Posted on 12/15/2002 3:37:30 PM PST by qam1
Edited on 05/07/2004 6:01:25 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at delawareonline.com ...
Quote
"It may take awhile for the nonsmokers to discover," that Delaware establishments are smoke-free."
If that wasn't so tragic that would be funny.
Of course everybody knows Delaware is smoke free. That is why you are losing money stupid.
These politicans will go on believing this nonsense forever. They are mistakenly basing it on the fact that 25% of people are smokers and 75% are not and polls done by the antismoking nazis show that a majority of nonsmokers "SAY" the will go out more if bans are put in place.
The flaws in that are
1) They assume because 75% don't smoke that means that 75% of peoiple feel the same way about cigarettes as the antismoker Nazis that are in their face lobbying them do. Not true, Most nonsmokers don't care about smoking. Even if they dislike smoking that doesn't mean they are currently changing anything they do to avoid it. An analogy is me personally I don't like SUVs but I am not driving less because there are SUVs on the road. The same is true with most nonsmokers. Most are not going out any less because there is smoking in bars & Resturants.
2) In fact the Opposite is happening as the bans cause smokers to flee to surrounding areas their non-smokeing freinds are joining them and in many cases they are even arranging there get togethers (like weddings & parties)in places that accomendate their smoking friends. Using myself again me and bunch of friends smokers and non-smokers this summer were going down to NYC for a trip but because of the smoking ban we are going up to Montreal instead. Not one of the nonsmokers protested this descision, They also think the ban is a stupid idea.
3) The polls are coming from the Antismoking Nazis themslves so they are obviously biased.
4) The polls are flawed because What people SAY they are going to do is often very different from what they actually end up doing. Another analogy is if you were to take a poll before New Years asking what resolutions people are planning on you would find 60%-80% would say they are going to lose weight. So would those poll numbers justify banning junk food because most people SAY they want to lose weight. Of course not and the same is true with smoking bans. Sure when asked they may say they will go out more just like they say they will lose weight but in reality they don't. That is why these bans are failing big time , The people who said they would go out more simply aren't.
5) What exactly does "Go out more" mean anyhow? It's a vague question with a vague meaning. The fact is most people don't go to bars & resturants on a regular basis anyhow. So If they call some 50 year old mother of 3 who only goes out 1 or twice a year and she responses "Yes I would go out more" what does that mean she will go out 3 times a year instead of 2? Well sorry she doesn't replace the buisness lost to someone who goes out more often.
6) OK, Some antismoking Nazis might go out more often but I am sorry if someone is that Prissy about second hand smoke they are not the type that will stay out late at night at a bar or resturant. These are the type of people that go to a resturant and only order a salad and bottle water and leave a dollar tip and then are home in bed by 8:30.
I have delt with these antismoking nazis and they the most misable, unfunloving people in the world, They are not hanging out in bars because people are having fun there and they hate that.
Dallas is in trouble, money-wise, and what do they do - vote a smoking ban.
I would like to have seen smokers get together, buy media time and announce they would not spend a nickle in Dallas during Christmas. If they would have just taken their business to other towns without the restrictive laws, it would have made a difference. Unfortunately, Americans do not fight back. WE just sit and take it, anything the want to dish out.
I beg to differ! I quit smoking over a month ago after smoking for 40 years. Cold turkey! PEOPLE should not be allowed to smoke in any public place. I see someone smoking on the streets and I lecture them, telling them of the evils of smoking. I.......... wait a minute, I think there is some law that requires me to say these crazy things since I quit. Somebody slap me!
But the only power the American has is his purchasing power - his pocketbook -and we refuse to use it.
You said it exactly right!
Delaware:
From my original post "Somebody slap me!" Damn it that's humor!
Now I agree a business SHOULD have the right to control his own business. I hope more smoking establishments are opened across the borders to draw business away from the Nazi states.
I was about to go two steps further till I caught your sarcasm........ :)
The only smoke free places I know of certainly aren't much fun. Those that I have frequented were inhabited by a couple people adjacent to me who were obviously in need of showers and deodorant. So tell me, what am I to do? Body odor offends me so I think we are in need of a BO Bill which requires such offenders be prohibited from any public/private establishment. You with me on this one or are you the typical smoke-nazi hypocrite?
They are open to the public at the owner's discretion. He has the right not to allow someone into his business.
You want the world to rotate on your butt? Why do we do it? How about "We like it and it's legal?" How's that.
I hope they ban your dirt bike next.
Back atcha, we don't care if you don't come into our bars where we smoke, drink, shoot pool and have fun. In fact, we would just as soon you stayed away. I would have loved to see you to come into a couple of places i used to hang out and spout your socialist agenda in there. ROFLMAO! Just picturing you driving home with a cue up your &*%!!!! OUCH!!
It's hard to know WHAT is going through people's heads when they come into the smoking threads. Seems that being a Republican who smokes still puts us on the outs with some. Pity.
We see it a lot in Free Republic. They say they are for all the rights for all the people, yet come in and trash the hell out of Conservatives who choose to smoke. I walk away from my monitor in tears a lot.
Not quite sure what you mean but I think you got sicvee wrong. He is an elitist Nico-Nazi, there was no humor in his post and I hope he has the cahones to stop by this thread again rather than just post and run........
Right about now, you've gotta being along this line:
That just don't seem FAIR! OK, notice the humor intent. It shows the obsurdity. Anyway thanks for that information. We got Dufus Davis here in Kalifornia, so I have no room to talk about or criticize the East coast.
Passive smoke research is bull clinton. No way unless one lives with a two pack a dayer for 40 years.
Vote with your feet smokers.
I know where you are coming from. Unfortunately, I get so darn *&^*&%*&* off that I wake up the next morning saying "well, what did you say last night and to whom...."
You know, my dad was one of the most knowlegable people on communism that I have ever know. Back in the 60's and 70's I used to roll my eyes whenever he started into one of his rants against the commies.
30 years later and wiser, dad was 100% right. I will always remember one thing he told me about Kruschev. Kruschev was quoted once as saying "...your freedoms will ultimately destroy you." Or something close to it. Anyway, his statement is coming closer to fruition as each year goes by.
When California got that Rob "Meathead" Reiner Prop 10 on the ballot and Charlton Heston endorsed it, I emailed the NRA. Wayne LaPierre, the spokesperson came back with the line that Mr. Heston was speaking for himself. I asked that if a local governing body wanted to place a huge yearly tax on all weapons kept in their community, would they endorse that. He replied that they would fight such a tax. After the proposition passed, by a slim majority, it was felt that Heston's endorsement clinched the passing. Within a few weeks, I think it was Chicago, was passing a tax on all guns and the NRA objected. 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!
Save it for yourself. It's something!
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!!!
"""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"""""
And they faced no concerted, organized opposition from smokers or from the business community, legislators and observers said. 
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.
Typical smoker lying propaganda.
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