Liquor License and Smoking Ban

Okay first off I want to congratulate John and Norma at Norma Jeans for getting their liquor license so no more excuse go check em out. Now for the juicy stuff. Oldham County is enacting a smoking ban and since it just recently became wet I thought to myself how odd a combination to happen within a year. I know a lot of smokers and alot say they only smok when they drink or they smoke more so I was wondering what everyone thought about a place that has a liquor license and now is enacting a smoking ban. Good or Bad for Business? I am a non smoker who occasionally drinks so I am for the smoking ban however I still believe that people should be able to smoke if they choose as long as they aren't forcing it on somebody else. Now as it pertains to liquor I think that it has the potential to be far more dangerous in consequences so I think the restaurant has the duty to monitor the consumption and know when to say enough is enough. Okay now what are the other thoughts and as always

When we opened in 2003 the county was still wet. We chose to go non-smoking, as it really is a pain to eat in a place that allows smoking. The two do not mix well. It was our choice and we might have angered a few smokers but we also gained many customers because we are non smoking. I get at lease three calls per week asking us about our smoking policy and when I say no smoking they all say great! When we got the first liquor license in Oldham county we still remained smoke free. It has been a win for us. I made the choice and it has paid off. Now when I was a two pack a day smoker I would not go to places that did not allow me to smoke, but that was in the old days and you could pretty much smoke any place. To each their own.

Will

change is always tough. I remember when smoking was first banned on flights and everyone was pissed, but now it's hard to imagine that we ever allowed it. The smoking ban is tough on smokers. I can understand why they hate it. But, there is no question that I am apt to stick around and have several drinks at a smoke free bar, whereas I won't even stay for one if the air is full of smoke.
Smoking is just one of those things that really does severely impact the people around you. I wish it didn't.

No doubt in my mind that it is more attractive to the general population if you have a non smoking establishment but I also wonder about bars and not restuarants. It is not a problem in Oldham as there are no bars only allowed but I think that might be left up to the owner in that situation. I think the government is beginning to really dictate our lives for us nowadays. I mean I have heard some crazy ones out there like california towns telling people they can't smoke in their houses. I can understand if they have kids and are forcing the kids to "enjoy" their habit but I think there is a line somewhere just not sure where.

Well, Ned I'd say that the line is in public. If someone wants to smoke in their own home, then even though it's not exactly a smart habit, it's their own home and I certainly don't have to go there. However, smoking in public affects me. Also a nice glass of wine enhances the culinary experience for a lot of people. So to me a liquor license plus no smoking makes a lot of sense.

The evidence regarding passive smoking is just to compelling and dire to ignore. When you smoke in a public bar or restaurant, you're imposing your smoke on others who are then forced to either leave or "enjoy" smoking with you. And it's worse for employees who don't have a choice at all.

When folks who smoke insist their habit is only their business and nothing to do with anybody but them even as they smoke in the presence of others in enclosed spaces, it's pretty clear they're in denial about the impact of their own "personal" rights and habits and their effects on people around them.

[Robin Garr]

When folks who smoke insist their habit is only their business and nothing to do with anybody but them even as they smoke in the presence of others in enclosed spaces, it's pretty clear they're in denial about the impact of their own "personal" rights and habits and their effects on people around them.

Just to stir the pot a little, I'd argue that folks who choose to smoke in their own home or car should be required to have either thoroughly fumigated before being permitted to sell it.

And to stir a little more, I wonder when it's going to occur to some legislator that smoking at home or in the car when you have minor children in tow is arguably child abuse ...

When folks who smoke insist their habit is only their business and nothing to do with anybody but them even as they smoke in the presence of others in enclosed spaces, it's pretty clear they're in denial about the impact of their own "personal" rights and habits and their effects on people around them.

Just to stir the pot a little, I'd argue that folks who choose to smoke in their own home or car should be required to have either thoroughly fumigated before being permitted to sell it.

And to stir a little more, I wonder when it's going to occur to some legislator that smoking at home or in the car when you have minor children in tow is arguably child abuse ...

There's already trying to pass legislation in CA for that.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... OTL3J1.DTL

[Robin Garr]

There's already trying to pass legislation in CA for that.

Not just California. Did you notice this line?

"California is one of at least 16 states considering such a ban. Arkansas, Louisiana and Puerto Rico already prohibit smoking in cars with kids inside."

A step in the right direction, but the stuff is just as bad for kids in the home as it is in the car. And they aren't quite ready, apparently, to bring in the social workers when parents wilfully expose their children to sidestream smoke ...

When folks who smoke insist their habit is only their business and nothing to do with anybody but them even as they smoke in the presence of others in enclosed spaces, it's pretty clear they're in denial about the impact of their own "personal" rights and habits and their effects on people around them.

Just to stir the pot a little, I'd argue that folks who choose to smoke in their own home or car should be required to have either thoroughly fumigated before being permitted to sell it.

And to stir a little more, I wonder when it's going to occur to some legislator that smoking at home or in the car when you have minor children in tow is arguably child abuse ...

I couldn't agree more.

I agree that people should not smoke in enclosed spaces with others around and as far as smoking in the house can majorly affect resale. When the wife and I were looking we liked one house a lot but 2 of the rooms were horrific with smoke smell. We did not buy that house because of it. My wife smoked for a long time and after she met me she had the courtesy to take it outside after she realized all the tar and stuff accumulating on the walls and TV's. Even if I did smoke I would think that I would have the courtesy not to force it upon others.

is lville having a smoking ban or not??? whens it sposed to happen?

From what I have heard and read Louiville's smoking ban is as full of holes as Lorraine Swiss cheese with pretty much every restaurant excluded if they want to be

The old ban was full of holes, but I thought the new ban that goes into effect this summer was pretty solid. Am I wrong? Not that it would be the first time . . .

I've worked with Smoke Free Louisville and was there the day the council passed the latest ban. Talk about politics- they were running in and out of there, passing notes, they had to be scolded more than once. The whole thing passed because of the Downs' exemption, but that's the only "hole". However, based on that, the Hospitality Coalition has filed a lawsuit stating unfair advantage. I don't know where the litigation stands, I wrote to Joe Gerth asking him to update, since we're 3 months away and he's no longer covering Metro. I've been to too many places (CA, Florida, Canada, Cincinnati, New York, etc etc) to believe that it's going to ruin an industry. Hogwash. People adjust. I hate it when people say 'you choose to go/work to the place". That means for many of us with respiratory conditions that we can't go party after dinner, can't hear music, can't work in the industry. My husband was recently overseas where the Irish pubs are now smokefree! Ditto for Italy and France, and those are the smokiest places I've ever seen. It was even smoke free in South Africa!