[The Raven]

I just had an idea.....how about liberal-free schools?

[Coeur de Lion]

I'm a smoker and I actually think this makes a lot of sense. This is not like we've done in California, which is bans it completely. Have smoking sections and have the owners install air circulation and ventilation systems which prevents the stuff wafting into other areas. That way, those businesses which want to attract smokers by going out and investing money in adequate air recycling and ventilation have an opportunity to attract them, instead of banning it outright. On the other hand if we just allowed the marketplace to regulate as it should you wouldn't have this silliness in the first place. If non-smokers had a problem with cigarette smoke they would just boycott restaurants that allow it. Since, they outnumber smokers by a large number, that would result in restaurants banning it. That would be the natural result which implies that most non-smokers don't regard it as that much of a nuisance and it's the "health fascists" that have managed to get a lot of these laws passed. As for bars, 80% of those who frequent bars smoke. How's that for a tyranny of a minority.

[lds23]

I guess fajitas are off the menu, now?

[doberville]

So, why don't they just outlaw tobacco outright, altogether and screw the tax revenues, screw the smokers - just screw everybody. At least that would be up front and honest instead of all this totalitarian incremental B(arbra) S(triesand). It's going to be the ultimate outcome anyhow.

But noooooooo. Legislators are SO clever. They don't want to take the heat and obviously NOBODY WILL NOTICE if they do it bit by bit. How insulting.

There. I've been wanting to say that for AGES. (Thank you for your patience.)

[Just another Joe]

Anti-smoking groups dismissed it as too weak, and a spokesman for local restaurants expressed concern that it could give some eating establishments an unfair advantage over others.

Of course the antis dismissed it as too weak. It's not an outright ban of smoking everywhere.
As for some establishments having an unfair advantage - the politicians DON'T CARE if the mom and pop places go out of business.

[YourAdHere]

I guess this means that Tommy Grand will have to put out his cigarettes before he busts those cheaters.

[Search4Truth]

The police should be patrolling these businesses to make sure these non-smoking laws are adhered to. They could use little smoke detectors to inspect different areas of the business for violations. Then citations or arrests could occur on the spot. It's the law.

[al_c]

I see nothing wrong with this. I'm a non-smoker but I don't care of others choose to smoke ... it's not my business. But here's my problem ... too much of the smoke makes me sick ... literally. My sinuses swell up like I've got a cold, I get a headache, and sometimes I'll start sneezing. Next day, I feel downright hung over.

When I go to a restaurant to eat and I ask for a non-smoking section, that non-smoking section better darn well be smoke free. Nothing like sitting at a table that is supposedly in non-smoking while just on the other side of the lattice-work "wall" there's a table of 4 and all of 'em are smoking.

The separate sections need to be more separate.