Smoke 'em if you got 'em
I'm sure you didn't miss my good friend and fabulous colleague John's superbly written eulogy for smoke-filled bars. The ban goes into effect Friday.
I've already told you how I am not a smoker, but that I am also 100 percent opposed to the smoking ban.
It's not because I think smoking is good or that I even encourage it. In fact, smokers should probably stop smoking (yea, you John! Ace might even thank you for it!). But here's the thing, I believe in having a choice.
As a non-smoker, I like going to those gritty, old man bars, as the Towson University professor of creative writing called them in John's story. In the past, when I didn't feel like smelling like cigarettes after a night out, I'd drag my smoking friends to a non-smoking bar. Yea. They didn't smoke there. They're capable of not smoking. But it was entirely up to them to come join me there, occasionally. Just as it was up to me if I wanted to join them in their smokey hangouts.
On Friday, my friends, those evil horrible naughty smokers,
will no longer have a choice anymore. They'll have nowhere to go if they want to light up. How is that right?
Why is it impossible to have smoking bars and non-smoking bars co-exist peacefully? Must we all be of one mind and one lifestyle? Must we force our personal preferences on everyone else? First smoking, then what? Where does it end?
(Getty Images)
Comments
I would argue that smokers force their preference upon non-smokers. If I want to go to a bar and not smell like smoke I have very few options. Your friends can steal outside for 5 mins to light up. No one has a "right" to smoke in a bar and thus impose carcinogens on non-smokers. If smoking were a neutral activity to bystanders (like, say, swearing), then sure. But it's not neutral: it causes me harm.
Posted by: Mitch | January 30, 2008 3:18 PM
Non-smoking bars? Where? Which ones? I've never heard of such a thing.
DD: Andrew, Peter's Inn. Timothy Dean's. The Metropolitan Coffeehouse and Wine Bar. Helen's Garden. The Red Maple. Just to name the few that I know of.
Posted by: Andrew | January 30, 2008 3:27 PM
It's strange how smoking has been banned in almost all other indoor environments except for bars and restaurants with relatively little fuss. I'm not sure why it has taken a law to prohibit smoking in these establishments but I do know many people who are counting down the days until the ban goes into effect so they can try "new" bars/restaurants where they currently can't tolerate the smoke. Peter's Inn, a really great Fell's Point pub, saw their buisiness explode when they went non-smoking recently. Many other local places might experience similar results when the ban goes into effect.
I'm all for freedom of choice when it comes to personal freedoms. But smoking in these establishments affects the health of others. Not necessarily the patrons who are free to choose where to drink/eat, but the employees who may not have a choice in the matter. What about them?
BTW, John's article today was great. It made me remember the Baltimore of old (and miss in some ways). I also expect that the bars/restaurants that really want to remain smoking establishments will find creative ways to comply with the new law. After all, there are many people like John who deserve to have places where they can enjoy these freedoms. American ingenuity, you know?
DD: Nicely put, Bob! And as always, thanks for the civil tone. I'd like John to feel just as welcome as I do when we go somewhere together. Also, if there was a choice between smoking and non-smoking bars, wouldn't that keep both sides happy? Let the market decide. If there's such a demand for non-smoking bars, then smart bar owners would choose that route to win over those customers and attract workers who don't smoke. I'm just an advocate for choice.
Posted by: bob | January 30, 2008 4:19 PM
Of course no one has a "right" to smoke in a bar. The only one who has a "right" in this instance is the owner of the business, A right to allow smoking or not, to serve Italian or Mexican... My preferences are irrelevant to the issue. Anyone who thinks about it for more than a second realizes that it's not about smoking really. it's about dictating lifestyles. Unfortunately, the only way to resist this movement is to refuse to participate. All freedom loving smokers and non-smokers must refuse to frequent bars and restaurants until this particular intrusion on freedom is repealed.
Posted by: D Jones | January 30, 2008 7:02 PM
Next these liberal Democrats will be telling us what we can and cannot eat, drink, etc. No Government has the right to tell us how to run our business. It should be left up to the proprietor to post a disclosure in there ads and on there doors that this ia a smoking or non-smoking establisment.
I do believe this this ban will hurt a lot of small corner taverns, but I do believe it will help the larger clubs.
But again we do not need a socialized Government which these Democrats have created.
Just remember one thing, it is the democrats that keep taxing us. and it is the person who has very little that suffers the most. Corporate America passes the taxes on to the small business and small business passes it on to the consumer. And sadley it is the poor person that keeps voting Democrat, The only reason some of the extreamly rich vote Democrat is they feel guilty.
Hillary and Bill Clinton went into the White House with a net worth of $110,000 and now their estimated worth is between 40 to 60 million dollars.
Any Governor in the State of Md spends one term as Governor and gets $50,000 a year pension with full medical and can start collecting at the age of 55. And then we have our U.S. Senator's who only have to spend one term and the get about $133,000 a year plus full medical when they retire.
Remember most of these Democrats Politicians are Attorneys and they all look out for themselfs.
If you think taxes and the cost of everything is killing you. Well Vote Hillary Clinton with her Universial Health Plan.
You will never have money.
Wake Up America do not trust these Democrat Attorneys that are getting ritcher and the all poor keep getting Poorer.
Posted by: Don Davis | January 30, 2008 8:21 PM
I have to agree with Bob as well. It's your right to smoke and my right not to. I hate coming home and feeling like I have to shed layers and take a shower before I can even go in and kiss my sleeping children good night. I really think the bars are going to be just fine even do more business.
Posted by: Christine | January 31, 2008 12:24 PM