Poll: Smoking laws in Texas (San Antonio, Austin: apartments, houses, college)

[TexasReb]

Greetings fellow Texans,

This is a topic that has been discussed/debated before, but far as I know, there has never been an actual poll on the subject to get the opinions of the "Texas Regulars" and newbies...

This one involves smoking laws/bans within the states. As it is, more and more cities are passing anti-smoking ordinances. In some case they pass overwhelmingly with public approval, in others it seems like a small group on the city-council are pushing thru a private agenda.

Let me also mention that this poll is oriented only to feelings on application to privately owned businesses, not indoor public facilities like hospitals, courthouses, etc, nor public parks or government regulated apartments or even private homes.

To get into that aspect, would require quite a few more choices than could reasonably be listed in one poll.

So with that said, what do you all think?

Personally? I believe it should be totally up to the owner of the business to set policy. If s/he wants to totally ban smoking? Hey, great. On the other hand? If they want to allow unrestricted smoking? Then it should be their right to do so...

So again, go, y'all...

P.S. As usual, gimme a few minutes to write and post the poll itself! LOL

[joqua]

Well, for those of us who are ignorant of how the law now stands, it would be helpful to know what is covered presently.

I did find this recent article in the San Antonio paper:

In 2005 Austin became the first city in the state to ban smoking in bars in restaurants. In the last eight years more than 40 other Texas cities, including San Antonio, have approved city ordinances limiting smoking.

As for my opinion, I absolutely hate the smell of cigarette smoke and the residue from it smells even worse. So I obviously concur with total bans on smoking where other people will be affected.

[losttechnician]

I vehemently disagree with government banning smoking in private businesses.

However I don't smoke, gladly avoid other's smoking when I can, and choose to not patronize businesses that allow smoking. So obviously I benefit from government intervention in the smoking debate, even though I disagree with government doing so.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by losttechnician

I vehemently disagree with government banning smoking in private businesses.

However I don't smoke, gladly avoid other's smoking when I can, and choose to not patronize businesses that allow smoking. So obviously I benefit from government intervention in the smoking debate, even though I disagree with government doing so.

I think this sums up the feelings of many of us. I quit smoking years ago. It was the best health decision I ever made. And I don't really care to smell smoke either...

BUT...I have the choice to enter a business which allows it or else take my business elsewhere. It is totally up to me. I do not need government to pass laws which, essentially, treat adults like children incapable of making health choices for themselves; which is really what it amounts to.

And? To boot? Use the heavy hand of government to coerce others to conform to their own desires...even though they couldn't care less how it affects the private business owner who actually takes the risks and knows the customers???

*considering* You know? I could even go along -- on some qualified, minor, levels -- with an ordinance which would require establishments allowing smoking to post a sign stating such. That is to say, something like "Smoking Allowed Within". Not that I really think -- at heart -- it should be required -- but that it would cover bases in the sense that those who enter know ahead of time what is going on and take their own risks...which is what responsible adults do.

What is so truly scary to those of us who actually grew up in an era when private property and personal responsibility for one's actions meant something...is the increasing number of (usually young people) who have grown up in a society which re-enforces the notion that "it is all about me". And have no comprehension/understanding/appreciation of all of the relationship of private property rights and the essence of true freedom...

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by joqua

Well, for those of us who are ignorant of how the law now stands, it would be helpful to know what is covered presently.

I did find this recent article in the San Antonio paper:


As for my opinion, I absolutely hate the smell of cigarette smoke and the residue from it smells even worse. So I obviously concur with total bans on smoking where other people will be affected.

This is very telling as to that you believe your own right not to be inconvenienced should supercede the right of the business owner to make decisions based on their experience with their own customer base.

So why not just not enter the places that allow smoking? Surely there are lots of the said establishments that do just that...?

[BobTex]

Originally Posted by losttechnician

I vehemently disagree with government banning smoking in private businesses.

However I don't smoke, gladly avoid other's smoking when I can, and choose to not patronize businesses that allow smoking. So obviously I benefit from government intervention in the smoking debate, even though I disagree with government doing so.

This is my feelings also and I voted :

"The decision should be totally up to the owner of the business"


I might add when I leave work at my hospital invariable there are visitors and patients out on the walkway to the parking garage smoking. I despise the smell and being a critical care nurse have contempt for the way they are treating their bodies (but i do like the overtime their conditions provide me)!

[High_Plains_Retired]

Aftermarket smoke (or whatever it's called) goes right to my sinuses and causes me to choke at times. However, unless a city council has actually assisted in building that business, a private business owner should have every right to allow smoking in his/her business if that is what they choose. Any customers who dislike the policy can go somewhere else. I would.

I once smoked cigarettes, cigars and pipes, in that order. A looong time ago.

[TexasHorseLady]

Austin came up with the perfect compromise some years ago. Then those who had said that they didn't mind others smoking but didn't want to be exposed to it showed their true colors (and lost any respect I might have had for them, especially when they STILL try to pretend that they didn't - the emperor's new clothes have nothing on them).

The compromise was a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. However, if an owner felt that it was in the best interests of his business to do so, he could apply for a smoking venue permit, jump through a bunch of hoops, pay a hefty fee (annual, as I recall), and allow smoking in his venue. One of the requirements was that a large sign be put on the front door so that anyone who didn't want to be exposed to smoke could make the informed decision to patronize one of the hundreds of remaining venues in Austin that did not allow smoking.

Sounds perfect, right? Everybody gets what they want, everybody can go out on the town to a bar or restaurant and either not be exposed to cigarette smoke OR, if they smoke or don't care about smoking, could go to one of the venues that allowed it and enjoy their after-dinner cigarette or whatever. No one imposes on anyone else. (And those employees who smoke could work for the smoking venues without having to go outside to smoke.)

You should have heard the howls from the "we don't mind if someone else enjoys smoking, we just don't want to be exposed to it in public places" crowd. WAIT! We REALLY meant that we didn't want anyone to be allowed to smoke ANYWHERE, whether we were exposed to it or not!

They whined and cried and wailed so much that the Austin City Council typically caved in to them (I can imagine the behavior of the children of the Council members, based on watching this) and now the smoking allowed venues are no more. And if this keeps up (now they're banning smoking in some outside locations), the "everybody must make the same decisions that I do because my world view will crumble if they don't or are at least forced to live by my decisions) crowd will get smoking banned everywhere, indoors and out, within the Austin city limits.

I really miss Austin. Used to be an awesome, live and let live place to live. No more. And this kind of attitude is why.

For the record, I don't smoke, only smoked for about a month over 40 years ago in college and figured out it doesn't agree with me. But I do like civil rights, and I do object mightily to those who insist on tromping all over the rights of others no matter who they are.

[BigDGeek]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

I really miss Austin. Used to be an awesome, live and let live place to live. No more. And this kind of attitude is why.

Yup. Too many out-of-staters moving there; they've totally changed the culture. It's unrecognizeable now, very different from the city it was when I started college there in '93. I miss what it used to be. I'd live there again if it hadn't changed so much but I can't stand what it's become.

[Blackscorpion]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Austin came up with the perfect compromise some years ago. Then those who had said that they didn't mind others smoking but didn't want to be exposed to it showed their true colors (and lost any respect I might have had for them, especially when they STILL try to pretend that they didn't - the emperor's new clothes have nothing on them).

The compromise was a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants. However, if an owner felt that it was in the best interests of his business to do so, he could apply for a smoking venue permit, jump through a bunch of hoops, pay a hefty fee (annual, as I recall), and allow smoking in his venue. One of the requirements was that a large sign be put on the front door so that anyone who didn't want to be exposed to smoke could make the informed decision to patronize one of the hundreds of remaining venues in Austin that did not allow smoking.

Sounds perfect, right? Everybody gets what they want, everybody can go out on the town to a bar or restaurant and either not be exposed to cigarette smoke OR, if they smoke or don't care about smoking, could go to one of the venues that allowed it and enjoy their after-dinner cigarette or whatever. No one imposes on anyone else. (And those employees who smoke could work for the smoking venues without having to go outside to smoke.)

You should have heard the howls from the "we don't mind if someone else enjoys smoking, we just don't want to be exposed to it in public places" crowd. WAIT! We REALLY meant that we didn't want anyone to be allowed to smoke ANYWHERE, whether we were exposed to it or not!

They whined and cried and wailed so much that the Austin City Council typically caved in to them (I can imagine the behavior of the children of the Council members, based on watching this) and now the smoking allowed venues are no more. And if this keeps up (now they're banning smoking in some outside locations), the "everybody must make the same decisions that I do because my world view will crumble if they don't or are at least forced to live by my decisions) crowd will get smoking banned everywhere, indoors and out, within the Austin city limits.

I really miss Austin. Used to be an awesome, live and let live place to live. No more. And this kind of attitude is why.

For the record, I don't smoke, only smoked for about a month over 40 years ago in college and figured out it doesn't agree with me. But I do like civil rights, and I do object mightily to those who insist on tromping all over the rights of others no matter who they are.

Just trying to figure out, why you think it's ok for somebody else to impose their bad habit on others, especially when it's not healthy.