Posted on 06/03/2004 8:31:40 AM PDT by SheLion
AUGUSTA - Six months into a ban on smoking at Maine bars, the president of the Maine Restaurant Association says business at some establishments is down by 30 percent, especially at bars near the New Hampshire border.
"Business is off big time," Dick Grotton said. "The law continues to be a source of extreme irritation."
Jibryne "Gubby" Karter, owner of Waterville's Bob-In, said he paid nearly $10,000 for a heated outdoor patio after a very slow January.
"Without the smoke deck, I'm sure business would be off 20 percent," he said.
But supporters of the smoking ban, which outlawed all smoking in Maine bars and restaurants, say it is beneficial for bar and restaurant employees, and that many Mainers are now enjoying nightlife they once shunned.
"We've had many, many more positive remarks about the law than negative," said Dora Mills, director of the Maine Bureau of Health. "People are enjoying going to places that are now smoke-free."
Moriah Giguere, manager of Spirits in Waterville, said nearly every bar has lost customers since the ban. But she said the law has been good for bartenders, herself included. She feels healthier now and no longer has a sore throat at night's end.
Dr. Susan Swartz, medical director at the state's Center for Tobacco Independence, said that taverns will save on cleaning costs and have healthier and more productive employees. She also said that bar owners should be able to tap into a new group of customers.
"Overall, the law is the best thing for the people of Maine," she said. "Overall, the state will not lose revenue and these businesses will survive."
But some bar owners fear their businesses may not recover.
"I don't believe the health community ever grasped the financial impact of this," Grotton said. "The law brought forth great pain
Howdy Ladies....
check out the email just sent out from HR about smoking on company facilities.....smoking nazis at it again....
I've deleted the company name, location, etc... so as not to get into any trouble. What a crock!
Second-hand smoke is a health hazard to all those who are exposed to it. Recently, there have been an increasing number of complaints regarding second-hand smoke in the non-designated smoking areas of the courtyard entrance, in which a "No Smoking" sign has been installed. Based on these complaints and the concern for the health of our employees, xxxxxxxx is issuing this communiqué to remind all employees of acceptable designated areas for smoking.
Our current xxxxx policy xxxxx "Smoke Free Work Environment" requires the restricting of smoking to designated smoking areas. Relative to xxxxxxxx, employees who smoke are to use the courtyard area, approximately 50 feet away from the West entrance to the building. The special cigarette butt receptacle is not to be moved from this location. The current smoking area outside of the loading dock on the South end of the building remains the same and is not affected by this restriction.
Smoking is not permitted at the main entrances of any xxxxxxx facility. Facilities have placed appropriate signage at these entrances. In order to continue to provide smoking areas, employees must adhere to smoking only in these designated areas. Further, inclement weather can no longer be an acceptable reason for deviating from this requirement.
Human Resources, Facilities and Environmental, Health and Safety are committed to ensuring a healthy work environment. It is the responsibility of each employee to ensure compliance with this requirement. Non-compliance will result in supervision notification. We hope that each of you will help make this effort a successful one.
Any questions relative to this communication should be addressed to your human resources representative
My favorite part:
Further, inclement weather can no longer be an acceptable reason for deviating from this requirement.
So we must protect the wittle cry baby nazis, but it's okay to force smokers out in the rain/cold to smoke. This is beginning to piss me off. Wonder if I should lodge a complaint of my own....
ahh no......I do not want to quit. If I wake up one morning and just can't stand it anymore, like my Dad, I will quit. Why do something if I can't stand it?
I won't do it. Just like prescriptions: If I feel they just aren't doing me any good, I stop taking them. Why put something into my body if I there is no value to it?
Nope..........not now. Coffee and cigarettes are me. I truely enoy it. (Better then being a falling down DRUNK!
And the "trickle down effect"..............
The vendors had to cut back..........beer, snacks, soft drinks........the list goes on. When a business is losing revenue, they have to cut back of their supplies. Not to mention the kitchen supplies if they serve food. The list goes on and on of people that are losing money.
The following statement is what one guy said about this issue:
"I don't believe the health community ever grasped the financial impact of this," Grotton said. "The law brought forth great pain.
The Partnership for a Tobacco Free Maine is choking the Economy!!!!!!!!
SheLion, please check your FReepmail. Thank you.
FReegards,
Judy
Oh yes!!!!!!!
California Smokers Use Prohibition Tactics to Get Around Ban
But many patrons are still lighting up at bars that secretly accommodate their habit.
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.
Smoker Ian Hughes said that if someone in one of those bars spots a squad car driving by, he or she will alert those puffing away — and everyone will stub out their cigarettes before they can be discovered.
It's an OSHA law, so basically we kick out the employees and you're OK," said Tim Dale, general manager of Le Colonial.
Police say it's not OK when some bars comply and others don't. But until the smoking ban goes the way of Prohibition, hoppers who smoke and bars that welcome them will continue to be a perfect match.
Yup saw it first hand in San Fran. We went into a restaurant/bar for dinner one night while in San Fran and everyone was at the bar smoking. This was about a year ago.
They were sort of hiding the cigarettes, but still smoking away. Bar even had given them paper cups with water in it to put out the ciggs if anyone came in.
Later that night we went to a club and sure enough, everyone was smoking in there also.
At least in San Francisco it looked as if everyone was ignoring it.
Now that I am in Nevada, I don't have to hide anymore :)
hehe!
I agree about the trickle down, I deliver cutlery service to restaurants and my business is one of the first ones to go when money is tight...I am looking at being laid off in a couple of weeks because of it...anyone here hiring??? I've got 17 years cooking experience. (Shameless self promoting, I know...)
I agree about the trickle down, I deliver cutlery service to restaurants and my business is one of the first ones to go when money is tight...I am looking at being laid off in a couple of weeks because of it...anyone here hiring??? I've got 17 years cooking experience. (Shameless self promoting, I know...)
Preech, the general public have no clue about that this ban affects everyone. They think it just effects the business and employees, but if the owner doesn't have the revenue coming in, it only makes sense that they have to cut down on supplies!
The non/anti smokers think this ban is such a wonderful idea, but I often wonder how they would feel when their favorite place closes. They should think about that too...........what if they lost THEIR restaurant or bar??? They will never learn until it's WAY too late!
You seem to favor Communism.
"The goal of socialism is communism. V.I. Lenin"
Then you haven't been checking out the antismoking movement long enough or hard enough.
I don't think there is any solid evidence that the health authorities have done what you indicate.
Same as above.
One of the leading antismoking advocates has determined, don't ask me how, that it would take a 700 MPH wind to scour a room of all SHS that would affect a person.
Do you really believe that?
You're right. Employee's who are outside worried more about having a cigarette than worried about the customers who are inside should be fired.
A restaurant and bar are a privately owned business open to the public. If there is such a great need for a none smoking business ask yourself this. Why haven't a business owner in these smoking cities opened a "smoke free" establishment? By all "logic" put forward in these arguments, the non smoking business should have a booming business.
Ask yourself why this doesn't happen instead of attacking the established businesses. No one ever looks at the potential of this.
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