Light up or leave

The Daily Telegraph ^ | August 14, 2006 | David Fisher

[SheLion]

The concept of a two-way street is apparently too difficult for the Nazis to assimilate.

See?  The shoe is on the OTHER foot and now they can't stand it.  LOL

[SheLion]

The outside area is for smokers. THEY wanted it to be this way. Now they want to go outside and complain?

Give me a break.

Yep.  The shoe is on the other foot and they can't handle it.

[CSM]

Ah, the justification of hypocricy. Don't let the nannystatism get you down.

[Just another Joe]

Us non-smokers could care less if we've been banned from a smoking area in any case.

So THAT'S why you support smoking bans under force of law, supported by junk science, lies, and tobacco money, to take the right of a business owner to allow smoking at their establishment.

[P-40]

Ah, the justification of hypocricy. Don't let the nannystatism get you down.

Are you denying that a smoker is allowed into the establishment?

[CSM]

No. A growing number of smoker bans are taking place. They are celebratedy by the nannies. You might not have heard of them, but they are becoming more prominent.

[dalereed]

"there shall be no bar service or consumption of food within the terrace".

If they institute that here i'll just eliminate restaurants as a place to dine.

I only go to ones with outside patios where I can eat and smoke now.

[P-40]

You might not have heard of them

We have them here. Smokers are not banned though, just smoking inside. We never had it apply to nightclubs before though.

[CSM]

Smokers are being banned by employers. Even if they smoke at home during non work hours. I agree, they have the right to do that, but if the government passed the legislation I would have a huge problem with it. Just like I have no problem with a private bar/restaurant setting a no smoking policy, but the government dictation is a trampling of the property owner's right to make that call.

[JamesP81]

Pretty soon, the govt will be examining your personal habits (if they aren't already) to determine how much taxes in social security you'll have to pay for health care down the road that you won't receive because social security will be bankrupt by then.

What many otherwise intelligent people here don't seem to understand is that there is no end to this nanny statism if we don't draw a line somewhere.

[Roccus]

When NYC first started mandating 'non-smoking' areas in restaurants, the smoke nazis would sit and linger in the smoking sections thereby rendering them inaccessible to smokers. In two restaurants that I used to frequent the smoking sections would often be full (with nary a cigarette in sight) while the non-smoking section would be completely empty.

[CygnusXI]

Fact: It's about "Ewww it stinks!"

Fiction: Second hand smoke.

Any questions?

[P-40]

Smokers are being banned by employers.

That is always an odd one. If the employer pays the health care costs, you can make an argument for hiring non-smokers. You could do the same for not hiring the elderly, obese workers, mountain bike riders, etc. Think what it would be like under national health care...

I have no problem with a business having a no-smoking policy and generally only eat at restaurants that ban it indoors and outdoors but I do have a problem with the government banning consumption of a legal product if a business is okay with it.

[CSM]

"I have no problem with a business having a no-smoking policy and generally only eat at restaurants that ban it indoors and outdoors but I do have a problem with the government banning consumption of a legal product if a business is okay with it."

We are on the same page here, but that is not where the anti's stand. They pushed for governmental banning in the club, now the clubs are doing something that the anti's don't approve of, yet still protects non smokers from SHS exposure. They are hypocritics and they make it known in this example. In addition, they are showing that it is not about health, but about control!

[P-40]

They are hypocritics and they make it known in this example.

I would not put too much stock in this example as it sounds more like they are having a problem with outdoor areas being overrun with people that would rather be outside but not have the smoke...and who are putting pressure on their council and it is going way off target when the business and the council start to talking. Hard to say without knowing more about the area.

The smoking ban passed here, barely, but I doubt many of the voters that approved of it actually go to clubs. I did not vote for it even though I would not go to an indoor club because of the smoke. Then again, I don't drink, don't like crowds, and don't like loud music...so I don't think the clubs found me all that profitable a patron.

[SheLion]

Us non-smokers could care less if we've been banned from a smoking area in any case.

Well, I guess not ALL non smokers feel that way, otherwise, there wouldn't be this article!

[Madame Dufarge]

I only go to ones with outside patios where I can eat and smoke now.

Same here. Of course, in Maine, we have about a one-month window of opportunity before it gets too cold ;-)

[SheLion]

They want no place for smokers in their utopian world.

That's right.  We were quite happy with our indoor smoking lounges, out of the view of the world.  But then we were kicked outside.  That's still not good enough for the anti's.  Now, they want us "25 feet" away from the damn buildings!  Something has got to give!

[SheLion]

It looks like the smoking nazis can not tolerate it that any non smoker might actually choose to go outside to visit with their smoking friend.

It can be looked at that way, of course.  But I know all my life, I have had non-smoking friends and we all hung around together and smoking was never an issue with anyone.

[SheLion]

Pretty soon, the govt will be examining your personal habits (if they aren't already) to determine how much taxes in social security you'll have to pay for health care down the road that you won't receive because social security will be bankrupt by then.

Well, that's why most of us have good health insurance.  When I get sick, my insurance pays for me.  No one else.  Just me.