It’s still early in Minnesota’s legislative session and while we hadn’t expected to see much progress in St. Paul at this stage we certainly don’t like to see lawmakers moving backwards.
Rep. Tom Hackbarth’s bill to let bar patrons smoke again — after a three-year ban — is definitely a step in the wrong direction. The legislation to ban smoking from bars was hard fought and controversial. Some bar owners claimed their businesses were hurt by the ban. Others said the effect was negligible. However, after three years during which bars are smoke-free, cleaner and healthier we doubt whether most customers, employees or even owners would want to return to the nicotine-stained days of old.
After all these years after the surgeon general’s report, there’s really nothing good that can be said about the habit of smoking. Not only is it harmful to those who smoke but it’s widely considered to be detrimental to those who are nearby and who must breathe in the second-hand smoke.
Let’s not go back down tobacco road again.
Comments (16)
Add commentFirst of all, breathe.* How
First of all, breathe.* How can you expect us to take your paper or the opinions of it's employees seriously if you can't even proofread? Secondly, any bar owner can still keep his bar smoke free if he wishes; they are only trying to make it so that bar owners can choose again whether or not to allow smoking in their establishment. Healthy? They are drinking alcohol, which is much worse for your health in the short term. And anyone who doesn't like the smoke can simply not patronize that particular establishment.
Leave it to a Republican to
Leave it to a Republican to try to move us backwards.
Hackbarth is a smoker so it's no wonder he'll try to pass a bill for his own benefit.
Herc,
The BDD just has to ask the State for the Pull Tab sales records since the smoking ban went into effect. Nearly every charitable gaming location is reporting reduced sales.
Are you going to be able to
Are you going to be able to smoke at the beer garden at the county fair?
not so sure about that...
eyolf, so what you're saying is, let people smoke, but only if the little bar owners install expensive filtration systems?? How are they supposed to afford that in this economy?
And what kind of segregation are you talking about? I (a nonsmoker) have plenty of smoking friends...they just go outside to smoke and it doesn't bother them.
Hahah
In reply to mndad1...bars still have a choice. They can pay the fine and they can also build smoke rooms.
In reply to lifelongresident...remember the recession? That has more of an impact than smoking in a bar.
In reply to jme512...I too know plenty of people that smoke. Hasn't stopped them from going to the bar. They too go outside to smoke.
I have family that lives in a state that still allows smoking in their bars and restaurants and they try to segregate but, it's pretty much mute to the attempt. The non-smoking area still have to deal w/the stench and bad air. I've noticed more families enjoying dinner at eating establishments in Minnesota than where my family lives.
I say keep the ban in place...look at all the new bars and restaurants that are opening up...kinda negates the argument to allow smoking inside. So much for the losses in business I say. How can these new establishments even consider opening up if those already in existence are having such a hard time making ends meat because you can't smoke inside?
Smoking in bars
I quit smoking and don't very often go in a bar, but it's so obvious what this ban has done to the business. I bar hopped a little on my birthday last month. The first stop was 1 guy talking to the young barmaid. Second one had 5 people. Third one was closed at 9PM. What does this tell you? Too cold to stand outside so people stay at home where they can smoke.
Duluth and Minneapolis
They both went smoke free long before the state ban came into effect. I can tell you for a fact" because I worked in both of those places in the service industry" that the bar scene was thriving. Many bars that were there before the ban and are still there today. All the smokers had to do was go outside if they wanted to smoke. It was inconvenient for them but they did it anyway.
A fact of life is that bars close for a magnitude of reasons but it is so easy to blame the smoking ban.
bars in brainerd
The smoking law has affected business very little, or even at all. There are many other things affecting it like the drop in the blood alcohol level for driving, higher police presence, recession, the 16%-20% unemployment rate in this town, the bypass, higher prices and the list goes on and on.
As for lower pull tab sales, can you say recession? You can also look and see since the ban that car sales are down, boat sales are at 20% of what they were, foreclosures are up, unemployment is up, vacationers to BLA is down, many businesses have closed other than bars, manufacturing is way down, I bought a house, I am balder, my brother changed jobs and the Brainerd Dispatch changed their website.
Me for one, go down town way less now then before the ban and I am a non-smoker. Why is that? Maybe I choose not to go down as much because it is very expensive down there. I would love to have a poll on this, because all of you will be shocked that the smoking ban has very little to do with this.
speaking from experience
First and foremost, MANY things have changed in the world, this country, this state, this county and this town since the Winnipeg. For one, WAY less smokers now days than at that time, or am I totally off? So how can you compare the 2 markets?
As for your bread and butter statement, lets remember that most people do not smoke now days, no matter what you think. Smokers are dinosaurs and are awaiting extinction.
I remember one night in the blue ox that there must have been 100 people in there and there were only 4 smokers that I noticed. How do I remember this, I drew the short straw and was the designated driver and I wanted to count. So 4 ruined the whole bar for the other 96 or so.
Then there are all the happy hour crowds that I have noticed 3 smokers out of 25. The same 3 are still there and go outside.
Then I think about my work place, all enjoy a happy hour or 2 and only 2 smokers out of 17.... hmmmmm. Those still go to happy hour.
I forget that we live in the USA where the minority gets the benefit of the doubt and we have to live with it. Except for this case where the majority rules so I guess you smokers have a legit grudge.
How can you say that it was just smoking that has messed up the business of a bar? I guess the drop in the blood alcohol level for driving, higher police presence, recession, the 16%-20% unemployment rate in this town, the bypass, higher prices, etc have had no affect on the business eh?
For me, other than saving money because of the expense, its the drop in bac that has me scared to go down without an alternative way of getting home. 3 beers in 2 hours and you are in the clinker.
And it could be worse
At least you don't live in Iowa where they banned smoking in many outdoor spaces as well. Even I found that rather overreaching. No more smoking on large urban campuses, in many beer gardens, at rest stops, in many parking lots, in city and state parks, in campgrounds and some downtowns.
Smokers are fortunate that this is merely an annoying requirement rather than a complete violation of human rights that other countries impose every day.
It's the economy stupid
To follow up (with a thanks to nathanberg and others):
1) $3 bottles of beer that I could drink at home for 50 cents combined with a lousy economy that coincidentally hit around the time the smoking ban came into effect = bars going out of business. A few chain-smoking alcoholics protested and drank at home after the ban, but a bar owner friend of mine has said they're all back. It got kind of boring sitting at home. People go out to socialize despite the price or laws regarding drunk driving or smoking.
2) I hear a lot of complaining about "rights." Please don't tell me you are one of people who claim to be Libertarian, but happily deny the rights of racial, cultural and religious minorities whom you don't happen to be.
Pull Tabs
I do know the smoking ban did hurt the pull tab business as most gamblers ( at least my customers) were smokers. Also they dont like to sit outside in 30 below weather so they either stay home or come in for alittle while and leave.