Was it a smoke-free weekend?
Now that smoking is no longer allowed in public places, did you see people smoking this weekend?
Do you care?
If so, did you call the 800 hotline the state has set up to report smoking offenders?
Do you care?
If so, did you call the 800 hotline the state has set up to report smoking offenders?
posted by Dan at
2:24 PM
44 Comments:
I saw smoking in bars this weekend, but not in restaraunts or places there were children. I think it should be up to the bar owner to decide what people can and can not do in his/her establishment. Keeping it away from children is a great idea, but adults can decide whether or not to go in places where people are smoking. Hey smokers, thanks for the stadium, now you can't smoke anywhere. HOW HYPOCRITICAL!
I CANNOT BLEIEVE THAT WITH ALL THE
MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS IN THIS
WORLD THAT WE HAVE RESORTED TO
ENCOURAGING THE PUBLIC TO BECOME
NICOTINE NAZIS. THIS IS AMERICA,
NOT AMERIKA, WE ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE FREEDOM OF CHOICE. WHAT ARE
WE GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE UP NEXT?
Walking from Playhouse Square to the parking garage, some nicotine addict had to light up, filling the entire walkway with that stench. It was awful. Since we have voted for clean air for all, I think it needs to be enforced swiftly and surely .
YOU CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT THE STENCH AND POLLUTED AIR THAT CIGARETTE SMOKE WHY ARE YOU NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE AUTO EXAUST THAT YOU ARE BREATHING IN AS YOU ARE WALKING THROUGH THE PARKING GARAGE. WE WILL ACCEPT SOME POLLUTANTS IF THEY MAKE THE MAJORITY OF LIFES EASIER. SMOKING IS A SMALL ENTITY THAT YOU CAN ATTACK. YOU SURELY DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET RID OF YOUR AUTO, NOW WOULD YOU, BREATHE DEEP
Amen. I saw someone light up over the weekend. It was outside, but I felt, for once in my life like it was okay to be offended by it. Thank God for the majority of Ohioans who voted this in.
Hopefully now that smoking is banned, then that means that all the non-smokers are going to be paying more in some type of tax,for our stadiums, arenas and arts. As most know, people smoke more when out in the social scene.....now where is the money going to come form.
With all due respect, I am worried about ALL pollutants, and am doing everything to prevent them, and to prevent from breathing them in. As I am an environmentalist, and care about the quality of our air. Let me ask you, what do you do to protect our environment? We need to start reversing our affects, including those of exhaust fumes. Which are the worst. But, again, these are being funded by big corporations, and it is going to be a hard fight to win. But, we must start somewhere. Rest assured we are fighting to clear ALL the air.
It was great going out to eat and
not smelling that stench. I know I smoked for 15 years and did not know how BAD I smelled or how STUPID and UNATRACTIVE I looked puffing away like I was going to die if I did not smoke my cigarette right after I ate. Now if people would only stop smoking in their cars so when they have their windows open my car does not suck it up through the heater vent! heheh that maybe asking way to much! hehee
I did see smoking this weekend, and was very upset that the bar owner still allowed it. People say step away from people who smoke it is sort of unavoidable when it is all around you. I am glad though where I work it is now smoke free as are alot of customers that come in.
I didn't see anyone violating the law. But, I have the 1-800 number programmed into my phone in case I do.
That's a great idea, then they can start coming into our houses and telling us what to do there! I can't wait to see what they take away or tax next. I hope it's something you enjoy or enjoy as a freedom in our great state.
I think its great that we don't have smoking in restaurants. I was tired of having my meal ruined by smelling the stench of cigarretes. Unfortunately I am still putting up with it at my office. Do I call the 800 number and risk my job???? Just another fun reminder that not all situations are easily handled.
I am hopeful that once they get the rules and fines set up that my office will then be smokefree too.
Report it. It's reported anonymous, and your job will not be in jepardy.
I cannot believe some of the comments.. it is irrellevent how we feel about being governed for smoking.. the fact is WE AS THE PEOPLE voted against the smoking and that is all that matters. It wasn't the President or some official saying we couldn't do it.. It was voted upon..
I feel it is up to the restaurant/bar owner to govern the establishment.. If there are smokers in a smokefree environment, the establishment itself should be heavily fined.. Same thing as drinking, if a server serves a drink to a minor they get punished.
enough said.
The guy was arrested after being ASKED to leave...that's trespassing. The owner has the right to serve whomever they want and they don't want smokers. Get the story straight
For the last responder, worried about risking a job by reporting smoking, complaints can be made anonymously. There are local numbers available also - for most county locations, it's 201-2000, and for Cleveland it's 664-7665 (SMOK). Keep in mind too that indoor smoking in workplaces (not including restaurants and bars) has long been prohibited by practice or by other local laws.
HEY, I'm the criminal's sister--here in Akron and yep, I smoked in a bar this weekend--two to be exact. The news stories aren't quite correct--he DID extinguish his cigarette when asked and did not light up another. AND, the bar owner called Donn and apologized today and stated that he would contact the police and ask that the charges be dropped. You gotta know my brother, though. If it were gonna happen, it was gonna happen to him. HEHEHE
This is not America anymore! People who own theyre own establishments are being told how they can and can't run those establishments, what they can and can't do in those establishments, and i think it's bull! Cigarettes are legal and unless they become illegal no one should be able to tell someone what they can allow in theyre own places of business. Put a sign on the door that states non smokers beware. How's it feel to live in Russia?
We as the people were so confused by the wording of the ballot that alot of us voted for the wrong one, i know i did, i thought i was voting for the lesser ban and so did st least 20 other people i know!
American Cancer Society funded this law, when the money they used to fund it should of went to finding a cure for cancer, I won't support them anymore because the money I donated was to go for research, not for passing laws in the government. According to their Research, everything causes cancer. Next they will be outlawing cigerettes, alcohol and much more and prohibition will take place all over again. Maybe they should ban cars and factory places, those pollutes the air as well, but oh my will the poor nonsmokers do then. Anymore these days, this is now America but feeling more like Iraq,anotherwords, no freedom, freedom is nothing but a joke. Does anyone realize that The American Cancer foundation may have funded this law but it's been already stated in Newspapers that Ohio has no funding to inforce this law. And Notice that everyone has been calling people "The Smokers" and "The Non-smokers", it sounds like another case of racism to me. Because of business's will loss business and not as much taxes will be coming in, things will be looking downhill. And All's I've got to say about it is that whomever voted for this law to be brought in all brought it on themselves so suffer with it.
New York has no smoking laws in effect we should follow them and ENFORCE THE LAW ,it was voted in favor and we as non smokers want it ENFORCED.....
"swiftly and surely"
"With all due respect"
"As I am an environmentalist, and care"
"Rest assured we are fighting to clear ALL the air."
I find your melodramatic and pleonastic misuse of the English language is creating a "stench". As for smoking, I do not. However, I would rather inhale secondary fumes for 5 hours than have to listen to your conversation for 15 minutes.
I was so excited to go out this weekend and come home not feeling like I had been forced in inhale poison all night. No such luck. The people have spoken, and yet the law has still been put on hold to accommodate the addicted people. If they wanted so badly to damage the lungs of people who choose to be healthy, more smokers should have voted. This is a democracy, last I checked. Or, here's an idea--smokers can just switch to chewing tobacco. They can still cater to their sick addition, without destroying the health of others. I'm all for freedoms, but you tell me where the smoke free bars, strip clubs, and bowling alleys are. They don't exist. Smokers are the ones with the destructive behavior--non smokers should not have to completely alter their social lives to avoid inhaling the toxins produced by the addicts. If you want to smoke, do it outside or at home. Don't subject people to your addiction.
Also, I love how smokers justify their actions by talking about household cleaners and car exhaust. Newsflash--cars are a necessity. Cleaning our homes is a necessity. And NONE of those things carry the same toxins as cigarettes. But, say whatever it takes to make you feel better about your addiction and the problems it causes for those around you.
Non smokers aren't just complaining about the stench--it's about us having to breathe toxins that are completely unnecessary! What happened to our rights? No one has the right to harm other people, which is exactly what smokers do when they smoke in places of employment. But regardless of that, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. Where were all the smokers on election day? They were outnumbered, fair and square.
I will be putting the toll free number in my speed dial.
Yes I did and more power to them.......resterants I agree that is find but bars no way...you like the taxes it brings the state don`t you?.....freedom on yeah, one sided I say-----
p.s.----I am a non smoker but disagree with this law within reason.....
I haven't seen anyone smoke.While we are at it,how about the people with all the perfume,colognes,musks,which cause me difficulty in breathing.I am not alone but we must continue to suffer,ban that also!Please do me and many more a favor. We like clean air also.Am I a smoker? No..
I guess what the state of ohio's point is lets see how many more jobs we can lose by this new law since everyone knows that the smokers are or should I say were the majority in all or must bars,sports, bingo...etc. they sent ford and gm and alot of big companys packing and that hurt small businesses but after some hard times some managed to stay afloat only to have another political set back,that could actually prove that the state of ohio is stupid. we have different churches we have private clubs we also have gay,redneck,black and several other cultural bars that I don't see anyone complaining about since they have a choice. that's why I disagree that a smokers rights should be taken away. would you ban gay bars because of the ignorance of peoples opinion that its not the way,so a hispanic or straight person goes else where because thats america and we are all equal. so wake up ohio these petty issues could actually come back to bite you in the ---.
i work fast food drive thru, and the smoke comes through the window every time it is opened, so i dont see the difference. i never smoked. but did have 2 people get mad at my boss for telling them they cant smoke in between the 2 doors. seems like companies are now going to dictate what you can do outside of work. and government telling you where to work. these people have smoked all their lives and now being told not to. and now losing their jobs over smoking, no matter how long they worked there and could smoke.
Everyone agrees smoking is bad. However, we do live in a free country and the reason we live in a free country is because we have the right to worhship freely, live freely, have privacy, etc. The magnitude of this law is incomprehensible to the do-gooders out there. While the basic purpose of the law is to protect those who do not want exposed to smoke so they have the "freedom" to have a "choice" if they want to be around smoke has taken the "freedom" away from those who have "chosen" to "freely" smoke and another purpose of the law is to keep those healthy that want to stay healthy. Well, the other side of that litigious coin is that the cost of healthcare for obesity, which, by the way, out ranks smoking, is that some day it will be illegal to eat, serve, or be "exposed" to unhealthy foods. And that those who eat unhealthy will be subjected to urine tests by employers to check for illegal contraband of unhealthy food traces. And there will be a 1-800 number to report and arrest these criminals. Our country will soon find itself in a police state as we are already seeing today. Be careful what you ask for, you are getting it.
You know, I find it interesting. Several of you are informing others that if you report a smoking criminal in our presence that it is anonymous and you do not have to fear losing your job. What does that feel like to be afraid, to have to hide in secrecy, to hope that caller i.d. at the other end is not picking up your phone number so they will know who you are, to worry if someone near by hears you calling in..... Now I know what it must have been like in Nazi Germany...hmmmm
What does it matter, we are not allowed to smoke. I think it is crap. I feel we should vote to reduce the taxes on smokers, and let the non-smokers start paying their share. We have carried them long enough. What all has been done and built with smokers tax?Would it have been done without the tax? Nope, and how are we thanked for it? At least non-smokers had a choice, to sit in a non smoking section. What choice is left for the smoker? Free country, I think not
I think the smoking ban is good in that it protects non smokers from the effects of second hand smoke, but I think it is unfair in that it does not provide choices for smokers and sympathysizers. Our government should not tell us what we can do with our bodies, only that we cannot harm others. At any rate it is the current law and like all laws should be obeyed, until citizens ban together to overturn the law. I would only report a person if they were directly harming an innocent one with their actions.
All I can say is that this man was trying to show who was boss...the law went into effect, and he knew that. I am a smoker, and I am sure that we have not seen the last of this issue, but what this guy did did not help our cause. Do what you are asked. If there is no smoking in a bar, then DON'T SMOKE IN THE BAR!!!!!!! If we act like idiots then the people who set these rules are going to continue to treat us as idiots...they are just waiting for someone to prove their point...don't give them the amminution!!!
Some people get extremely sick when around cigerrette smoke. I know that when I tried belonging to a bowling league, I was forced to quit the league, because the second hand smoke caused me to get real congested, and my eyes to get extremely red, and burn. Most of the non-smokers have been just staying home, and not going out, because of the cigerrette smoke everywhere. Why is it fair that we should have felt that we cannot go anywhere because of second hand smoke? Here, at work, the smokers can go outside and take a smoke break any time they please, to where the non-smokers here, are told that there is no break, other than the lunch break. Why is it right that our society rewards smokers and punishes non-smokers?
It is not considered a "right" in America, when it infringes upon other people's rights? It should not be a smoker's right to blow their cigerrette smoke in other people's faces.
Although, I do agree, that if it is an adult only establishement, like a bar, it should be up to the owner of the bar whether or not they want to allow people to smoke.
I am glad, though, that it is no longer allowed in restaurants. I don't know how many times I went out to eat, asked for non-smoking, only to be put right by the smoking section, even though it was still considered non-smoking where they sat me, and had to choke on cigerrette smoke as I ate.
Also, this may help smokers that are trying to quit smoking, quit. I am only 39 years old, and both my mom and my dad have passed away from cancer because they smoked. They both also suffered greatly the last years of their lives. It does not just take a few years off of you. Chemotherapy and radiation treatments are killers.
This is just crazy. You all sound like you think you're better than those of us who do smoke. Most of you have smoked in the past!
This law has gotten everyone upset it seems. The non smokers can't turn in enough smokers and the smokers can't find a place to go. What next? SmokeEasies?
Even though the law has been passed it is NOT in effect. There is an injunction against it. The cops and bar owner were both wrong. The bar owner didn't even have a no smoking sign up so it's discrimination.
And as a smoker, they are violitating our rights.
Excessive bail, fines and "cruel and unusual" punishment are prohibited by the Eighth Amendment.
The First Amendment guarantees the freedom of worship, of speech, of the press, of assembly, and of petition to the government for redress of grievances.
See he has the right to assemble there. He wasn't doing anything wrong because there weren't any No smoking signs and the fact the ban is being postponed.
This is just crazy. You all sound like you think you're better than those of us who do smoke. Most of you have smoked in the past!
This law has gotten everyone upset it seems. The non smokers can't turn in enough smokers and the smokers can't find a place to go. What next? SmokeEasies?
It's a shame we don't have an 800 number for drinking & driving or seeing someone light up a joint in a car. Seems like there are too many nicotine nazi's. We do live in America & are still Americans..not Communists. I smoke & will not obey the law..after all, it's not being enforced anyway. Glve us an 800 number to turn in alcohol/drug abusers!!!! Get real people!!!
people, people, there is still alot of work to do. We must not waste idle minutes writing these messages when there are people out there that are obese. Yes, shocking as it is obese. AND there are big food companies, just like the big tobacco companies, that are funding this. With obesity ranking higher in health care costs for this country than smoking and our precious children being subjected to hideous commercials about snack foods and fast food to only mention a fraction of what is out there AND those abusive pregnant mothers gaining too much weight and subjecting their innocent unborn children to serious health risks, we have to move forward with the obese laws. We have to before it is too late. I don't want to have to pay for their obesity health abuses...do you? I didn't think so. So, all of you out there who are perfect human beings and on the non-smoking band wagon, get on the obesity band wagon. (You think its funny, but remember this in couple of years and see where we are then.)
I am a non-smoker and I think this smoking ban is absolute nonsense!! If the state gov't is going to dictate what an owner of an establishment can do and/or allow inside his/her establishment, then the state gov't should pay his bills. Or at least make the socialists who voted for this bill pay for them. What's next, a bill outlawing transfats? I say we put a ban on liberalism.
"Also, I love how smokers justify their actions by talking about household cleaners and car exhaust. Newsflash--cars are a necessity. Cleaning our homes is a necessity. And NONE of those things carry the same toxins as cigarettes."
- Yes they do.
OK, SO THE LAW HAS PASSED. CAN SOMEONE NOW EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT THE FINE IS FOR A BAR OR RESTAURANT THAT ALLOWS SMOKING UNTIL THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH GETS THEIR ACT TOGETHER. NO ONE AT THE ODH KNOWS FOR SURE. ALL OF THE CONFUSION WITH THE "SMOKING BAN" IS THE INABILITY OF THE STATE OF OHIO AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO HAVE LEGISLATION IN PLACE. IF I OWNED A BAR AND KNEW THAT THERE IS NO FINE FOR 3 - 6 MONTHS, THEN I WOULD ALLOW SMOKING UNTIL THEN!! WHEN THE PROPOSED LAW BECOMES LAW I WONDER HOW MANY ESTABLISHMENTS WILL STILL CONDONE SMOKING?
It's amazing that in a State that has soo many problems the things Ohioans choose to care about! Now the public is supposed to be the Cigarette Nazi's? I think there are way more important things that our law enforcement personnel need to focus on like...um how about solving some real crimes instead of being patsies for zealots?
I think people should be smoking, since the state of Ohio is so unorganized they cant even put the regulations and penalties in place. I think the law is very wrong! People have a right to choose, at least thats the way it used to be. I think the state of Ohio is making a huge mistake, and they will lose millions for it!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home