Smoking Ban

On May 7, Austin voters will decide whether the 210 bars in the city that allow smoking will be able to continue or must join most other public places in prohibiting smoking. The city already has a fairly strict smoking ordinance which allows smoking in very few places. Austin bills itself as the "Live Music Capitol of the World" and the club owners seem frightened of the potential damage a ban would have on their revenue.

Radio talk shows have been fairly interesting and lively in showcasing the debate which seems to split mostly into two groups. The first group advocating passage of the ban is the "eeeeeeewwwwwww, I don't want to breathe secondhand smoke and I don't like smokey clubs" crowd which cites all sorts of statistics, the validity of which I wonder about.

Their opponents are the "by god it's my damned property and I ought to be able to decide what to allow in my club" crowd. Their strategy in trying to defeat the proposed ordinance has been to turn it into a property rights referendum. The term "Nazi" has been thrown about frequently.

I don't live in Austin so I have no canine in the fracas. I can't vote on it. As a bystander, I have watched the tactics of both sides with great interest and have found it very entertaining. I've not read the proposed ordinance, but as best I understand what I've heard, if passed there will be no more barroom smoking. But, an exception is made for nursing homes. Go figure.

 

i dont smoke, and think smoking is very stupid, but as a proponent of freedom, i think bars should be free to do what they please. i know the new york smoking ban has done geat things for the bars in hoboken.

 

One of the most vocal opponents of the smoking ban is a local radio personality who owns a restaurant and music venue. He says he spent $60,000 on smoke-riddance equipment. If so, I can see why he's battling the thing.

 

This sort of legislation is just assinine, IMO. Let the market sort it out. People have a weird way of supporting businesses that provide what they want. Go figure.

Yet another attempt to overlegislate.

 

^^yep. dont they have other things to worry about right now in texas? like banning gays and cheerleading?

but, i doubt such a ban would hurt the bars' business. i fail to believe that masses of ppl would just plain not go to bars b/c they couldnt smoke there.

 

I think they've about wrapped up the gaybashing and bootyshakin'. :hihi:

As for hurting attendance, I've wondered about it. But, seems what some Austin bar owners fear is that their customers, or at least a noticeable portion of them, will move outside the city limits to places that allow smoking.

I figure the less the government gets involved, chances are, the better. As Eddie used to say, "protect our shores, deliver the mail, and leave me the hell alone." :lol:

 

Both of my parents were smokers for my entire childhood. It took a heart attack ten years ago for my dad to finally kick the disgusting habit. I've hated cigarettes for my entire life.

To the best of my knowledge, neither of my daughters has even smelled cigarette smoke, as we always sit in non-smoking sections and no one smokes in or around our house.

I like it that way, to be certain. I support smoking bans in restaurants, like Dallas has, for example. As for bars, I don't really care, but more power to the non-smokers. Smokers have had their way blowing smoke on unwilling people for years.

 

Exactly I'm tired of breathing their left over smoke in OUR CLEAN AIR!

 

If the smell of smoke is SO bad, why are people not trying to ban offensive perfumes? I would rather be in a burning firepit of cow dung than smell half of the aromas people willingly spray/rub on themselves. Things such as:

Eau de Old Lady
Eau de Cocoa Butter
Parfum de Walgreens Discount Shelf
Cologne Machismo in Iroc with rims