Smoking in the Madison area (Middleton, Stoughton: live, restaurants, moving)

[JackieR]

I was wondering if anyone could enlighten me on the general attitude towards smoking around there. We will be moving out there in August and we are coming from tobacco country (Southern MD.). They have just recently enacted a smoking ban in all public places, including bars. It was a welcome relief to be able to go into restaurants and not have to breathe in the spill-over from the smoking section, especially for our small children. Are there any kinds of similar bans in the Madison area (including outlying towns)? And if so, how restrictive are the bans? I have nothing against smokers. Many of my friends are smokers, and I respect their right to smoke. But I don't believe everyone else should be subjected to it, most especially children. Just my opinion.

[Drover]

Madison proper has a smoking ban in public places, including bars.

[Bo]

Madison was a relatively early adopter of its restaurant smoking ban, IIRC. Middleton waited a few more years before coming up with its own ban.

When I lived in Madison, the smoking ban allowed restaurants to permit smoking areas near the bar. The smoking area was only required to be enclosed on 3 sides.

[Megan1967]

Smoking isn't allowed in bars in Madison or even in enclosed smoking areas anymore. The Town of Madison (as opposed to the City of Madison) does allow smoking and is a slippery creature, the boundaries of which are rather unclear to me. I believe there is a movement to make all of Wisconsin smoke free right now. I, too, don't want to infringe on smoker's rights. As soon as they figure out a way to keep their smoke in a contained area, say 6 inches from their bodies, I'll be more than happy to share restaurant space with them.

[Bo]

Originally Posted by Megan1967

Smoking isn't allowed in bars in Madison or even in enclosed smoking areas anymore.

I guess the Tavern League finally lost the battle, eh?

[Megan1967]

Yep. In the long run I've heard it hasn't really hurt business, though it did immediately following the ban. People just got sick of going to little hole in the wall bars in Monona, Stoughton, etc just to smoke. So they stand outside in all weather to take their puffs.