Smoking Ban bill as been passed (Scranton, Pittston: sales, houses, neighborhood)

[memoriesbre]

Yep, late today the smoking ban bill has been passed by the state legislators and now it is off to Gov. Rendell to be signed. There will be no smoking in most public places now.

[ff18wife]

Woohoo!!! Just like in NJ. We've gotten so used to going to public places and not dealing with breathing that in or coming home smelling like a chimney. That bill can't get signed fast enough....lol...

[memoriesbre]

Originally Posted by ff18wife

Woohoo!!! Just like in NJ. We've gotten so used to going to public places and not dealing with breathing that in or coming home smelling like a chimney. That bill can't get signed fast enough....lol...

Ditto on what you said! I can't stand going out to eat and smelling cigarette smoke blowing in my face.

[The Commish]

So the good part is that "smoking sections" in restaurants are now obsolete.

The bad part is that the law still allows smoking in bars where 20% or less of annual revenue comes from sales of food. That's like most bars. This is very disappointing because coming home smelling like utter crap is the worst part of going out.

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by memoriesbre

Yep, late today the smoking ban bill has been passed by the state legislators and now it is off to Gov. Rendell to be signed. There will be no smoking in most public places now.

Its about time!!

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by The Commish

So the good part is that "smoking sections" in restaurants are now obsolete.

The bad part is that the law still allows smoking in bars where 20% or less of annual revenue comes from sales of food. That's like most bars. This is very disappointing because coming home smelling like utter crap is the worst part of going out.

I can deal with that....at least it will be banned anywhere where children are present, and anywhere where people will be trying to enjoy a meal. I can deal with little corner bars being one last place where smokers can go and indulge in their habit.


Anyways, that might be a good thing. Think of 90% of the neighborhood bars in Scranton....they tend to be in residential areas, can you imagine if all the smokers had to go outside to smoke and they would all be congregated outside these bars right by people's houses? Most of whom would be drunk and loud in the late night hours, probably disturbing the peace (and littering)...I'd rather them inside smoking.

[ScranBarre]

This is definitely a step in the right direction for the Keystone State. I know a disproportionately high number of folks here in Lackawanna/Luzerne/Wyoming Counties smoke than they do in other parts of the Commonwealth, but they are still in a dwindling minority. Smoking really irritates my respiratory system, and I'm tiring of having to storm out of poorly-ventilated restaurants simply because so few local establishments value their non-smoking clientele. Smokers continually say "If you don't like it, go somewhere else." I'd like to ask them---where? Even Bella Vino, that new upscale, big-city-like Italian steakhouse and wine bar here near Pittston permits smoking on its premises.

Pennsylvania is just so far behind the times socially that it's almost embarrassing. I mean, I'm not a complete liberal wack job (I'm pro-life and pro-guns), but it's disgusting to see NJ and NY passing us by as they ban smoking, ban trans-fats, ban hand-held cell phone usage while driving, permit same-sex civil unions, etc. while residents here in PA would wet their pants if they couldn't smoke wherever they pleased, couldn't pack more pounds onto their fannies, couldn't swerve while texting, or had to think that...gasp...Adam and Steve might be getting a civil union next-door when you're "gittin' yer huntin' license." For as much as I love this area to death, I'll always be blunt when people ask me about its regressive social/political climate.

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

It is about time!! I was in shock over the weekend when we ended up in the Hawley Diner and I had smoke in my face. I hate it!!! Besides, I was shocked at how dirty the diner was, never expected that in Hawley, PA.

[okaydorothy]

Oh I am so happy to see this pass. While I do feel for the people who smoke, there are more people now that do not smoke so its a majority that rules.

When our parents come over, they smoke outside and always have. Its a rule in my house. We have seen too much cancer and emphysema to have my children around smoke.

Way to go PA
d

[FightinPhils]

Originally Posted by okaydorothy

While I do feel for the people who smoke

I don't feel for the people who smoke....they're drug addicts, and selfish ones at that....they spew their fumes into the air, not caring who has to breathe them in, they constantly litter their butts on the ground.

I don't feel for them, the only thing I have to say to them is: