NYC's smoky night life moves to the sidewalks

The Boston Globe ^ | 4/28/2003 | Tatsha Robertson

[Radix]

NEW YORK - The night life for which this city is so famous is undergoing a metamorphosis as bar patrons who smoke are spending time on the sidewalks rather than spending money inside ever since a citywide workplace smoking ban took effect on March 30.

[Radix]

Personally, I believe that smoking is a foolish habit.

On the other hand, I believe that Laws such as the one that caused these circumstances are blatantly un-American.

[tbird5]

Smoking maybe a foolish habit, yet everyone has a foolish habit. What are they going to do...ban ALL habits?!

[conservativeinbflo.]

the smoking ban is really pathetic. with all that's going on in the world, not to mention far worse vices like drinking (and then promptly driving for some) and pot-smoking, it's pretty sad when this is what our politicans focus on. frankly, i hope all of the smokers *do* congregate on the streets of NYC. i'd love for Mike Bloomberg to see how useless he really is.

[Argus]

They oughta have a smoke-in at City Hall. They're already out on the street anyway, why not? "We're tough, we puff, and we're in your face."

[jjm2111]

ALL HAIL THE NANNY STATE!

[annyokie]

"Personally, I believe that smoking is a foolish habit."

Indeed. I am a smoker who has quit hundreds of times (like Mark Twain). It's my belief that employers should provide a smoking lounge for their employees who smoke. Heck, most have break/lunch rooms. We had one at the hospital I worked at when I was a candy-striper in high school.

To force your employees who smoke to stand out in the elements, especially on the East coast just drives up claims on their health insurance since everyone is outside in the rain/snow/sleet and contracting bronchitis or strep throat or just persistant winter colds. Additionally, I think people smoke more when they are restricted to going outside for 10 minutes and try to huff down three cigarettes.

I used to see the office workers in Pittsburgh huddled together at a corner of the Steel Building to stay out of the wind. They litter up the sidewalk with cigarette butts since no one provides ashtrays anymore, another stupid oversight. /rant off

[Phantom Lord]

Hundreds of thousands of people die a year from tobacco. NONE die from MJ. Tobacco is far worse of a habit in every way. And soon, at least in NYC and other locations it will probably have harsher legal penalties for its use in the wrong location.

[conservativeinbflo.]

you're not SERIOUSLY saying no one gets cancer from chronic pot-smoking, are you? tell me you're not... cancer risks aside, in defense of tobacco-- smoking a cigarette is not the least bit mind-altering. they do not tell you to not smoke while you drive or operate heavy machinery. but sure, go ahead and spark up your precious doobie, and go for a drive.

pathetic.

[Mark]

Well, if business is down some 20%, then tax revenue must be down. The government just needs to increase taxes on the business - the only logical liberal answer.(/sarcasm)

[johnb838]

Are you saying nobody dies from pot? Keep telling yourself that... there's just no data. More tar in pot and some people smoke themselves silly. Let's not even start on the alcohol. All I can say if tobacco, which does not impair the user, is a public health menace, then alcoholism is a pandemic. It should be regulated out of existence NOW! Maybe that's why govt isn't sympathetic to the club owners -- they're next.

[You Dirty Rats]

Here's a radical thought: Why not let the owners of the bars, restaurants, and other entertainment areas decide this one? If a smoke-free bar is so desirable, build one and you'll have all of the people who hate smoke come in.

I dislike cigarette smoke, but the anti-smoking Nazis are out of control.

[conservativeinbflo.]

totally with ya. that'd be the best solution, and then no one would lose out (of course, if the smoking bar had a great band perform, you'd hear the non-smokers whine about that, too).

[You Dirty Rats]

Repeal the 21st Amendment?

Prohibition worked SO well the first time, let's do it again! Turn America into Mob Nation!

Let's see -- we have a Libertarian who wants to legalize pot vs. a prohibitionist, right here on the same thread! Why not? It's a slow news day!

[N. Theknow]

I sense another tax hike to cover the cost of cleaning up all the cigarette butts on the city sidewalks and streets.

...smokers on the sidewalks of Manhattan have a lot to say about a law many are calling Draconian Bloombergian.

[brewcrew]

To force your employees who smoke to stand out in the elements, especially on the East coast just drives up claims on their health insurance since everyone is outside in the rain/snow/sleet and contracting bronchitis or strep throat or just persistant winter colds.

If you believe there is any direct correlation between short-term exposure to the elements and an increase in sickness, I have a bridge to sell you.

[JmyBryan]

Look out fo' dat killah weed!

[annyokie]

Correlation does not equal causation, of course. I believe it is the perception that causes these persons to become sick. Bronchitis and strep throat are viral, after all.

Which bridge? ; )

[E Rocc]

Rabin, who is also president of the New York Nightlife Association, a tavern and restaurant lobbying group, said it is too early to know the full economic impact of the law since city officials said they will not fine establishments until May. Still, he said, there has been a rise in noise complaints, and he predicts more rowdiness in the streets.

But already the ban has created tension between bar workers and patrons, tensions that reached a peak on April 12 when a bouncer at an East Village club was stabbed to death by a man who was angry after being told to put out his cigarette. And Jim Dugan, a 31-year-old patron in McCoy's and Boston native, said he's watched patrons take their alcoholic drinks outside with them.

Leaving aside the lack of merits of such nanny-state laws that seek to "protect employees", yet ignore the concept of PELs, if Bloomberg and his ilk weren't such miserable f-ing cowards, the law would be written to fine the smokers, not the establishments.

The way it seems to be written, the Smoke Nazis get to have their cake and eat it too. They can have snitches and undercover cops lurk in the corners and take notes and cite businesses, yet its the bartenders and bouncers who get the dirty job of telling belligerent drunks that they can't do something that has been legal since the Dawn of Time.

For this alone, Bloomberg deserves to have a great big cloud of smoke blown in his face next time he's out in public. F----- would probably press "assault" charges, though.......

:rant over:

-Eric

[Just another Joe]

Business owners say that so many patrons are leaving early - or not visiting at all - that business is down 20 percent.

But, but, they said that the non-smokers would make up the difference.
You mean, they LIED to us?

The horror!

[Just another Joe]

Puff