Smoking Ban Will Start Sunday

I have mixed feelings regarding the smoking ban. I don't smoke, nor do I like the smell of a smoky bar. But it seems like the rights of the small business owner are being trampled.

With all due respect to this point-of-view, no rights are absolute. Property rights are not automatically paramount over the rights of employees to a healthy workplace, nor serious public health concerns.

Property rights are not automatically paramount

Sounds pretty commie to me.

I really have enjoyed the discussion around town regarding the smoking ordinance. I love history and the whole thing reminds me of the fact that we've been debating the limits of personal freedom and the governments's power since Jefferson and the federalist Paper authors were running the show. This time personal rights were curtailed. Next time, they will probably carry the day. It's a lot of fun to watch.

Property rights are not automatically paramount

Sounds pretty commie to me.

I really have enjoyed the discussion around town regarding the smoking ordinance. I love history and the whole thing reminds me of the fact that we've been debating the limits of personal freedom and the governments's power since Jefferson and the federalist Paper authors were running the show. This time personal rights were curtailed. Next time, they will probably carry the day. It's a lot of fun to watch.

The democratic process is intriguing to behold, especially after such a long hard slog by the anti-smoking forces, twice, because after the first ordinance passed, well, we know what happened -- it led to a tougher ordinance. (Of course, it's wrong that Churchill Downs is exempted, but hopefully that will be rectified before long.)

I guess I tend to look at this as an increase of rights (healthier lungs, mostly clean air, eyes that don't water or get red, clothes that don't stink) for the non-smokers, who happen to be in the vast majority these days. Smokers, of course, are certainly still as welcome as ever in all these public places -- it's just that they'll have to pop outside to smoke.

I don't smoke, but the hubby does, and he doesn't mind the smoking ban a bit. It's nice to be able to go out to eat and not have someone blowing that crap in my face.

My parents, on the other hand, smoke like chimneys, and are highly pissed off by this ban. I keep asking them to quit, if not for their sakes, or my sake, but for the sake of their 4 year old niece, and for the sake of the kids that my husband and I will one day have, but to no avail.

Their reasoning? If they quit, then "THEY" (who THEY are, I have no idea) win. So, they're apparently willing to get cancer, and leave their kids orphaned too young, just to show "THEM". Makes no sense. Anyway, YAY ban.

Perhaps Jim Porter's Good Time Emporium should be renamed Jim Porter's "Great" Time Emporium on July 1st...I'm just hoping that those who feel the need to light up will excuse themselves outside rather than sneak into the restaurant/bar bathroom for a quick fix...

Back in the 1970s I worked for years at a restaurant called Victoria Station, a cool chain out of San Fransisco/Lake Tahoe. Because of the California connection , Louisville's Vic Station was the 1st restaurant in Louisville to offer a non-smoking section. Back then it was very progressive.
One day a party from Brown- Williamson came in to eat and the hostess asked before seating them, "Smoking or non-smoking?" They were aghast! Made a big stink in the front of the restaurant about penalizing smokers. We explained that smokers were in no way penalized; it seemed there were always smoking tables available, it was the non-smoking tables that always filled up first (even back then smoking was starting to decline.) They stayed and ate but wrote a letter to the corp offices stating that Vic Station would abolish their segregated seating arrangement or Brown and Williamson and its employees would ban their restaurants. Vic Station responded that ( I don't know the exact words) that BW would not be allowed to dictate their seating arrangement and if BW wanted to ban VS ...well go ahead. In the meantime VS pulled ALL BW products out of ALL of their cigarette machines nationwide. (Cigarette machine were still found in most if not all restaurants then.) You couldn't go into any VS and buy a pack of Marlboros or any other BW cigarettes. It stayed that way for I'm not sure how long, at least a year, until BW apologized to VS and their brands were put back in. By that time the damage was done and many of their smokers changed brands. I have no idea how many $ their strong arm tactics cost them. I do know that was when I quite smoking. I hate a bully.

How are folks experiencing the smoking ban? I checked the complaints on the CJ website, and the vast majority of complaints concern the bingo halls (which seem to be defiant in not complying) and some neighborhood bars.

Without debating the merits of the ban, how are things going?

Chris M

There is an interesting article on MSNBC that discusses a recent study of workers who had measurable levels of carcinogens in their body after working a single shift in a bar or restaurant that permitted smoking.

I haven't looked at the article yet but I used to work at Caesars and can't begin to imagine what level of carcinogens I had in my body while working there. I actually never really felt as healthy as I did before & I am a smoker but cut back considerably during my tenure there. I actually feel much better now that I am no longer working there, not sure if it was the smoke or a combination of that and allergies due to molds and so forth.

Charles W.

Without debatign the merits of the ban, how are things going?

I walked into Wick's on Baxter last night in the back entrance and it was a ghost town. There was one person at the bar and one booth with 3 people. I am sure there were more earlier but this was after I closed my own establishment and decided to visit my neighborhood bartenders (they were shaking their heads in a negative when they saw me, a sign of a bad night) . I then walked out to the front and the sidewalk was packed (mostly service industry just finishing work). Interesting, but I think it will hit the late night crowd the hardest.

I saw a spot on the news last night with the proprietor of Old Hickory Inn proudly proclaiming that his establishment would remain smoking-allowed, and that if you didn't like smoke, don't come in. He said that when the fines start coming in he may have to start pulling fund raisers with his clientele (vast majority of which, he says, are smokers), but he was in it for the long haul.

While it's not something I would do, suggest, or even approve of, I do rather admire his spirit on the matter. A little passive civil disobedience is good for free societies.

From reading about other cities and talking to owners in Denver and some smoke-free places in NJ, the first few weeks were slower, but they saw a lot of new faces, then things went up. In some cases, it was reported business was better after the lull. I guess the drinkers will figure out they can drink without a puff and the non-smokers will go into places they avoided before.

A little passive civil disobedience is good for free societies.

Hmmm.....war, debt, worldwide reputation and good will, secrecy, torture, above the law officials, kangaroo courts.....yeah, his strong stance on smoking is awe inspiring.

Oh, thats right. I forgot. What's Paris doing today?

Yep, in terms of civil disobedience the owner of the Old Hickory Inn is a regular Mahatma Gandhi.

Oh come on now guys. No need to be spiteful just because it's not a big world issue and you disagree with me and/or him. Though I'm sure your personal issues and interests are all of colossal importance to the world at large so you are in a dandy position for stone throwing.

That wasn't directed at you, Aaron.

If you disagree with a law you petition for a change, legislate for a change, litigate for a change. The law may be found wholly with merit, portions modified or it may be struck down completely. Until any of those happen you follow the law. You don't ignore it just because you don't personally like it.

Carla,

Thanks for reminding me about Victoria Station. I'm a California native and spent my formative years in the Bay Area. WE didn't eat out much at all as a family but we did go to Victoria Station: I'd forgotten all about them. That used to be a HUGE treat for us...

Deb