BARS : Smoking or smokeless?

[1KielsonDrive]

I'm sure this question will ignite a huge ideological battle, a bunch of name-calling and one giant cat fight, but what the heck, I'll ask the question anyway. And hope for some brief answers from all of you DY'ers. Do you prefer smoking bars or smokeless bars? Add comments about each type of bar if you like. Thanks.

[reddog289]

Smoking bars. Seeing that the bars I do go to at least 75% of the patrons smoke. But if and when I quit it could change my opinion.

[Meddle]

All inside establishments should be smoke free.

I'd even consider making outdoor areas smoke free if it would cut down on the cigg butts being tossed everywhere..

[elganned]

I prefer smokeless bars. And I'm a smoker.

[sirrealone]

OK, who is selling cigarettes to bars? And how in the world do they light the match?

[Corn.Bot]

Even when I smoked, I tended to prefer smokeless bars... and I was a pretty heavy smoker, at least a pack a day and easily 2+ if I was at the bar or bowling alley. However, I abhorred having to turn all my clothes inside out when I got home and took them off. I smoked in every room of my house, so if *I* found the bar-smoke smell on my clothes overpowering, what did it smell like to a non-smoker?

BTW, I did quit smoking. Exactly 2.25 years, plus one day [[and about 35 lbs) ago. I now find the odor of cigarettes nauseating [[thank you, God, because I could not afford the cost of cigs today!). I pinky-swore I would not become one of those self-righteous, pontificatin'-and-testifyin', condescending ex-smokers who disdainfully wave their still-smoking pals away... but it's very difficult to stick to my promise. P-U~!

[rb336]

I think the answer to the smoking ban is to require an additional license to allow smoking in bars/restaurants.

worst bar I was ever in [[smoke-wise) - Zinc on Houston in NYC

[sarge]

I'd defer to the person who owns the bar regarding whether or not smoking is permitted.

Where I live, smoking was prohibited in bars via a referendum. I probably go to a bar once every year or two, so I didn't care much either way how the vote turned out. However, I didn't really like the fact that the smoking policy in many bars was being determined by people who did not patronize them. There were several bars that were smoke free before the referendum and it wasn't hard to find them.

Essentially, a lot of smokers who had been going to certain bars for many years woke up one morning to find out they couldn't smoke in their local watering hole because people who don't come there and never will thought that was the best policy. And the local bar owners who were happy to allow the smokers to do so couldn't do anything about it.........

[Pam]

Smokeless. I've been in way too many stinky clubs over the years to see bands. I won't do it anymore.

[Johnlodge]

I quit awhile ago. There are smoke free options around me, so I'm happy to go there and let the smokers smoke away in their smoky place. I don't feel the need to force business owners to make me happy, I just give my money to someone else who's already doing it.

[1KielsonDrive]

Thanks to everyone for their input and humour. Keep 'em coming.

[ccbatson]

As I neither smoke nor drink [[and never have), personally I don't have reason or desire to go to a bar. However, both should be available based on market forces and the individual choice of the owner.

[Downriviera]

Forget the smoke, just find me a bar where cheap cologne is not allowed.

[1KielsonDrive]

Gosh Cc, you're just so funny. Hilarious! But not as funny as Downriviera. Yeah Dr, the cheap and pungent cologne has to go. One of the things I hate about the malls - the pervasive odor of cheap cologne. Thank god I don't go to malls much.

[Ray1936]

This smoker of 40 years quit cold turkey on November 9, 2001. Went fairly easy, much easier than I anticipated. Today, generally, second hand smoke doesn't bother me too much, but a cigarette smoldering in an ash tray can drive me batty. Stopped at my favorite slot joint today to play a twenty, and a guy two machines down had a cigarette that was so bad I had to move. Rarely have to do that. Most casinos here do have a "smoke-free" slot area or tables, though. Unfortunately, the multi-strike machines I like are not in them.

[Bobl]

I quit smoking when cigarettes went up to 50 cents in the machines! Unbelievable as that price is, only a few posters will remember when they were 32 or 33 cents, and pennies for change were included, wrapped by the vendor in cellophane.

I generally go to bars to see live music. Smoke free would be fine with me, but it seems a lot of music lovers smoke. I don't like the smell of smoke in my hair, on my clothes, and in the car after a night out, and too many rude smokers don't care about littering the ground with butts. It can take years for these things to decompose! Rude.....

But it should be up to the business owner [[and the customers) to decide.

[reddog289]

I as a smoker agree with alot of things said here.I myself hate cig butts here there and everywhere. I spent 15 years cleaning them up on my side job mowing lawns.

[jams]

I think the answer to the smoking ban is to require an additional license to allow smoking in bars/restaurants.

worst bar I was ever in [[smoke-wise) - Zinc on Houston in NYC

I've argued this point for years, it seems to me a rational compromise.

[sumas]

I agree with Jams and surprisingly Bats. My husband and I both smoke, I am not proud of it or particularly embarrassed by it either.

Odd observations though. A friend with a large extended family gave a large party. She carefully and laboriously rearranged her house to accomadate everyone. Everyone ended up in the smoking room because they were having more fun. Another time we went to a party where smoking was allowed in an attached garage [[it was still cold out there) The husband smoked/the wife did not. The whole damn party smokers and non smokers ended up partying in the garage. The wife was livid. The funniest [[and saddest) party was thrown by a co-worker who smoked, her husband too. Who of us knew she didn't allow smoking in her house? It was frigid out and the guests rebelled Smokers and non smokers alike and left on masse. We all went to anothers worker's house who lived near.

Good luck with your research. Hope things work out with any decisions you make. One caution, when things are banned or over regulated, people have a way of doing or finding what they want. If the state bans smoking in all public places you will see a proliferation of "Private Clubs" and of course blind pigs.

[rb336]

I've argued this point for years, it seems to me a rational compromise.

so you're saying it's a doomed idea

[sirrealone]

The funniest [[and saddest) party was thrown by a co-worker who smoked, her husband too. Who of us knew she didn't allow smoking in her house? It was frigid out and the guests rebelled Smokers and non smokers alike and left on masse. We all went to anothers worker's house who lived near.

Wow, what a fantastic way to express gratitude for someone that didn't have to, but opened their doors to you. And if you're still laughing, the co-worker that threw the party but got deserted is probably still humiliated.

Truly unbelievable.

[sumas]

Actually I think her behavior was unbelivable and rude. Since she was a smoker, most assumed we would be comfortable or at least accomadated. Most of the staff invited were smokers. As a hostess, it was her responsibility to inform us in advance of house rules. A hostess makes one comfortable not freeze their asses off in party clothes. The party was in January, it was 10 degrees out with three inches of snow. It was a byob, we took took a hostess gift of a very decent bottle of wine and brought an appetizer. When we left on masse after freezing in her yard she had quite a decent stock pile of booze and wine.

I have no problem with people abjecting to smoke. Tell me in advance what is expected and I will accept or reject invites in a polite fashion.

She did not open her door to us, we were shown the back door into a frigid yard. She failed as a hostess. No pity from me.

[erikd]

I prefer freedom of choice and less government intrusion into matters of personal preference.

I don't smoke on a daily basis, but I will often [[not always) smoke if I am drinking. There are times when I don't want to be in a smoke filled bar, and there are times when I buy a pack of cigarettes and light em up. It all depends on what I am doing, who I am with, or how I am feeling at the time.

If I am just having a quick Happy Hour cocktail with some co-workers, or getting a drink before dinner, I might prefer a non-smoking bar. If I am going to the sports bar for three hours to watch the game and drink beers with the fellas, I prefer a bar that allows smoking.

Let the business owners and their customers decide what they want, not the government.

[Awfavre]

I prefer to breath clean air, & I prefer to frequent establishments where I can taste & smell the food & drink -- not the stale smoke of someone 20 feet away or from 2 days ago. I simply don't go to establishments that allow smoking anymore.

[Johnnny5]

I don't smoke, but most of the time I go to a bar it's to one where smoking is allowed. For the most part, the places that don't allow smoking are pretty damn boring .

I spent a few years living in Florida where smoking is only allowed indoors when bars serve very little or no food [[less than 10% of sales if I remember correctly). After 11 pm any bar that was packed was one that was open to smoking. Those that were not were normally empty, or had more people on the patio than inside.

My concern is that Michigan will institute an uneven smoking ban where some places are open to smoking, but others are not. The last go around in Lansing left casinos the option of allowing smokers to still light up. IMO it should be all or nothing.