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Thanks for writing. This is quickie...I'll write more tomorrow.
My son is still here and we're making arrangements for him to see a specialist in CA next Monday. (My husband will take him and they will spend the night near the hospital in CA.) Doing everything over the Internet.
Anyway, thanks for your great posts and support. More tomorrow for sure, Claire
I will be ever so happy to provide those answers when you explain why you keep telling me my child does not belong in a bar.
Mookster:
I think there has been a misunderstanding here. You think that SierraAZ is saying you bring your child to the bar. The smoking ban is all inclusive, all bars, restaurants, public events (i.e., State Fairs), State & Federal buildings, etc. are smoke-free. Why would you care if a bar allows smoking? This doesn't effect your child's asthma because your child does not go there. Why would you support a total ban?
SierraAZ:
Sorry if I overstepped my bounds in this conversation. -Castaway
Mookster:
I think there has been a misunderstanding here. You think that SierraAZ is saying you bring your child to the bar. The smoking ban is all inclusive, all bars, restaurants, public events (i.e., State Fairs), State & Federal buildings, etc. are smoke-free. Why would you care if a bar allows smoking? This doesn't effect your child's asthma because your child does not go there. Why would you support a total ban?
SierraAZ:
Sorry if I overstepped my bounds in this conversation. -Castaway
Castaway, I think you've worded this perfectly. Supporting a FULL ban on any sort of public smoking involves banning smoking at bars. Mookster, your child was at a state fair which is an outdoor outing. I'm sorry that he had such a severe reaction to somebody's smoking. Yes, I've had a friend with the same problem. I even kept an epi pen in my purse in case she had a sudden horrific attack.
However, I don't support a full ban on smoking. I support smoking sections at fairs, theme parks, and other outdoor events. Busch Gardens only allows smoking in specific areas. Smoke outside your "line," or just toss your cig on the ground, and you get kicked out of the park with no refund and/or with your season pass revoked. Since such areas are outdoor, there is PLENTY of ventilation. It also keeps from kids running into random lit cigs in a crowd.
However, private establishments are a different story. Personally, I think the smoking section could be a little more "off-to-the-side" and separate for ventilation purposes at some places.. however, the government should have no right to make every place smoke-free. This should be up to the individual company to decide.
Castaway, thank you for clarifying. I really was confused. Actually, the ban in TN will not include bars and private clubs. Currently, smoking is allowed everywhere but schools. Now some businesses and institutions have already chosen to go smoke free without being forced to do so through regulation.
As for the state fair, even though it is an outdoor event, it draws hundreds of people so it's impossible to avoid the smoke in that setting. With designated smoking areas, like most theme parks, which again are places that kids and families frequent, it's much easier to avoid those designated areas and those who smoke can still do their thing.
Castaway, thank you for clarifying. I really was confused. Actually, the ban in TN will not include bars and private clubs. Currently, smoking is allowed everywhere but schools. Now some businesses and institutions have already chosen to go smoke free without being forced to do so through regulation.
As for the state fair, even though it is an outdoor event, it draws hundreds of people so it's impossible to avoid the smoke in that setting. With designated smoking areas, like most theme parks, which again are places that kids and families frequent, it's much easier to avoid those designated areas and those who smoke can still do their thing.
Actually, the only bars and clubs that are not affected are ones that limit age to 21+ (for customers and workers) all the time. There are any number of bars (don't know for sure how many where you live) that are only 18+
One here is called "BAR." Anybody over 18 can go in, but if you are under 21, you get X's on your hand so you can't buy alcohol. In Tenessee, Bar would have to be smoke free. However, here, there's a ciggy vending machine.
At one of my old jobs, there was a smoking-break room inside the building. It was a 10x10 closed off area with well-maintained air purifiers inside and outside the room. In Tenessee, that is now banned.
Here's another problem I see forth-coming. With smoking being limited to the home.. soon it will only be so, if they have no kids. Laws can be enacted that smoking around children is illegal (and/or considered child abuse/neglect) because of its damaging effects. Therefore, if you have kids and smoke, you can get your kids taken away from you.
"Yes, your honor, we've taken away custody of said child because the parent smokes on a constant basis..."
What about a ban on smoking in Apartment Complexes. With enough complaints, it could happen. For example, if I was really against smoking, I could find a way to prove that because people below and next to me smoke, I'm getting the stuff in my apartment complex while just enjoying the fresh air (windows open).
Get enough anti-smoking people on it, and this is what's going to happen.
To the point: Where do you draw the line? Where will the government draw the line on bans? Problem is, if you give the government even a tad bit of control over something, they (the politicians) tend to take advantage of it.
I think most bars/clubs in my area have adopted the no one under 21 admitted policy. Do bars generally draw a large under 21 crowd? The ban doesn't go into effect until October 1st and I think the following restrictions are reasonble:
-age-restricted venues (these venues must be restricted to persons 21 and up at all times
-25% of hotel and motel rooms designated as smoking
-tobacco retail shops, tobacco manufacturers, importer or wholesalers
-private businesses with three or fewer employees, smoking will be limited to areas wherethe general public is not invited
-private clubs
-commercial vehicles when such vehicle is occupied solely by the operator
-open air establishments, including patios, porches or decks; including any area enclosed by garage type doors on one or more sides when all such doors are completely open
-nursing homes
-private homes except when used as a child care facility
It's irritating when chains and restaurants don't allow smoking on their patios. It just "adds insult to injury" since people can't smoke indoors anymore.
I didn't realize that Tucson banned smoking in restaurants way back in 1999. Do you have a lot of immigrants from CA in Tucson?
Things have been different in our corner of AZ. We only had one non-smoking restaurant in town before the ban went into effect on May 1st. (Because we have a lot of smokers in this area.) All of the fast-food outlets went non-smoking thru the years, but 99 percent of our restaurants had smoking sections.
The smoking ban has taken a big toll on our local bars and restaurants. As I mentioned in an earlier post....our one and only (longtime) bowling alley just shut down.
We live right across the river from Laughlin, Nevada...And, smoking is still allowed in Nevada bars that don't serve food, and on the gaming floor of casinos. We have 2 Indian casinos near us that do allow smoking in their restaurants and snack bars, etc. Do you have many Indian casinos near you? Do they still allow smoking in their restaurants? How have they been doing since the ban took effect in May?
Thanks for the link about the smoking bans in Germany. They went thru so much when Hitler was in control...and it basically started with the smoking ban.
Thanks for all of your great posts!! Thanks for keeping this topic and section "alive!" More soon, Claire
Thanks for writing. Hope you get more customers when the weather starts to cool down a bit. Sorry that you've had a lot of rain from the "Monsoons." We haven't had ENOUGH rain this year.
I'm sorry that your brother has so many health problems. I totally agree with you concerning genes. My younger son inherited a rare illness from his Dad and Grandma, and he's had 2 brain tumors so far. (He had the first one when he was 22.)
The doctors tell him that he can develop tumors (and cancer) at any time. (Even multiple tumors at the same time.) So, he has to be checked all the time.
I totally agree with you....So many different factors can adversely affect our health today....including stress.
Thanks for all of your posts!! I hope your business picks up soon. Claire
Castaway, thank you for clarifying. I really was confused. Actually, the ban in TN will not include bars and private clubs. Currently, smoking is allowed everywhere but schools. Now some businesses and institutions have already chosen to go smoke free without being forced to do so through regulation.
As for the state fair, even though it is an outdoor event, it draws hundreds of people so it's impossible to avoid the smoke in that setting. With designated smoking areas, like most theme parks, which again are places that kids and families frequent, it's much easier to avoid those designated areas and those who smoke can still do their thing.
You're welcome. So many states have adopted an all inclusive ban. Thanks for clarifying TN smoking ban. The written word sometimes cannot convey messages as complete as a personal conversation. I'm glad that I could help. -Castaway
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Castaway
