Wow, my bad. When I initially responded to this post by DallasGOP, I thought I was responding to a woman. No disrespect intended, but I usually can get a pretty good read on people.
That said, I've yet to see one smoker on these threads who would set out to expose you or your children to smoke. And I assume you, your wife, and your children walk everywhere, and don't expose your neighbors to the fumes spewing from your vehicle?
However, this thread is about smoking in bars. I would hope you don't take your preteen children to bars. Do you?
I rarely go out, but I can tell you, if the bars here in my hometown prohibit smoking, I'll never set foot in them again. I do not for a minute believe that non-smoking bars haven't lost revenue. Either the patrons are smoking despite the law, or the numbers are being skewed.
Lisa - I don't know about the liquor laws where you live but know about them where I live and lived (I've been where I am for less than a year). But I can attest that your statements are perfectly correct when it comes to Delaware. Even the places that are ignoring the ban in Delaware are hurting, because people are either staying home or going over the state line into maryland.
No one under 21 is permitted to even set foot into a bar in Delaware or in a retail store that sells alcohol.
As the parent of a 5 year old, I've got no problem with that. I'm over 40 and have been asked for ID in the supermarket more than once when buying beer or wine. Again, I've got no problem with that
When I walk into an establishment where the owner permits me, and permits me to light a cigarette, I've got a major problem with some twit who also abided by the establishment rules of entrance, yet decides he's going to change what the establishment permits to suit his personal preferences.
If you don't like smoking, go where it's not permitted, convince the owner of your favorite place to prohibit it, or open your own place - don't go whining to the government to do what personal responsibility is perfectly capable of doing.