BUMP!
Posted on 06/19/2002 7:11:34 AM PDT by SheLion
Some Haverhill restaurant owners are complaining about a city ban on smoking.
NewsCenter 5's Kelley Tuthill said that they claim the smoking ban is driving customers away and they say they're ready to fight to get it overturned.
Restaurant owners said that they've lived with these new regulations for three months with devastating consequences. They plan to speak out Tuesday night at a meeting at City Hall.
In Haverhill, the bar banter has moved outside. Three months ago, the city banned smoking in most restaurants. The ashtrays may be gone, but so are the customers.
"I would say we lost 30 to 40 percent of our business right off top since March 1, and it happened that day," restaurant owner Mike Difeo said.
It was a similar story at Benny's farther north on Route 125.
"It's a struggle. I've lost $49,000 as of today, and I can see I lost my main base of customers because of non-smoking. I am losing help. My people are not making money. I went from 58 employees to 44 employees," restaurant owner Ben Brienza said.
Workers and some customers may be heading across the border to New Hampshire.
"I think it's a ridiculous law. Little by little, we are lawing ourselves right out of freedom," one customer said.
"A lot of people we don't see anymore. It's sad," another customer said.
Before the regulations, nonsmoking customer could dine in a separate section of the restaurant.
So is Haverhill fixing something that wasn't broken? Not according to a member of the board of health.
"You can't drive over 65 on the highway -- that is a health issue because of accidents, and there are many different rules in that regard," board of health member Dr. Carl Rosenbloom said. "I think (the government) has an obligation to protect certain aspects of public health that an individual cannot protect themselves."
The board of health does not expect to make any decision at Tuesday night's meeting. It will take public comment for at least a week. Then, board members will either keep the regulations as is, go to a citywide ban in all establishments or chose something in between.
I am an adult! I can protect myself, thank you very much Dr. Rosenbloom. Who governs YOUR life?!
I always enjoy informing them, when the hostess tells me that they do not have a smoking section, that I will dine elsewhere.
maryz, if a business wants to go smoke free, that's fine. That should be their choice. But when an outlaw Board of Health goes in and makes that decision for them, it sounds a bit illegal to me....
Kerberos, we only have three bar/restaurants up here left where we can go, have a fine meal, relax and have a cigarette with our beverage.
We, too, refuse to go to any restaurant that does not accomodate us. We refuse to pay for that personal abuse. And that's exactly what the Boards of Health has imposed on all of us: Personal Abuse.
Only from an invading army. Read your constitution.
You said it all!
:)
But that won't give enough control to the Boards of Health.
It is getting more and more difficult in the area I live also. But I am firmly resolved that if the choice is between enduring, as you point out, government abuse, or eating at home, I will eat at home.
Besides, it saves me money to pay the outrages taxes to buy a pack of cigarettes. But fear not, I don't expect it to be too long until the black market kicks in and lowers the prices.
Kerberos, you can roll a beautiful carton of cigarettes for under $8.00! A lot of us in here do just that.
Sure saves a lot of money for Christmas!!!
But then that wouldn't allow for nazi-anti-smoking doctors/politicians/activists to control the populous, now would it?
Maybe because the highway is owned and maintained by the government. A private business is a totally different matter. Customers can avoid a restaurant because it allows smoking or, conversely, they can go over the border to avoid the smoke ban- like they are doing right now.
In order to get the title "Dr.", Carl got a BS degree (Bullsh# degree), then a MS degree (More Sh# degree) and finally a PhD (Piled Higher and Deeper degree). I always remember this when dealing with these so-called "experts".
You know that's not a bad idea.
It has been many years since I have rolled my own so I have kind of forgotten about it. Maybe I will pay a visit to my local tobacco store.
BUMP!
I have been doing the same thing. Even made a calling card I leave with them saying I won't be back or thanking them for providing a smoking section and I will be back. It has my name,address, phone and email address in case they care to contact me. Several have.
Our town went with a smoking ban a couple years ago and the restaurant owners have complained but nothing has changed. Lets face it.. The Nico Nazi's have taken over.
I agree. There was never a law that required any resturant to allow smoking. It should be the owners choice. If he/she thinks having a smoke free restaurant would improve their business, by all means ban it but for these city governments to make it law to ban smoking is unconstitional IMHO.
It's a PC thing now. You are so Politically Incorrect if you smoke.
I smoke and I own a gun. How much more Politically incorrect could I be? "
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