Boozing till 4am

[gopher]

Someone told me today effective may 1 michigan will permit the sale of alochol until 4am.... Any one else hear the same?

[tahleel]

Someone told me today effective may 1 michigan will permit the sale of alochol until 4am.... Any one else hear the same?

What's the difference? Don't they do that now?

-Tahleel

[Lowell]

I haven't heard about those hours, but what i will be celebrating is no smoking in the bars [and elsewhere] starting May 1!

[milesdriven]

I know May 1 is when the smoking ban is supposed to go into effect, and when many bartenders and waitstaff will see their earnings plummet. I visited a bar in Monroe last weekend, which was well ventilated, and all three bartenders as well as 2/3 of the patrons at the bar were smoking. It made me wonder who we were protecting. An exemption should be put in place for family businesses and private clubs, allowing more money to stay in Michigan. I doubt Ms. Gran-ho has ever been to a dive bar in Detroit.

[Diehard]

The 4 a.m. question comes up from time to time, but unless Jenny G. mentions it I wouldn't put much stock in it. With the state's finances the way they are, it would make sense to squeeze two more hours' worth of tax revenue from the bars - but it's always been beaten back by the MADD crowd in the past.

[1KielsonDrive]

I know May 1 is when the smoking ban is supposed to go into effect, and when many bartenders and waitstaff will see their earnings plummet. I visited a bar in Monroe last weekend, which was well ventilated, and all three bartenders as well as 2/3 of the patrons at the bar were smoking. It made me wonder who we were protecting. An exemption should be put in place for family businesses and private clubs, allowing more money to stay in Michigan. I doubt Ms. Gran-ho has ever been to a dive bar in Detroit.

Sour apples. This is another one of those 'socialism, fascism, totalitarianism', accusations. Anything you don't like, which is anything proposed or implemented by the party which you are not a supporter of, even if it's the same as something that may have been proposed or supported by your party in the past, is an affront to, or a total revocation of, citizens rights or the constitution. Ms.Gran-ho, whom b/t/w, I am not a supporter of, wasn't the prime advocate of this legislation. I lived in San Francisco in 1998 when the California ban took effect. After everyone stopped crying, which was about 2 months, it was barely a blip on the screen.

[East Detroit]

Ms.Gran-ho, whom b/t/w, I am not a supporter of...

Thanks for clarifying; we couldn't tell by the childish way you wrote her last name.

[Diehard]

I know May 1 is when the smoking ban is supposed to go into effect, and when many bartenders and waitstaff will see their earnings plummet. I visited a bar in Monroe last weekend, which was well ventilated, and all three bartenders as well as 2/3 of the patrons at the bar were smoking. It made me wonder who we were protecting. An exemption should be put in place for family businesses and private clubs, allowing more money to stay in Michigan. I doubt Ms. Gran-ho has ever been to a dive bar in Detroit.

Somehow, I don't think this will settle it for the pissed-off smokers who keep hollering that the sky is falling, but...:

http://www.detnews.com/article/20100...o-harsh-impact

[Diehard]

Oh, and sorry to contribute to the threadjack. I'm weary of this stupid smoking debate too.

[Lowell]

Milesdriven, that is a common anxiety when these laws start but Ontario has had the ban for quite awhile. Go to Windsor, the bars are filled. I have heard the same for California. If anything non-smokers, like myself, who are now over 75% will stay longer because we will be able to breathe and not come home smelling like a smokey bar. Smokers step outside and then they are back in.

I am not being sanctimonious either. I was a former smoker and part of the problem. This is about being fair to the people who work there and they are delighted.

[Bearinabox]

Oh, for fuck's sake, are we seriously going to start debating the smoking ban again? I'd rather be tied down and forced to read the Garwood and St. Jude Nostalgia threads back to back.

[Ray1936]

Oh, for fuck's sake, are we seriously going to start debating the smoking ban again? I'd rather be tied down and forced to read the Garwood and St. Jude Nostalgia threads back to back.

Absolutely ROFL, Bear. Thanks for the belly laugh this morning!

[old guy]

Oh, for fuck's sake, are we seriously going to start debating the smoking ban again? I'd rather be tied down and forced to read the Garwood and St. Jude Nostalgia threads back to back.

That is pretty funny. I actually got a good laugh out of that one myself.

[gopher]

Ok enough shit about smoking... Any definitive evidence on a 4am extension license? Links?

[The Dude]

[quote=gopher;134932]Ok enough shit about smoking... Any definitive evidence on a 4am extension license? Links?[/quotetry http://www.michigan.gov/lcc

[The Dude]

Milesdriven, that is a common anxiety when these laws start but Ontario has had the ban for quite awhile. Go to Windsor, the bars are filled. I have heard the same for California. If anything non-smokers, like myself, who are now over 75% will stay longer because we will be able to breathe and not come home smelling like a smokey bar. Smokers step outside and then they are back in.

I am not being sanctimonious either. I was a former smoker and part of the problem. This is about being fair to the people who work there and they are delighted.

First, congratulations for quitting smoking. I never smoked, but I believe that Michigan should have done as in other states, leave it up to the bar owners" whether or not to allow smoking or not. Most people that go to bars smoke cigarettes aND THAT IS a fact. Let the people have a choice, if you want go to a bar that is non-smoking, fine. But let the bar owners and smokers have their places, too. That is the American way. The no smoking ban is the SOCIALIST way. The ban on smoking in all Michigan bars is an out and out example of what Ronald Reagan called "Government on our backs."

[bartock]

Don't ban smoking. Tax the hell out of places that want to allow smoking. It would become a niche. 90% [[non-scientific research) of places probably prefer it, and as a practical matter, any place generally over 18 for the majority of the year would be stuffed with smoking right outside their doors.

People in L.A. and I suspect the rest of CA still smoke in some bars freely. My limited vacation time there when I smoked is that it is sort of a speakeasy situation that I imagine exist no matter what law is passed. Sort of like banning any other "sin" or whatever metaphor you want to use. It will still exist.

The 4:00 bar situation is sort of the same, in keeping with the thread.

[Fury13]

There shouldn't even be a 4 a.m. cutoff. Allow 24/7 licensing like they have in Nevada [[and the state could collect the increased fees and revenues that would go along with such licenses).

The morality arguments regarding bars' closing times are tiresome and ridiculous. As for a perceived increase in drunk driving with longer bar hours, those drunks will be out driving no matter what time it is. Let the police deal with it and let the public know it won't be tolerated. That's what they tell people in Vegas and Reno: drink all you want, but don't you dare get in that car and drive drunk.

But yeah, I guess allowing a 4 a.m. license would be a good place for Michigan to start.

[Lowell]

Nothing to debate. It's law. Get over it.

I'm just high fivin' that I'll be able to stay til closing time -- whenever it is -- without suffocating.

[cman710]

There was much concern in New York when they enacted the smoking ban, too, especially for bars and bowling centers as well. I am not sure, but I believe that business has worked out to be just fine [[though some bowling centers have closed for other reasons).

[The Dude]

As far as the 4 am closing, I think it's just for Friday and Saturday nights. But you pay for a special license.
Michigan [[Wayne County) is the only place in the U.S.A. where you cannot buy alcohol at gas stations that have a convenience store inside.
As far as the smoking ban goes people going outside to have a smoke then going back in is not going to work in all places, especially in "clubs" where there's cover charge. Pay your 10 buck cc, have a drink, p, go out and have a smoke, go back in, "That'll be $10.00 cover, sir." 'I already paid you ten bucks, I just went out to have a frickin' smoke." "I'm sorry, sir, the management does not allow in and out smoking priveliges." "Jesus H. Christ on a crutch."

p.s. Even in the Bible Belt, you can stop at a gas station and buy beer inside.

[DetroitPlanner]

Michigan [[Wayne County) is the only place in the U.S.A. where you cannot buy alcohol at gas stations that have a convenience store inside.

The Mobil station at Michigan and Oakman has beer and wine; as does the Shell on Warren and Telegraph. In fact I am nearly certain you can buy liquor at the Shell. Are you sure this is a county law??

[Jimaz]

As far as the smoking ban goes people going outside to have a smoke then going back in is not going to work in all places, especially in "clubs" where there's cover charge.

Wouldn't they just stamp your hand or give you a ticket?

[leland_palmer]

I'm looking forward to smoke-free drinking. I'm glad that Michigan is joining the rest of the civilized world.

Here is a map of the various bans in the US.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/m...rams=Id=154845

[Hamtragedy]

To quote one of my favorite local musicians [[Man):

"The only booze on Sunday is the blood of Christ"

Before noon, that is.