Smoking bans are becoming contagious. We, in Illinois, will probably be next.

The city council here in Austin, Texas, passed a draconian anti-smoking ordinance last month. I don't smoke, but I think it is a private property issue and the government shouldn't be involved.

I don't smoke, but I think it is a private property issue and the government shouldn't be involved.

No doubt. When this hype started about banning smoking first began, I thought it to protect the public from second hand smoke indoors. But now that I see cities banning it outdoors as well, I can plainly see it is a source of revenue rather than a liberty issue.

I am all for these smoking bans in bars. If we can get alcohol consumption and pool shooting outlawed from bars, they will be a much better place for me to take my toddlers.

FL is one of our fave places to take the Motorhome, since it has nice beaches and is only a day's drive from Nashville (although I like to split it up). It's a darned good thing that many restaurants have outdoor sections, because if they didn't - or banned smoking outdoors, I'd be parking the rig and spending my money in some other beach state. I don't like supporting states that remove freedoms from business owners and their clientele.

Michael

I just wonder when the country is going to wake up and understand just what these smoking bans actually are. And especially since all the real evidence indicates that the danger from "second-hand smoke" is a fallacy, save for places like airplanes and other closed areas. Will we ever see these bans repealed? (Don't hold your breath.)

Acording to the article, if a bar were to lower it's food revenue below 10% then smoking would be allowed. I'm curious if the legislature would allow walls being built between the food section and the bar section. If that's the case, then you might see a string of new style bars.

WOD Ping

Don't forget the loud music playing, poor dears will be deaf in no time.

The War On Some Drugs is extended to another recreational substance. All hail the Nanny State!

The ban is expected to be largely self-enforced, with citizens reporting violations.

That's where the revenue steps in.

You can't expect a citizen to report a mugging or gang brutality but you can bet their will be many non-smoking whinos up in arms.

The War On Some Drugs is extended to another recreational substance.

By 2010, it will be extended to fast food, sugar and caffeine. There's nothing worse than a bunch of punk Democrats and Rinos telling us how to live our lives.

It will be mom & pop places and small out of the way bars.

That's sad too. It's bad enough that cities like mine give subsidies to big restaurant chains. But to turn around and destroy the local businesses with idiotic revenue vacuum legislature really draws the line.

Smoking bans are becoming contagious. We, in Illinois, will probably be next.

The frog is cooking.

Now let's see how long before some "conservatives" show up on this thread to defend the fascists.

Certain airport customs areas and tobacco manufacturers also are exempted from the ban.

What's that about? Allowing foreigners to smoke while going thru customs?

FMCDH

why is it they are banning smoking while they keep increasing the cigarete taxes?

Why couldn't you just put a wall down the middle of your bar, get another business entity and call one side 'Joe's Restaurant' and the other side 'Joe's Bar'?

If you really want to thumb your nose, make 'Joe's Restaurant' BYOB.