OVER 600,000 Virginians ARE SMOKERS!
And OVER 10,500,000 are NON-SMOKERS!
I know I'll catch heat on this thread, but I don't have any problems with the banning of smoking in restaurants and bars. I welcome it. One local restaurant here in Richmond, the Strawberry Street Cafe, went non-smoking this past year, and their profits rose because people wanted a non-smoking restaurant.
That's wonderful. These bans should be left up to the business owner and his patrons. NOT the government. We do not need more government intervention into our personal lives.
But it looks like the beautiful state of Virginia will be over taken by the anti-smokers that have swooped in and is about to choke the states private business economy.
Pity.
As long as it is voluntary, it's cool with me. But someone wants to start a cigar bar, they should be allowed to do so.
"One local restaurant here in Richmond, the Strawberry Street Cafe, went non-smoking this past year, and their profits rose because people wanted a non-smoking restaurant."
As a smoker, I would still frequent a non-smoking eating establishment. I go in, order, eat and leave. With less people hanging around after a meal smoking, table turnover is greater and more meals are sold. Thus, higher profits. Fair enough, good business move.
That said, I will NEVER go to a non-smoking drinking establishment. The problem lies in restaurant/bars. Those restaurants that depend on a good bar income will feel a hit. Bars are going to be hit hard. If some enterprizing person wants to open some non-smoking bars, more power to them. If there is a market that needs filling, fill it! That's how these issues should be solved in a capitalist society, not by government, IMO.
Then explain why so many restaurants go belly up because people can't smoke there? If you don't like smoking that is well and good, but can't you please just avoid restaurants that allow smoking?
Good for the Strawberry Street Cafe.........all businesses should have the choice they have. You should not be forcing all businesses to do so.
If all busiensses are forced to go non-smoker than the Strawberry Street Cafe will lose the market the owner created for himself. Why would you like to do that to him?
My favorite Mexican restaurant here on the Eastern Shore is non-smoking, the owner's choice. I still go there because it is his choice.
If you want to get into an argument with the poster-in-cheif, bring up economic of smoking, it's a hoot and supports my call for a passing grade in basic economics to get a high school diploma.
According to her, once the smoking ban went into effect in Florida the prices of food in resturuants went up because there was lower demand (i.e. fewer customers). Fact is the observation is CORRECT, prices did go up, because the resturant business in Florida is healthy. And only a dimwit (GM) would raise prices in the face of lower demand.
VA does not have a population of 11.2M people.
Growing up I used to go to Strawberry Street Cafe with my Grandparents a few times a month. Always loved it. Do they still have the salad bar in a bathtub?
Geeeeeze, thinking about Richmond always reminds me of Bills BBQ, I'd kill for one of their limeaids right now!!!!
Under what system other than totalitarianism should that be a decision made by parasites who could only get government jobs, and not the owner of the business who does all the work and takes all the risks?
Speak, tagline, speak!
Goooooood tagline. Sit. Stay.
Fine, but why does the GOVERNMENT have to mandate it? Why can't a business owner decide on their own if they want a non-smoking establishment?
I hope your 10,500,000 non-smokers are going to enjoy the higher taxes.
Yes, tobacco DOES kill. So much so, that banning it will cause a sizeable uptick in longevity. Enjoy paying higher taxes to pay the medicare and social security payments of people who would otherwise be dead, of their own free hand.
Oh, and you're also going to have to make up the lost revenue from tobacco taxes. And deal with the higher unemployment costs when the cigarette factories shut down.
But it bothers you that other people enjoy a legal activity that YOU disdain, so it's ok. . . (/sarcasm)