Washington State smoking ban begins tomorrow

[Cascadian]

I am a non-smoker but to be honest, I am of two minds about this smoking ban about to be implemented. When I was in California, the ban was just a fact of life and it has worked out. Those who want to smoke, could just simply step outside the door. Some bars and clubs down there even had outside areas where people can puff away. It was rather nice to go out and not come home smelling like an ashtray. That was the advantage. However, the law in Washington state that just passed is a little different.

Not only you can't smoke inside the bar or club, you have to take your smokes 25 feet away from the establishment. This freezing your ass or getting drenched in the rain while smoking. That is just a crock of crap! The social laws in this state make me laugh sometime. In Seattle, exotic dancers cannot be no closer than 4 feet from patrons, no more lap dancing, and no more tipping dancers with their g-strings. In Washington state strips clubs cannot even allow alcohol. With all of this, I just have to ask. What the devil is next? I am almost convinced that earlier closing hours and/or a drinking limit law may come from this.

I do not know how this law is going to be treated by the patrons and owners of these bars. Frankly, I can see the indoor smoking ban part working. As for the 25 foot rule outdoors? I cannot see it working. It's just plain stupid! Owners and employees have other things to deal with than watching out for people outside and what they are doing. That part of the rule may not even be enforced. I do know that not many people are going to be going out and some businesses may shut down as a result. I am planning to go out on Friday to see what happens but considering I live in Spokane, I am probably going to be disappointed by what I see. Hey! I may officially "retire" from the bar and club scene as a result. The past year saw me quit drinking as a result of my pancreas problem. Maybe this is all a sign that I should pack it all in. I have been bar crawling and clubbing since the 80's. I have had my fun and laughs.

In my ideal World, there would be no smoking ban in bars or clubs. You would have places for non-smokers and places for smokers. The market should decide this issue, not the government. More people are not smoking anymore so the smoking bars would be phased out eventually. I really feel this is only the beginning of other stupid laws they want to shove down our throat.

As all of this is going down here in this state, I can look to the South and stare in envy at the state of Oregon. I think Portland is going to benefit from all of this nonsense. The bars close an hour later than in Washington, you can drink booze at the strip clubs, and hey smokers...you can still light up down there! I have a feeling that PDX is going to be a very popular destination for law-weary partyers and clubbers from Washington.

I am off the soap box now, your turn!

[bbinacan]

1. I'm a smoker and

I completely agree with you.:smoke: :toast:

[SheilaT]

2. I'm a non smoker

and I get tired of passing through a haze of smoke at the entrance of buildings. And I'm even more tired of the defense of smokers and smoking. There is absolutely nothing redeeming about smoking. It's nasty, those who smoke stink, it kills, second hand smoke kills. And it's not as though any of this is breaking news. Even before the famous Surgeon General's report in, what was it, 1964? it was commonly understood that smoking wasn't very good for you, and that lung cancer was almost exclusively confined to smokers.

In an ideal world no one would smoke, period. I think non smoking bans are the way to go.

I do support health plans covering legitimate stop-smoking plans.

[Cascadian]

3. If you can ban smoking then let's ban excessive drinking

I say bars should close down earlier and the government should implement drinking cards where a person can only be allowed 3 drinks a week. It would considerably cut down on drinking and driving. Plus it would save people their livers and violence would go down greatly. Why stop at smoking?


John

[bbinacan]

4. I'd bet one is

subject to more noxious fumes standing on a street corner than being close to a smoker.

[eppur_se_muova]

21. And how terribly relevant that is!

I have a CHOICE about standing around on street corners. I do not have a choice about running the gauntlet of smokers who light up exactly one step outside every door of my building. That's what those clearances are for. Though I agree 25' is extremely, uh, extreme -- "out of the direct path of foot traffic" would be adequate.

[jannyk]

5. While I'll agree that smoking kills

those that choose to indulge, that is their choice (or not, if you are nicotine addicted).

However, alchohol is responsible for thousands of innocent deaths each year thanks to drunk driving. Why isn't alchohol banned? It kills, it's addictive, people that indulge have stinky breath just like smokers. So why ciggies and not beer?

You are 'tired' of the cloud of smoke outside buildings, but I presume you drive. You sit in your car and churn out the same carbon monoxide fumes without thought. Please, spare me the hypocrasy.

[bbinacan]

8. Ah yes

a kindred spirit. I've often wondered about the second hand smoke studies. It seems I heard that those in the study were not prohibited from eating tomatos. Since tomato and tobacco plants belong to the nightshade family, could this have skewed the results?:smoke: :yourock:

[Cascadian]

9. Well....we better ban tomatoes next!

:eyes:


John

[bbinacan]

17. Yes we must ban tomatos for

the safety of society and for those who are offended by plants from the nightshade family.:sarcasm: We need a smilie for the self righteous and sanctimonious.

[schrodingers_cat]

25. I'd like to ban farting in closed climate environments, and arrest anybody

caught spitting at a busstop. Why not draw and quarter those bums that shit in the dark doorways. And hey! What about those folks that though fast food wrappers out the window. I'd like a license to run them over. But wait! let's imprison people who's cars leave those ugly oilstains behind, and hmmm....let's see....

People that want to control other people are out of control themselves.

[bbinacan]

28. Well said. Well said.

[SheilaT]

29. Some 400,000 people die

every year from tobacco related illnesses. Drunk drives -- whom I do not defend and agree should be punished severely -- at best kill 20-30,000 people per year. Think about it. More than ten times as many die from tobacco as from drunk driving. Of course, a lot more die from alcohol related causes, although I don't know the numbers.

And it's a lot more than stinky breath I'm talking about. Smokers often think that if they suck on a breath mint no one can tell. Wrong. It's on your clothes, in your hair. It's easy to tell the children of smokers, because up close they smell like smokers. When my sister, a nonsmoker married to a smoker, mailed me a bundle of baby clothes when I was expecting my second child, the first thing I had to do was wash them because even though they were clean, they reeked of cigarette smoke.

And don't call my a hypocrite (and use spell check while you're at it -- it's hypocrisy, not hypocrasy by the way) because I drive a car. Apparently you don't. I have the bad fortune to live in a metro area with no effective public transportation, but at least I drive a semi gas efficient vehicle, about 25 miles per gallon.

Those who deliberately addicted themselves to nicotine don't deserve sympathy.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

18. Here's A Link For Ya. You Are Perfect!!!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5539990

[BigBearJohn]

6. Can you smoke in your own house in Washington? (I'm not a smoker)

[suffragette]

11. For now - yes, tomorrow - who knows

From http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/251121_smoking07.html

The new rules have citizens, businesses and employers scrambling to figure out what it means for them. The Seattle-King County public health department has already received about 350 requests for information from businesses and employers about how to comply, said Roger Valdez, manager of the department's Tobacco Prevention Program for Public Health.

It might be a while before they get all their answers.

For example, condo and apartment buildings are probably not going to be subject to the ban because they are private residences, Valdez said. But the health department might rethink that if it receives complaints from the public.

I added the bolding.

Passers-by are exempt. I already walk quite a bit. Looks like I'll be walking more.

[Kitsune]

7. I, for one,

will enjoy not having people congregate directly below my window to smoke. Being able to open my window occasionally will be nice.

[Cats Against Frist]

10. With that kind of clear thinking, you're just asking for a flame war!

:toast: :hi:

[Cascadian]

13. Just what I feel.

I am resigned to the smoking bans as a fact of life but these laws are hardly democratic nor progressive.

John

[Cascadian]

15. Just ask yourself this question...

what will be next?


John

[rfkrfk]

12. go after the politicians, as individuals

point out the cockroaches who did it.
make them internet celebs.

other whores, in competitive districts will then think twice

[BeTheChange]

14. Just one point about the 25 feet away...

It is just 5 more feet then the public building law in CA
http://www.breath-ala.org/html/work_implem.htm
Some cities like Berkley, Palo Alto, Santa Barbara and Davis have added even more addendums onto the ban

It is the most strict ban currently on the books. But it isnt as if this is some totally radical legislation.

[Cats Against Frist]

27. To say that people can't smoke outside is RADICAL, no matter the footage

[BeTheChange]

30. Do you think people should smoke in children's playgrounds?

That is outside. I dont.

And when it doubt, I feel it is fine to err on the side of caution. If they had no entryway law then people would still have to pass through a potential haze of smoke when entering a building. Those my the door would still have to smell smoke every time it opened.

[Cascadian]

16. You anti-smoking people better come out to the bars!

Come Friday. I do not want to see taverns and bars nearly empty. You all. You who supported this piece of legislation better be at all of the dives, clubs, and bars! You supported this, now come inside and drink up! I will be very pissed off if I see one bar empty because of this law!


John

[BeTheChange]

20. I dont think the first weekend is an accurate indication of the ultimate..

financial impact.

Of course alot of smokers are going to get all sullen and resentful and have pity parties this weekend.

Let's talk about this in a couple months.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

19. If we have a world where fish and humans can coexist, so too can smokers

and their whiney crybaby self-righteous preachy non-smoking counterparts :)

[Generic Other]

22. I heard police in one county wouldn't enforce the law

Interesting that law enforcement would be willing to defy the law, don't you think?

[Cascadian]

23. The cops have better things to do with their time....

then trying to enforce this law.


John

[Cascadian]

24. The cops have better things to do with their time....

then trying to enforce this law.


John

[Generic Other]

26. Do you think the citizen smokers will stage a revolt?

I'm not a smoker, so I was looking forward to the fresh air. Seems like there are lots of angry smokers though. Maybe they'll get Tim Eyman to start an initiative?