No Smoking in AZ Bars & Restaurants After May 1st, 2007! (pros and cons, to eat)

[AksarbeN]

Smokers and non-smokers always seem to have a problem with who has their rights stepped on. There are some very good smokers who respectfully don’t some in areas or around others and I respect those people for taking that action. Then there are smokers who just don’t give it a second thought about lighting up and smoking where ever they are. Non-smokers seem to just want to be away from it and not have the smell and more around them. Both groups of people have their right to do or have what they want in life. The only problem is that smokers can’t control where their smoke is going and how it may affect others all the time unless they are considerate and go to areas where the smoke isn’t going to bother others.

I personally don’t care about smokers being less healthy if the smoking has caused their problems. They have a choice and they make it for themselves. But the choice to smoke also carries the responsibility to control where and what you do with the smoke after it leaves your lungs and mouth.

Like smokers, you have the right to make a fist and swing your hand in the air towards my noise however that right ends just before it may hit my face. You may smoke and exhale as long as it doesn’t come into contact with my noise as I try and breathe.

I also was a smoker and did so for more then 25-30 years and was up to 3 packs a day when I quit. I am very sorry that I smoked in so many areas without a second thought about others. The days of smoking in public are considered acceptable and shouldn’t be.

[renepat]

Yippee! It's pretty disgusting to try to enjoy your meal with someone at the next table puffing away! They can go one meal without a cigarette for heaven's sake.

[suzanne7575]

i live in Scotland where the smoking ban has been in place for almost 2 years. As far as I can see no pubs or restaurants have closed in fact they have an upturn in business. Most of the pubs abd bars are now getting city workers in for lunch and you no longer see hoards of people sat in the streets eating pre-packed sandwhiches from the supermarket as they are all enjoying a nice leisurly pub lunch instead. We don't have the no smoking wihin 20 feet of a business though and you do still have to walk through clouds of smoke to get into the pubs, restaurants and shopping malls.

Personally it has only made a samll difference to us. We are not smokers and never have been and the smell of smoke makes me feel physically sick and it has been proved that 2nd hand smoke can be as dangerous as doing it yourself and i do not see why if someone chooses to smoke that they should have the right to pollute everyone around them who has made the decision not to kill themselves. We do not go into lots of restaurants or pubs anyway so haven't noticed so much, but it is nice to be able to go to a gig or out for a meal and not have to come home and get into the shower instantly.

I do believe smokers are selfish. My MIL is a smoker and I've heard it from her many a time, from comments of how the smoking ban is ridiculous to complaining she cannot smoke in our home. We live in a rented house and smoking is not allowed, i also have 2 young children and even if it was allowed she wouldn't be smoking in my childrens environment. I always remember her staying with us when i had my 2nd child. Bearing in mind I had had a c-section so should have been resting, had a 2 year old to care for too, she decided as it was cold ourtside she would sit and smoke in our dning room. i got up the next morning to a smioke filled room, but was was worse was I had several loads of baby washing hanging to dry, plus my pram and day crib were in the room, they stunk of smoke and there was no way I was going to put a 2 day old baby in them so they all had to be cleaned and washed and did i get any help from MIL...no she just shruged her shoulders. Luckily she has realised the error of her ways now and will not smoke in a room with the kids or breath on them directly after having a cigarette. She lives in Cyprus though and the majority of peopl smoke there so it is more cokmmon to find smoking places than not.

Some might say that us non-smokers are the selfish ones, but as long as smoking is the killer as opposed to not smoking then I think the decsion to ban smoking in public places is the right one.

[Cyanna]

Hi Suzanne. I live in the North East of England and from what we are being told through newspapers the smoking ban in Scotland has caused the closure of businesses and pubs. But I will concede that there is the possibility that some newspapers are scare-mongering in order to incite heated debates and panic. I do know that within the last two years Scotland has ranked the highest numbers of people who are emigrating from the UK to the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. I have no idea if that has anything to do with the smoking ban, LOL!

In defense of myself as a smoker who is currently trying to quit, I have found that no matter how thoughtful I try to be around non-smokers they still feel the need to complain or make judgmental remarks. If I go outside to smoke I do not appreciate them DELIBERATELY putting themselves near my smoke because they have made the decision to follow me outside just to say that I should stop smoking! You can only do so much to show courtesy and when people scupper your attempts it does not help the situation. I am more than happy to not smoke in someone's home if they request it. I am more than happy to not smoke near children, which is something I have always tried to avoid doing, but I will not tolerate others being rude and ignorant just because society and the media have deemed that smokers are the current target for discrimination. I've said it before and I will repeat it...smokers are being unfairly demonized. We are easily targeted because our addiciton/habit is more visible. Bullies like easy marks and the current trend of anti-smoking is giving the bully-types free rein to torment, insult and ostracize smokers. In the UK, as I'm sure you know, the big issue right now is obesity. Obese children have always been targets but now they are being targeted not just by ignorant school children but by equally ignorant adults. Is this fair? No, it is not, just as these attacks on smokers are not fair.

What I would really like to see revealed are the secret little habits and addictions of those who scream the loudest against smokers, those who judge the most hatefully. You can bet that if their "invisible" habits came out they would feel very uncomfortable. I am not a religious person, but the phrase "Judge not lest ye be judged yourself" comes very much to the forefront of my mind.

[SElaine]

Hi Cyanna!

I have to say that I have agreed with most of your posts in the past, but I still have a hard time understanding where you are coming from on this one. I guess it's because I'm not a smoker, and apparently, we will never understand each other.

You are correct that we ALL have some type of addicition/habit that is not good for us or for society. For me, I eat. I eat when I'm stressed, bored, happy, depressed...... And as many times as I've tried to diet, excersise, etc., I still turn to food for my emotional escape. Am I just weak because I don't have control over my food addiction? Maybe. I know a lot of people think that. It's something I have fought all of my life. Are you weak for not being able to conquer your addictions? Hmmmm.... I suppose it's easy to judge if we are not in your shoes. My addiction, like yours, is not invisible. Everytime I go out of my home, I am judged. I can not hide all of the extra pounds I am carrying around with me. It effects everything I do. If I travel I worry about who I'll be sitting next to and who I'll offend. I know I don't have the same opportunites as others in the work force. I am a target. I can't escape the fact that people hate me because of my size. Every single night there are fat jokes on late night TV. I am working on my problem though, just as you are working on your addiction. The difference is, when I sit down at a restaraunt at the table next to you and order three double bacon cheeseburgers, onion rings, and a coke, I am not forcing you to eat it as well. My actions are not directly impacting you. (Yes, there is the argument that it impacts everybody with increasing health care costs, etc. I agree. But so is smoking, so I don't think that can be used as a comparison.) When you sit down at a table next to me and light up, it DOES directly impact me as I am forced forced to breathe it all in. The food I eat does not go into your body. If someone is sitting next to you is drinking too much, it's not hurting your liver. If someone has a gambling problem, they are not spending your money. It seems so clear to me, I guess I just don't understand how you can't see the difference. I can only guess that smokers are so used to it they don't understand how awful it is and how much it can impact us.

I have absolutely no statistics on how smoking bans do/do not effect businesses. I do know this. I do not go to bars. I do not go to bars because I can't stand to be in the smoke. Now that it is going to be banned, my girlfriends and I are planning to out every now and then for a girls night out. And now, my husband and I can meet up after work for a happy hour once in a while. I don't know how much business will be lost, but I know they will gain some new customers out of the deal.

Cyanna, I applaud you in your efforts to stop smoking. I wish you the best of luck.

[Cyanna]

SElaine, thank you for the comments I think what it is that really bothers me is that society likes to pick someone or something to be "flavor of the month" for picking on, harassing, demonizing, etc... As I'm sure you know, the more someone is reminded of their habit or in some way ridiculed for it, the more likely they are to continue due to the stress being caused as well as the attention being drawn to it and by it. I think by and large that humankind also has a rebellious nature, the more we are told to NOT do something the more inclined we will be to do it

I can fully understand that some do not like the smell of smoke, others are badly affected by it and even more people have fears of getting cancer. I am not an uncaring or uncompassionate person and can empathise. My husband and I both make efforts to be "considerate" smokers, to the point where we will move away from a group of people so they will not be bothered by our smoke. I personally don't have a problem with going into a non-smoking restaurant or establishment as I can forego a cigarette for quite a long time. But I also know that some peole have such a deeply ingrained habit/addicition that they MUST be able to smoke right after their meal while they enjoy a final coffee or drink. They don't want to be this way, they probably don't like being this way, but thats just how it is.

I have to admit that I have a personal terror around cigarettes and quitting, even though it may sound irrational to others. From my personal experience those I have known who have died from cancer seemed to be fine until AFTER they quit smoking, and then, BAM! 5 years later or 10 years later they have lung cancer and die. So, now I equate Quitting with Getting Lung Cancer. This is an issue my doctor and I are working on. I want to quit, very badly, but just when I start to make good strides in quitting that fear pops up and over-rides my will power. My husband is a counsellor but since I am family he can't really do much other than try to instruct me with methods for altering neuro pathways.

Okay, I've digressed, LOL! In a perfect world smokers, over eaters, junkies, alcoholics, etc... would be able to quit instantly, but that isn't reality. I ask for more compassion from those who wish to see others quit smoking. I ask that instead of spouting off hateful comments or unfair judgments they instead us positive encouragement and reinforcement, which is far more effective. So understandiung, show compassion. We could all do with a bit more of that in our lives, no matter what the issue or problem is.

Some British pubs and cafes are seeking alternative methods for allowing smokers to continue enjoying their night out, which seems fair to me. I will say this. I think that where children are concerned they should be put into an area where smoking is allowed. As a smoking parent I would gladly sit in a non-smoking section for the benefit of my son. By the time we move back to AZ I can only hope that we have managed to "kick the habit" but if we don't I am still planning to only smoke outside of my house in the backyard or garage to make sure my granddaughter can visit in a smoke-free environment. Can I be any more fair or reasonable than that?

Thank you for your good wishes in my quest to quit smoking. I wish you the same in your endeavors to deal with your eating habits and wish you success

[Desertlovers]

I've been a vegetarian for most of my life and don't really care for the smell of meat cooking.

To me, it's "burning flesh"....and the smell turns my stomach. But yet, I live in a world where "cooking meat" and the smells that come from "cooking meat" are normal to most people.

I've never made a big deal about it, and I haven't tried to impose my views, or my "will" on anyone else. I don't want to become a "missionary" who tries to "convert" the world to my beliefs.

Also, I don't like the smell of burning fireplaces either, but yet, I have to cope with "fireplace smells" each winter. I would never dream of telling my neighbors to stop using their fireplaces just because I don't like the smell.

I have to make the best of things....and make compromises.

Same goes for BBQ's! People like to barbecue meat in the summer months, and I have to live with this too. (BBQ's put a lot of smoke into the air, along with the smell of meat.)

My neighbors work on their cars....and I have to live with the smell of excessive "car exhaust" at times.

Or, another neighbor might use a weed-eater, which makes a lot of noise, or a blower that kicks up grass and pollen into the air, which bothers my allergies. But, hey....life is full of compromises, and everything isn't going to go "my way." I try to show respect for other people, and cut them some "slack."

I used to do volunteer work at a homeless shelter and a lot of people had body odor, or bad breath, etc. BUT, so what? I felt good helping them, and I didn't rush right home and take a shower because I was around people with body odor!!

Same goes for neighbors who cook meat on their BBQ's....I don't rush right inside and take a shower to get the smell of meat and "burning flesh" off of me.

I just live with it! I'm a "big girl" and I know life isn't going to be "custom-made" just for me!!

I think there should be more non-smoking bars and restaurants....but I don't feel that non-smokers have the right to "rule all."

Smokers deserve to have bars and restaurants that cater to them too!

Each "side" has to make compromises....this is what adults "do!"

Adults take time to look for compromises and solutions that benefit everyone, not just themselves. (Where kids don't care about others....all they care about is "getting what they want" and they don't weigh the consequences of their actions in mature ways.)

If we keep creating a "winner takes all" type of world, we will never put an end to wars....Life is never going to be "totally perfect" for any of us! We're all different, and we all have different wants, needs and preferences!

[azloafer]

SElaine: "When you sit down at a table next to me and light up, it DOES directly impact me as I am forced forced to breathe it all in."

I agree 100%. I remember how I smoked 2 packs a day for so many years. I smoked in my car with all the windows closed when I went on vacations with my family. I never smelled anything bad while I was the one smoking. I think that happens to other smokers. When I quit smoking I really noticed the absolute stink from smokers and realized what I had put my family through! One of my children (now 40 years old) has Asthma and I wonder if my smoke could have caused that. I have breathing problems and my doctor says that it is a direct result of smoking.

I worked with a friend who always had a hacking type of cough. He smoked a lot. I and others started to tell him to get a medical checkup because of his constant hacking. He did (at least he said he did) and told us that the doctor said his lungs where in good shape and now he felt that he could smoke even more. He died from lung cancer about a year later. What a waste!

Just think about all the money the tobacco companies made while smokers were dying from using their product. Remember when the secret tobacco company papers were leaked that showed that extra nicotine was added to the tobacco products to keep smokers hooked? I am so mad that I was a victim; yes a victim because I didn't think that a company could be so irresponsible. Let's face it, I was a kid in 8th grade! I thought that I knew everything. Sure, call me naive for trusting a company with my health, but when I started smoking the only thing that I was told is that I shoudn't smoke until I grew up. It was an "adult thing." I thought it was cool to smoke with my friends. I was so cool when I blew smoke rings or blew the smoke out of my nose. Yeah, I was cool...THEN. I am not so cool anymore.

[AksarbeN]

The topic is about smoking and nothing else applies, not food, or drink, or perfume. People like to bring other items into the discussion about nonsmoking areas but it’s not about the other things, only smoking and nonsmoking.

People have the right to smoke the question is where? People have the right to not be affected by smoking and the answer is anywhere that is it is illegal. It is simple and easy to understand that the general public has voted their dislike for smoking in areas that they don’t want it allowed. This is now the law, and smokers need to find another place to enjoy their habit because other nonsmokers DON’T enjoy their habit!

Smokers like to bring other habits into the conversation but those are other topics and have nothing to do with smoking. They like to argue “rights” ~ everyone has the right to make a fist and try to hit my face, but their right ends at the point of hitting it. You have the right to smoke but only as long as it doesn’t connect with my noise. My rights start at that point.

People agree and disagree with but it all comes down to is it allowed or not?

[mdtoaz]

They're hashing this debate out in Maryland too. I'm moving out there right after your ban goes into effect.

I'm a smoker. I'm not really too worried. I don't smoke in my house. At this point if I'm at a bar that allows smoking, I'll partake. If they don't... no biggie, I'll go outside. I kind of look at it like I'm in somebody else's house, I'll abide by their rules.

I love the "bars will lose business" arguement. People are not going to stop drinking. It's a non-arguement. A couple of our counties have put the ban in place and it has not hurt the businesses.

One of our local colleges is trying to ban smoking completely - to the point where you can't smoke in your own car. That I have a problem with. Give me a fine if I chuck my butt out the window, okay. But to say I can't even smoke in my car?! Little overboard.