Smoking Bans Burn Buisness (In Delaware)

Delaware Journal ^ | 12/15/02 | qam1

[qam1]

As Delaware's indoor smoking ban enters its third week, most establishments appear to be observing the law - even though opposition is growing among some tavern and restaurant owners who complain they are losing business.

People were smoking in only two of 33 bars and restaurants visited by News Journal reporters last week. Many tavern owners and patrons said they are obeying the law while organizing to try to overturn or amend it when the General Assembly returns in January. Several owners said they think they have lost 20 percent to 50 percent of their business since the ban went into effect on Nov. 27.

[SheLion]

Heston later said he wished that he would never have supported that meathead proposition because he could see where it was going.

Talk about Big Fat!

[SheLion]

This is Prohibition all over again. Some bars are secretly allowing smoking, and they are getting all the business. We'll have Elliot Ness going in with machine guns soon.

[gitmo]

LOL! That's a keeper.

[SheLion]

LOL! That's a keeper.

Save it for yourself. It's something!

[Mark]

I can just see Al Capone rolling over in his grave and saying, "Why didn't I think of that?"

[Gabz]

This is Prohibition all over again. Some bars are secretly allowing smoking, and they are getting all the business. We'll have Elliot Ness going in with machine guns soon.

Good Grief - it's worse than that. The state is asking for snitches. The radio and TV ads are nauseating - "If you see someone smoking where it's forbidden call and let us know"

I kid you not.

And on that note - I will go back to the beginning of the thread and add my 2cents to a few other comments!!!

[SheLion]

Gabz, remember this one?

"""WANTED: insane people to be no-smoking-in-public-code enforcers for the
state of Delaware. Must enter bars late at night without weapons, brains
and next of kin. Call - 1-(800) I BE NUTS anytime"""""

[SheLion]

Smoking bill was won with sheer zeal

And they faced no concerted, organized opposition from smokers or from the business community, legislators and observers said.

[Gabz]

There is not a thing you say that I can disagree with.

I'm a native New Yorker (east Flatbush, Brooklyn) who has been living in Delaware for 20 years - it would have only been 18, but I haven't sold my house yet to leave.

The News Journal (delawareonline.com) has an editorial position that the smoking ban is the greatest thing since sliced bread. This story is by far the most objective of any story they have done since this legislation was orininally introduced nearly 2 years ago.

There is no two ways about it - bars and restaurants are being hurt big time by this ban. I can not speak from first hand knowledge but friends have told me the casino at Dover Downs is dead at times when it used to be packed (lunch and dinner).

Maybe it is not the same elsewhere, but around here the time from Thanksgiving to New Years has always meant big business to the bars and restaurants. When I can get a seat at the bar in my favorite sports bar at 5pm on a Saturday afternoon - there is something decidely wrong.

Because of being in central Delaware, an Eagles/Redskins game is a major draw for the sports bars regardless of the records of either team. But with the position the Eagles are in right now - it would be expected that all 3 sports bars would be packed to capacity.

I cruised the parking lots of all - and could have had my pick of parking spaces.

[cinFLA]

Not true, Most nonsmokers don't care about smoking.

Typical smoker lying propaganda.

[Gabz]

It's just one of those things that needs repeating!!!!!!!!!!

[speekinout]

Now just what are the surrounding states rules on smoking? Can they hurt Delaware?

It's going to be an interesting summer for Delaware. Their beach resorts compete with NJ, MD, and to a lesser extent VA for the beach crowds. A lot of the beach goers are college students and twenty-somethings. They smoke in higher numbers than the population in general.

BTW, my county has had draconian anti-smoking laws for awhile now. The businesses that went under included most of the coffee shops where retirees used to hang out for breakfast and coffee with their friends. I don't know what they do instead.

[Gabz]

SheLion - You know I always appreciate it when you post those kinds of things!!!!

An interesting point that needs to be emphasized about that bumper sticker.

The sticker states that it is done by "Delaware Freedom Watch" along with an address. If someone chooses to go to that address they will find a printing and graphics company, and the founder of DFW.

Well it seems that arch-creep anti-smoker Stanton Glantz didn't bother to check out the who or what of Delaware Freedom Watch. mr. Glantz, in all his righteousness, accused the DFW founder of being a former tobacco lobbyist in both daily papers. The only connection the gentleman has with the tobacco industry is that he is a smoker.

If this is an example of the caliber of the research done by the anti-smoker cartel, is there any reason why anyone should pay a bit of attention to them?????

Think about it for a minute........for Heaven's sake if this major "researcher" in California is aware of the "propaganda" being passed around on the East Coast you would think he would at least be able to make a phone call to ensure his accusations were true.

OOps, but I forgot - he's an anti -he doesn't have to prove anything he says. His opponents are required to prove him wrong.

[Gabz]

I like going to smoke free places.

Fine, there are plenty of them. and if you dn't like the smoking policy of a place you like to frequent talk to the owner about it. If enough customers said it, the owner would be crazy to not listen.

I hate smelling like a chimney later, so smoke-free makes me happy.

Fine - see my above comments.

I don't care if smokers don't have a place in public to smoke.

Rather selfish on your part isn't it? What about the bar owner who is a smoker? He shouldn't be allowed to smoke in his own establishment, the one he bought and paid for????

Smoking is so bad for you why do it at all?

Everyone has their own choices in life, don't we. It wouldn't surprise me if you do things that I would never dream of doing. Should I forbid you from doing them in "public" places????

[Gabz]

Delaware used to have a law where individual cities could not pass anything stronger than the state law - but that was stripped with this new ban law. It's called pre-emption.

Delaware is now the same as New Jersey - the antis will be able to go into any town and try to change what they permit or don't.

It's going to get very ugly in Delaware come January.

[qam1]

Not true, Most nonsmokers don't care about smoking.

Typical smoker lying propaganda.

Then where the F#@! are they???

Delaware being a small state surely if most nonsmokers cared about avoiding smoke the bars, Resturants & Casinos would be swarmed with nonsmokers from MD, NJ & Penn. Sorry but the opposite is happening, MD, NJ & Penn are being swarmed by smokers and there non-smoking friends from Delaware.

I can speak with some experience on this because I didn't start smoking until I was in College and all my friends smoked in High School (actually my HS had a smoking lounge for Students) and I could give a rats ass about it. I had the hottest car (a Firebird) so I was the one everybody rode around with and I had no problem with them smoking in my car, It was a non-issue. The only thing I asked them was not to ash on my floor.

[Gabz]

Vote with your feet smokers.

That's exactly why business is down inplaces that are usually booming at this time of year in Delaware.

[Great Dane]

Some bar and restaurant owners, however, said a little more than two weeks may not be enough time to tell how much the ban will hurt businesses. Miserable weather, the holidays and the economy also may have as much to do with a sag in business as the smoking ban.

So why wasn't business sagging before the ban.

[bonehead4freedom]

I quit smoking over a year ago(got sick of the taxes)and I work with smokers and I go out with people who smoke and enjoy adult beverages and every once in a while the smoke gets to me!Here is what I do when the smoke overwhelmes me, I get up and step out for a minute! If it really gets bad I leave!It's so easy to preserve my health without infringing on others rights.DU duhs to you friend you post and read on this site you are better educated about individual liberty than that, smokers will respect your space if you give the same in return.

[qam1]

Excuses, Excuses.

I bet when NYC suffers a similar fate as Delaware, Baffoonberg will blame it on the poor economy