking bans include Capitola, Carpinteria, Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Newport Beach, San Clemente, Santa Cruz, and Santa Monica.
* In 2004 San Francisco, California approved one of the strictest outdoor-smoking bans in the world to-date, prohibiting smoking in all city-owned parks and plazas as well as public sports facilities. Other smaller California cities have outdoor bans in city-owned places but none is as far-reaching as the new San Francisco policy, which came into effect June 1, 2005.
* In November 2005 the Kennesaw City Council passed a measure to ban smoking in city parks, becoming the second city in Georgia following Douglasville in July. Also in July, the Buffalo Grove Park District of Illinois banned smoking entirely from park property.
* Cities such as Davis, Healdsburg, and Berkeley, California ban all outdoor smoking at outdoor restaurants and food venues.
* Ocean City, NJ prohibits smoking except for very restricted areas on its 2.5 mile boardwalk due to a fire caused by a discarded cigarette butt.
* As of 8 December, 2005 Washington outlaws standing and smoking within 25 feet of a business' door, air intake, or window that can open. Smoking while walking on the sidewalk or other public access is allowable according to the law, even past one of these 25 foot zones. Businesses can also get exemptions if they can show smoke does not enter into the building from a lesser distance.
* The University of Cincinnati outlawed smoking 25 feet around campus buildings at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year.
* Ball State University prohibits smoking 30 feet around campus buildings as of August 2005.
* Purdue University West Lafayette campus prohibits smoking 30 feet around campus buildings as of August 2005.
* Indiana University prohibits smoking within 30 feet of any building
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Other bans
California has designated certain areas, such as all public schools and even prisons, as "tobacco-free" zones, where the possession of tobacco in any form (whether by students, parents, teachers, or others) is strictly prohibited indoors and outdoors. The sale and advertisement of tobacco is banned within 1000 feet (300 m) of educational facilities.
Similarly, Illinois law prohibits anyone from smoking on public school property (indoors and outdoors). All public and Catholic schools in the Region of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada banned smoking on school property in the fall of 1994.
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Other restrictions
Many California communities have established smoke-free registries for private residential buildings, especially apartments. The policies may range from complexes where smoking is entirely prohibited (whether inside private dwellings or outside), or where certain sections of dwellings may be designated as smoking dwellings. While still a relatively new phenomenon, many California cities and communities such as Los Angeles have worked with the American Lung Association, which has been active in promoting anti-smoking policies in private residential buildings. Not surprisingly, such measures are somewhat controversial. While pro-smokers' rights groups have been vocal against such policies, most California cities allow landlords to place anti-smoking regulations at will because anti-smoking rules are in a context of landowners' private property. Also, anti-discrimination laws do not cover smokers, as smoking is not considered an inalienable right. According to the Los Angeles Daily News 82 % of Californian apartment-dwellers favor smoking restrictions in their buildings.
"I support smoking bans in the workplace and other public places."
Then you DO support smoking bans in Restaurants and Bars. What makes one type of privately owned property more public than others? The government should stay out of it all and leave it up to the owner of the property.
Try answering the question and stop acting like the slippery little chit you're posing as on the internet.
"But it seems to me that smokers (in general, if the "stats" quoted are correct) are like the little kid who, if he can't have it his way, goes into a corner and sulks."
If you don't like seafood, do you frequent seafood restaurants? Or do you let those in the market cater to your wants and win your business?
Coming to Montana bars in 2009.
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