Do you smoke? Do you still go out?
If you smoke, do you go out to bars, clubs, restaurants less now that Ohio is "Smoke free"?
Let us know by clicking on the "comment" link below.
Let us know by clicking on the "comment" link below.
posted by Dan at
4:30 PM
31 Comments:
I only go to places that I can smoke at. There are a few places that still allow it.
YES I SMOKE, AND NO, I DO NOT GO OUT AS MUCH AND MY FAMILY SEEMS TO BE STAYING IN MORE ALSO. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE SMALL BAR OWNERS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE LOSING OUT ON MONEY. I FEEL THAT IF YOU CHOSE TO WORK IN A BAR YOU COULD ASSUME THAT THERE IS (WAS) GOING TO BE SMOKING IN THERE. THE SMOKERS HAVE PAID FOR EVERYTHING FOR CLEVELAND AND NOW, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ARE LOSING MONEY. I GUESS YOU CAN TAX THE SMOKERS MORE TO COVER THE UNEMPLOYMENT COSTS, RIGHT.
Since the smoking ban took effect, I have only gone out once. That was only to eat breakfast with a friend who was visiting from out of town. In all honesty, I refuse to go out now. I will not invest in an economy in which it is seen as "alright" for "citizen X" to tell me what is my right and what isn't.
I now go out less since the new law was enacted. Of course, this is my "choice" not to go out. Since that same choice was taken away from the business owners. I understand the dangers of smoking, I still choose to smoke.
My problem is not so much that I can't light up anywhere, it is more that an individual business owner has been forced to potentially reduce his customer base because of this.
Only to the places that still allow you to smoke.
By the way do you the know the diffrence between Russia and Ohio?
Russia doesn't have communism anymore!!!
I'm not a full-time smoker, but do consider myself a social smoker. The truth is that I do still go out, but just not as often. I know of a few places that I can go to light up still, but that is about the only places I go. From my own observation the smoking ban is hurting local establishments. Good example.....my wife and I went to BW3's in Rocky River and the place was not that crowded for a Saturday night!!! The place was crowded with families wit children.....BUT from what I noticed the parents were drinking pop and the children were eating off their parents plates! I bet BW3's did not make $$ selling a few pops and wings!! Let's just say my wife and I did not stay long. Went to a bar in the same area and it was packed!! Not saying what bar though.....Just my observation and thoughts.
The bars we go to still allow people to smoke...not sure the ban made sense and that people are actually willing to give up rights, even when you do not agree with them--bizarre...besides the law was badly written.
Yes, I do still smoke same as usual. As far as going out, I only go to those that still allows it, the other resturants that has posted the signs and taken away the ashtrays that I've done business with for a long time does not no longer get my business and I've noticed that two resturants has closed up due to the banned because of lack of business. I've also stopped supporting the american cancer society along with the american lung society. Donated money was to go for research, not to make laws. I refuse to donate anymore money to them since they have showed us that they are not using the money for research.
I go to 2 bars and they both still allow smoking
I certainly do go out less. I understand the smoking ban, and I am in favor of it in public places, but, I do believe that a business owner of a bar or bowling alley, should have the right to select the customers he wishes to attract and have the option of having a smoking or non-smoking establishment. I think a lot of the people that voted for the ban never frequent those types of establishments.
Bad law..I voted no. First of all all public places are already smoke free. AS for private business? They pay the rent, taxes, you name it. If you don't want to go there, go somewhere else! Most clubs will now become private, as in fee, like so many elsewhere! How about outlawing fat people at buffets? They are very offensive, destroy appetite. How does this sound? Heck, smokers are building the art museum!
Yes, I smoke.
Yes, I still go out to eat at restaurants and bars.
But, since I can't smoke in restaurants, I don't get deserts and I don't stay long after dinner has been eaten.
In bars, I still smoke in a few of them that are allowing it. However, if they fully enforce this smoking ban I will not stay in them very long either.
yes I still go out but only to the places where they still let you smoke, otherwise I don't hang around very long.
I have been out once since the law passed. I had to go outside to smoke. Never again. As far as bars...you CAN'T drink and not smoke, so the answer is: I will not go out to bars and restaurants as often as I did before
We smoke and now we do not go out at all. We would consider going to private clubs like the VFW, but they are getting unfairly jerked around too. I guess no one will get our buisiness at all. What a shame since Ohio's buisinesses are in such dire straits compared to the rest of the country.
I never smoked at restaurants but I used to go out at night on a regular basis to bars and now I don't, and have not been to a bar since Ohio passed the smoking ban.
I now only go where the law is and will be ignored period. I will not go anywhere and spend my money where I'm not wanted. Also, I make it a point to tell the smoking nazies what I think of them. Don't like it? Call the smoking police......
I do go out less now. sometimes i will just have some friends over instead. if i do go out, its for a shorter time.
it's pretty ironic that the U.S. is the leading contributer to air pollution in the world but i can't smoke in public because it is a hazard to others. these whiners that go to bars and night clubs are just as hazardous after being at happy hour guzzling 2for 1's then getting behind the wheel of a vehicle. i guess that's ok though. as for me, i'll stay at home and hide my habit like a drug addict. i wouldn't want to be responsible for polluting this great air here in good ol' U.S.A. home of the constitution. i think the next group to get singled out should be the politicians and lobbyists. that should be a hoot
Of course. Nobody's enforcing it. They passed a "law" with no penalties if that law is violated. It's like telling your teenager to be home by midnight "or else", but there will be no punishment if you're late.
Yes I smoke and I have started rethinking going out. Some west side restaurants and bars have been very sensitive and accommodating to smokers. Nothing illegal of course, just creative.
You just have to find out which ones. They seem to draw a good crowd too.
Dan in Lorain County
I love going to smoke free bars -- I go out twice a week where I used to go out twice a month.
And I don't miss breathing in any of the crap the smokers above used to exhale.
I smoke and stopped going out entirely. If I feel the need for something different, I can get take out for less money and be comfortable. Allowing the law to govern property and business owners rights, wishes and decisions of this nature is communistic in my opinion. Totally wrong. It goes against the very thing many lives were given for. Freedom. It would have been better to have the law protect businesses from discrimination lawsiuts who decide they do not wish to catter to any smoking. At least then, the business has the choice as to smoking or not, the smoker has the choice not to patronize the establishment and/or the non smoker has the choice to patronize or not. As to the employees protection, they too would have the choice as to working there or not. Example: many cities/towns have multiple McDonalds, Applebees etc. One could choose to go smoke free while the other could choose to cater to both parties. If the store who caters to smokers has a sharp decline in business, he has the choice to change over and go smoke free with out retrobution from the law. Therby eliminating tabacco use through CHOICE and not FORCE. If his business stays nearly level or does better, then the majority has made a natural, FREE and democratic CHOICE. For those who fear dying from second hand smoke... they are hypocrites. I'm certain they KILL more life forms on this planet in a single WEEK with their autos, mowers, watercraft, cruises, plane trips, places of employment and burning of fossil fuels in there homes than I harm in a lifetime of smoking.
-Mike
TO BE HONEST THERE ARE ALOT OF PLACES(NOT CORPORATE) THAT STILL ALLOW SMOKING AND THATS WHERE I HEAD. AS A SMOKER I THINK THAT THIS BAN WONT WORK. BAR OWNERS SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO MAKE THAT DECISION FOR THEMSELVES AND IF THEY ALLOW SMOKING THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUT A SIGN ON THE DOOR THAT SAYS SMOKING HERE AND IF YOU DONT LIKE IT DON'T COME IN. HOW MUCH STUFF HAVE SMOKERS IN CLEVELAND BUILT? YEAH ALOT AND HONESTLY WHEN THE OSU GAME WAS ON WE WENT TO TWO BARS THE NONSMOKING ONE WAS EMPTY, SO WE HAD DINNER AND WENT TO THE SMOKING ONE AND IT WAS PACKED. I WONDER WHO WAS MAKING MORE MONEY. LIKE OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ISNT HIGH ENOUGH.
As a non-smoker who rarely went out to anyplace that allowed smoking, I'm still not going out. Why? Because the bar and restaurant owners are basically saying "screw you" to the majority of citizens who voted in favor of the ban by not enforcing this law. It's very simple - they don't get my money.
This isn't about taking away the smoker's "rights". It's about giving EVERYONE the ability to breath cleaner indoor air and not come home stinking like a filthy ashtray. Perhaps the smokers who "can't" eat/drink and not smoke need to take a good, long look at their drug addiction and why they feel the need to declare it a "right" and inflict it on everyone around them.
To the bar and restaurant owners - give it time. Why do you think there is always a longer line for "non-smoking" in restaurants?
Since the Almight Dollar seems to be driving this issue for business owners, here's a suggestion toward enforcement - if a business owner wants to continue to allow smoking in their establishment, they should be licensed to do so. The requirement for the license should include 1) establishment of a miminum fee for entrance to make the establishment a "private" club and 2) mandatory, 100% employer-paid health insurance for ALL employees of that establishment, whether full or part time to counteract the detrimental effects of working in such an unhealthy environment.
Let's see how much they'd care about smoker's "rights" if they had to pay for health insurance for their workers!
My husband does and we have friends who smoke and no we don't go out at all with them anymore or as often together anymore. We usually go to a drive thru or have pizza or chicken delivered. When my husband wants to smoke in a restaurant, we take the food in doggy bags and leave. My neighbor picks up his food at the restaurant to go and saves money by not tipping, buying drinks, appetizers or desserts there. We went to a formally nice restaurant and there were so many kids in there now we left and we won't go back as parents are not told to control them. It was a nice surprise to get a table without a long wait because it was dead because it's non-smoking and then we found out the other reason why.
Not only do I not go out I get my smokes out of state. When tax revenues fall how do you suppose they will make it up in a state that is already overtaxed? Will the last one out please turn off the lights. I thought the government was suppose to protect minority rights from the tyranny of the majority. I weep for my country. I am to respect the rights of those who don't respect mine?
My friends and I smoke, we don't go out as often. We now get together at each other's homes. Way less expensive than going to an establishment you can not smoke in.>> Our best chuckle is that the United States Supreme Court says you can light up an American Flag, but Ohio won't let you light up a cig. Can we go buy our cartons in a state that allows smoking? Why let Ohio have our tax money?
I am a smoker and am glad we now have non-smoking laws in effect (hoping to quit soon). We are always behind the curve here in Ohio, compared to places like California or New York, and if it has worked for them, it will work for us. Their economy is doing well following these laws. I will be honest... I don't have a right to smoke in a public place like a restaurant, where nonsmoking families and/or children can be affected. Second hand smoke is dangerous, so I am more than content to smoke in my car or to step outside and do so.
As a nonsmoker, I go out a lot MORE now. 'Nonsmoking sections' at restaurants were a joke anyway, given the fact that smoke travels easily from a smoking section to a nonsmoking one. It's great to be able to breathe fresh, cleaner air now, and be able to take my children out to lunch or dinner!
Our family owns a small bar in a small community in NE Ohio. Although non of us are smokers we are against the smoking law. Our business only thrives on those that drink. It is an over 21 bar and we feel that if you don't want to be among people that smoke don't come here. We do not serve food or have the means to do so. People smoke when they drink. Our business has seen a considerable drop in sales do to this law. I think it should be withdrawn. It is not fair for these smaller establishments to be punished for the smoking law for the few people that do go out and don't smoke. It's just wrong.
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