Restraunt Fights Smoking Ban in Tampa, FL

Tampa Tribune ^ | 07.30.03 | TOM BRENNAN

[Beck_isright]

Citation Lands In Grandma's Kitchen

By TOM BRENNAN

EAST TAMPA - State officials Tuesday cited a truck-stop restaurant for ignoring the smoking ban, but the owners say they will still let customers light up even if it means being fined.

Agents from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation issued a warning Tuesday afternoon at Grandma's Kitchen, part of the Citgo truck stop at 6503 U.S. 301.

State officials told the owners they were acting on a citizen's complaint filed July 25. But co-owner Wava Saunders said she thinks the state was spurred to action by an article published Tuesday morning in The Tampa Tribune about the decision to disregard the smoking ban.

``We knew it was coming,'' Saunders said. ``But someone had to stand up against this thing.''

Saunders vowed not to snuff out customers' right to smoke without a fight.

``I'm mad now,'' she said. ``We're going to hang in there until the last resort.''

Officials with the regulatory agency could not be reached for comment.

Saunders and her husband, John, have refused to enforce the statewide smoking ban since it went into effect July 1. They say it would kill their business because the vast majority of customers are truckers who smoke.

Most of the customers interviewed Monday said they drove miles out of their way to eat where they could also light up.

The Saunderses have 30 days to comply with the smoking ban. If they don't, they face a fine of $250 to $750 for the first offense. Fines for subsequent violations could range from $500 to $2,000.

[upier]

I am a non smoker. That said, If a business wants to make their place a smoking place it is their choice or should be. If you don't want to eat somewhere that doesn't allow smoking go somewhere else! If a bar owner puts a big sign out front that says I allow smoking then all the non smokers can just stay away. The free market will decide if these places stay open. I used to go to a bar in Atlanta every Sunday to watch Steelers football games. Lots of people smoked there including the owner who would sit across from me each week smoking a cigar. If the smoke bothered me I would have gone somewhere else not asked or forced everyone else in the place to stop smoking. Bottom line is that if you don't like smoke don't go to places that allow smoking. However, allow those who want to smoke to be able to go places and smoke. Stop trying to run other people's lives!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ASA Vet]

Liberal is just a fancy way of saying "communist".

I've always said, " A liberal is a socialist without the balls to admit it,
and a socialist is a communist without the balls to admit it."

[ASA Vet]

I also "loath smoking," and won't allow it in my restaurant.
That said, It's my choice to run my restaurant and have the business fail
if my decision causes me to lose too many customers.

It is not the governments business either way.

[metesky]

None of that free market sh!t for you, eh Mikey?

Young man like yourself should run for office on the My Way Or The Highway ticket.

[SheLion]

Maine, too, finally has a committee collecting donaltions to ward off the evils of Maine that wish to take away our rights! I believe the general public across the U.S. are finally finding out just WHAT is going ON here!

[Conspiracy Guy]

I think it's time we call them "Smoke Gnatzies". No need for us to insult the Nazis.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Thank you for your service. Now, don't eat where smoking is permitted, if there are enough of you the owner will ban smoking. Instead of the government doing it. Problem solved, get back to work ; ) BTW you're lucky I'm a USAF Viet Nam era vet or I would light you up.

[Gabz]

I think it's time we call them "Smoke Gnatzies".

Very good - small minds and endlessly buzzing around in everyone else's business!!!

[CSM]

``I'm mad now,'' she said. ``We're going to hang in there until the last resort.''

She should have been mad last year, or the year before, whenever the legislation was being proposed. This was not a shock and awe law that was passed in a fleeting moment. This has been a gradual theft of private property owners freedoms for years. I guess this is just the straw that broke her back and now she wants to get involved in the debate.

That is why all of us need to constantly hound the rest./bar owners in our areas to keep involved in their city politics. It starts in the cities and then becomes a state issue. If they can prevent it from passing in the cities then it may never be a state issue.

[CSM]

"Smoke Gnatzies".

Awesome. I love this and am forewarning you that I am stealing it for future use!

[Conspiracy Guy]

That's my thought glad you get it.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Just give me credit for it every once in a while. On every smoke thread I'm trying to change the term because this fits better.

[CSM]

Will do. How about in my tag line?

[Conspiracy Guy]

Excellent.

[Conspiracy Guy]

How's my tagline?

[1Old Pro]

More Bars/restaurants need to boycott this law AND as importantly, take donations to run against local pols who supported it.

[CSM]

Very cool. Heck, I may even add it to my auto signature at work, just for notes that will go to my own little smoke gnatzie here.......

[honeygrl]

So do they just act against a customer complaint without proof and fine them? I guess I know what to do in Tampa if a restaurant owner really gets on my nerves. I wonder if any of the people who pushed the ban through own restaurants? People could go around to them and light up in each of them, then go and complain about themselves. Maybe after a few (dozen) fines on their own restaurants, they would realize how annoying it is.

[Beck_isright]

Actually the Applebee's and Chili's chains supported the law with donations to the smoking "Gnazis". This restraunt got it's first fine after going on the news and telling the bureaucrats to pound sand. I'm supporting them with my dollars. There is a principle here.

[honeygrl]

"Actually the Applebee's and Chili's chains supported the law with donations to the smoking "Gnazis". This restraunt got it's first fine after going on the news and telling the bureaucrats to pound sand. I'm supporting them with my dollars. There is a principle here. "

Well, if you went to Applebee's or Chili's, smoked, then reported yourself, they wouldn't make any profit from you and might even lose money depending on how high the fine is. :) Now I'm not sure if that is legal or not, but it would be entertaining. You just get yourself a booth in the back and wait until the waiter disappears. Couldn't be considered a form of civil disobedience?