HillsdaleHHR

In a little over 2 weeks Michigan will finally have a law to protect people from exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke in all restaurants, bars and businesses (including hotels and motels). Truthfully, I can't wait. We enjoyed when we lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana and the city passed a similar law years ago. After moving back to Michigan it is one of the things we hated about going to restaraunts. I love how they always ask "Smoking or Non Smoking" and when you stated "Non Smoking" they would proceed to take you to a table that was literally next to or just a couple feet from the smoking section Soon, I won't have to worry about anymore So does your city/state have similar laws? What are your feelings on the law?

shaginwgn

City of Bowling Green had one before the State passed one. The city one allowed for restaurants and bars to have smoking section if it was completely blocked off and a ventilation system designed to eliminate/reduce most of the smoke. Places spent around $20000 estimate to do that than few years later were no use being that the state supersede the city ban/law.
The only problem with the smoking bans is that it gets people smoking outside near the entrances. The Ohio law says not to smoke 15 feet from entrance but not enforced and the law wasn't clear how or who to enforce it.
Bars and restaurants now have smoking patios/areas which is nice for smokers.
I am a nonsmoker and am for it 60%.

dr.xm

Here in Germany we have a law that is not allowed to smoke in a Bar,Restaurant or so (only when you have a extra room you can smoke)

Michael

TomsHHR

In Duluth MN a 37 YO woman was arrested after assaulting a Police officer enforcing the no-smoking ban around a bus stop booth. The officer was treated for a broken nose and facial bruses.

Wisconsin has a state ban starting July 1st for public places and businesses.

SmootHHR

Used to be a smoker, thought it was a dumb law until I quit. Now I can really notice when I got into a place that you can still smoke in. It doesn't bother me, but I do like not smelling like a tray anymore. I agree that it probably isn't "fair" to folks that do not want to be around smoke, so I'm on board for the law. However, I still believe that smokers should have "rights" to space as well. Land of the free, right?

Doc brown

This law takes effect in Wisconsin on July 5th. We don't patronize restaurants that allow smoking anyway, but this means we'll try some other places that are currently like walking into a fire.

twistrman

In lafayette it is law for no smoking in restaurants and bars UNLESS they only serve to people over 21 all the time. Some bars switched to that too, just to skirt the law. One bar I really like, went a couple weeks ago, no one was even smoking and i reeked of it when i left since it is in the seats, on the walls, everywhere.

I am 100% for this and love it. I don't want to smell like someone else's smoke, no matter where I go and don't understand how people can live smelling like that.

Honestly I would love a 100% ban on smoking, make it illegal, although I know that will never happen. I've seen smoking kill a family member, and that's what it took to make all of my uncles finally quit.

Mowgli

Having a no-smoking section in the same room as smoking is like having a no-pissing section in a swimming pool.

GRUMPEE

As a former smoker (going on 4 years) I welcome the laws currently in place in Cali. But at the same time I also have sympathy for the way smokers are treated as 2nd class citizens in the media and socially. I understanding the need to control advertising of tobacco products but trying to censor movies or shows because a charactor is shown smoking is just plain censorship.

What's the next step? Banning smoking upwind from nonsmokers unless they are farther than a distance of 5000 ft?

In PSA's Just explain the plain facts about smoking don't turn it into sensationalized propaganda - which is just going to agitate the smoker even more.

Reminds me of a California Judge making a PSA saying something to the effect that children who attend preschool are less likely to wind up in jail... This would mean since I never attend romper room I should by now be an ex felon

urbexHHR

I'm a non-smoker so I am biased. But I don't understand why you can't go outside to smoke..... I have asthma, and the smoke can get to me at times. When we went to the bowling alley in Brighton, I was glad we couldn't bowl...the smoke was awful in there.

I don't see any reason that people can't get up and go outside to smoke. This isn't the 1950's....not everyone smokes anymore.

As for smokers have rights? Not saying they don't, but should I, an asthma sufferer have rights too? If that smoke could cause someone to have an attack, that could possibly kill them. (Mine isn't that bad, but there are many people who are.) I think the life of someone is more important than a person who is too lazy to get up and go outside.