On the eve of prohibition

**milesdriven** · April-30-10, 05:25 AM

I plan on visiting Detroit for one last hurrah tonight. I hope Michigan soon follows Ohio on the path to repealing or amending this draconian legislation.

**RaumVogel** · April-30-10, 05:53 AM

What are you talking about?

**Pam** · April-30-10, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by RaumVogel

What are you talking about?

The smoking ban.

**gumby** · April-30-10, 07:03 AM

Oh don't be so dramatic. No one is stopping you from killing yourself, just stopping you from killing the rest of us.

LodgeDodger · April-30-10, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by milesdriven

I plan on visiting Detroit for one last hurrah tonight. I hope Michigan soon follows Ohio on the path to repealing or amending this draconian legislation.

*eye roll*

**ggores** · April-30-10, 08:19 AM

Originally Posted by milesdriven

I plan on visiting Detroit for one.

Now that's the spirit!

Ya know, Jenn G-holm was right. Don't know about ya'll, but I am absolutely blown away by the achievements of the state legislature. Man, they struggled with this divisive issue for what? Three, four years? Just imagine the brainpower! Not only that, but, with great godspeed, they also are going to prohibit texting while driving. Amazing. Let's hope they keep the ball rolling in cleaning up Michigan.

Milesdriven, enjoy your visit to the downtroddwn, yet culturally rich, town of Detroit.

**Novine** · April-30-10, 08:21 AM

"I hope Michigan soon follows Ohio on the path to repealing or amending this draconian legislation."

Get a clue. When the state legislature passes a law that's being lobbied against by all of the special interests, it tells you that this has major support among actual voters. The idea that the majority of voters want to overturn the law is delusional.

**ScienceFair** · April-30-10, 08:52 AM

Some day in the future, my grandchildren will be asking me about what things were like when I was young. They will laugh incredulously when I talk about how people were allowed to smoke everywhere without regard to the wellbeing of their fellow man. They will gasp when they hear that it wasn't always illegal to text on a "cell phone" while operating a "motor vehicle." And they will thank our generation for enacting some common sense laws that made life better for them.

**Detroitnerd** · April-30-10, 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by ScienceFair

Some day in the future, my grandchildren will be asking me about what things were like when I was young. They will laugh incredulously when I talk about how people were allowed to smoke everywhere without regard to the wellbeing of their fellow man. They will gasp when they hear that it wasn't always illegal to text on a "cell phone" while operating a "motor vehicle." And they will thank our generation for enacting some common sense laws that made life better for them.

Perhaps they'll laugh that we used to actually chug around in death machines that spewed pollution, ate foods filled with poisons, talked on cell phones that gave us brain cancer, were able to douse ourselves in stinky perfumes, or that we used to pave over huge areas so we could park our juggernauts, walk into big, overheated, barnlike buildings and exercise on machines for money.

Which is another way of saying don't be too smug about "progress."

**psubliminal** · April-30-10, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by ScienceFair

They will gasp when they hear that it wasn't always illegal to text on a "cell phone" while operating a "motor vehicle."

I can barely text while not driving; I'm astounded there are people that are actually able to do this. I've never seen anyone doing it.

**Novine** · April-30-10, 09:29 AM

I see it all the time. A good tip off is the telltale weaving over lane lines as you drive behind the texters. Some are more obvious than others.

Bearinabox · April-30-10, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by psubliminal

I can barely text while not driving; I'm astounded there are people that are actually able to do this. I've never seen anyone doing it.

Shit, I drive better while texting than half the drivers on the road do normally. They should pass a law against being a fucking idiot.

**Pam** · April-30-10, 09:36 AM

Miles, maybe you will enjoy this event at the Magic Stick. [[Or as we used to call it- The Magic Stink.)

http://majesticdetroit.com/2010/02/2...ghost-friends/

Since the dawn of rock and roll music, bars across the world have become encompassed with cigarette smoke night after night. No more grey haze in front of the stage of our favorite performers. No more burns or smell. Time for Michigan to say bye to smoking. Whether you’re in favor or opposed of the smoking ban, this is where we let the smoke out. So light em up.

Full lineup: Silverghost, The Hentchmen, Gardens, Dutch Pink, Kommie Kilpatrick
Free photo booth from 10-12 am with random smoke/cigar/cigarette items. Smoke machines will enhance the stages and DJ Anytime and his incredible pop machine [[Steve Nawara) will provide music between the sets.

ferntruth · April-30-10, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by milesdriven

I plan on visiting Detroit for one last hurrah tonight. I hope Michigan soon follows Ohio on the path to repealing or amending this draconian legislation.

What exactly is draconian about it? The fact that I shouldn't have to breath in YOUR cigarette smoke? It's not a ban - you can still enjoy your cancer stick, just not around those of us who don't want to be exposed to it.

**Detroitnerd** · April-30-10, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by ferntruth

What exactly is draconian about it? The fact that I shouldn't have to breath in YOUR cigarette smoke? It's not a ban - you can still enjoy your cancer stick, just not around those of us who don't want to be exposed to it.

Stop stinking up this thread with your pink-lunged self-righteousness!

lincoln8740 · April-30-10, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by ferntruth

What exactly is draconian about it? The fact that I shouldn't have to breath in YOUR cigarette smoke? It's not a ban - you can still enjoy your cancer stick, just not around those of us who don't want to be exposed to it.

Forgot inside for second--what about the ban on smoking OUTSIDE on a bar patio?

Even the most fervent anti-smoking nazis around here have to admit that's pretty stupid.

**Diehard** · April-30-10, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

Miles, maybe you will enjoy this event at the Magic Stick. [[Or as we used to call it- The Magic Stink.)

http://majesticdetroit.com/2010/02/2...ghost-friends/

I haven't been to the Stick in sooo long... that was one place I couldn't stand for more than an hour because of the haze. It seemed like such a waste to spend the cover charge and get smoked out by the second band. I bet it'll take weeks to clear out the stink up there.

**Diehard** · April-30-10, 12:09 PM

Originally Posted by lincoln8740

Forgot inside for second--what about the ban on smoking OUTSIDE on a bar patio?

Even the most fervent anti-smoking nazis around here have to admit that's pretty stupid.

Yes, this asthmatic music-loving fervent nonsmoker hopes that gets revised or least isn't enforced. The way I see it, no ceiling = go ahead and light up.

**Novine** · April-30-10, 12:15 PM

You can have outdoor smoking if you're not serving food or drinks. Several bars already have those spots set up.

**Detroitnerd** · April-30-10, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

You can have outdoor smoking if you're not serving food or drinks. Several bars already have those spots set up.

In other words, you have to have an outdoor area where people can not serve drinks, nobody can order a drink. Ever seen a patio like that?

**Novine** · April-30-10, 02:51 PM

"Ever seen a patio like that?"

It's called a parking lot. What's the big deal?

**Detroitnerd** · April-30-10, 02:53 PM

Originally Posted by Novine

"Ever seen a patio like that?"

It's called a parking lot. What's the big deal?

Haha. That's not a patio, dude. I appreciate that nonsmokers don't like smoke, but the truth is that this law was very poorly written. And acknowledging that the law was poorly written doesn't mean you like smoke, or should have it blown your way.

**buildingsofdetroit** · April-30-10, 03:55 PM

Here we go again.
I think I'm going to open up a bunch of secretive "smoke easys" around town, get back to this city's Prohibition roots.

**gazhekwe** · April-30-10, 04:08 PM

It was meant to be an employee protection law. That is the only way the prohibition on smoking in an outdoor area makes any sense. No servers will be harmed by second hand smoke if they happen to walk by just as someone exhales a cloud of smoke. Perhaps they let you carry your drink/food out to the smoking patio.

I keep thinking, is this the day the smokers start finding out how things REALLY taste?

Stosh · April-30-10, 09:18 PM

It's all a bunch of BS. Three months from now, nobody will remember any of this.

It's like years ago people could smoke where ever they wanted. Then that stopped, a little pissing and moaning, then no more. same with school zones. Smoking/non smoking zones in restaurants, now this.

People will adjust.

The bar's and restaurant's employees are the ones that are getting the lion's share of smoke. It's a shame to have to put your life or health at risk for a few dollars, I applaud the law. As a former smoker, I know full well the damage smoke can do to your lungs. My suggestion? Get over it and enjoy life.

Be glad that maybe those few seconds that you are deprived [[the horror!} of smoking will prevent some serious lung disease from overtaking you before you come to your senses and quit.