[Coeur de Lion]

I'm a smoker and I actually think this makes a lot of sense. This is not like we've done in California, which is bans it completely. Have smoking sections and have the owners install air circulation and ventilation systems which prevents the stuff wafting into other areas. That way, those businesses which want to attract smokers by going out and investing money in adequate air recycling and ventilation have an opportunity to attract them, instead of banning it outright. On the other hand if we just allowed the marketplace to regulate as it should you wouldn't have this silliness in the first place. If non-smokers had a problem with cigarette smoke they would just boycott restaurants that allow it. Since, they outnumber smokers by a large number, that would result in restaurants banning it. That would be the natural result which implies that most non-smokers don't regard it as that much of a nuisance and it's the "health fascists" that have managed to get a lot of these laws passed. As for bars, 80% of those who frequent bars smoke. How's that for a tyranny of a minority.

[jeremiah]

This is America, let private business alone. If a restaurant wants to install special ventilation, or wall off smoking from the nons, let them freely choose to do so. The intent of the regulation, is to make it prohibitively expensive for the restaurant to comply, therefore they will ban smoking altogether. Don't feel guilty for being a smoker, we need less govt, less regulations in every part of our lives, not more.

[Gabz]

On the other hand if we just allowed the marketplace to regulate as it should you wouldn't have this silliness in the first place.

That's what so many of us have been saying for years. But that's not good enough for the antis. They believe they have the right to smoke-free everywhere on the off chance they might, possibly , someday visit a particular establishment.

If smoke-free was so good for business, more than 70% of establishments would have gone smoke-free voluntarily since at least 70% of the population are non-smokers.

Back in June when the banning of smoking in Delaware "public" places went through the legislature there was a quote in the paper from the manager of one of the local sports bars, which is also a restaurant. He said he looks forward to it and that it won't hurt his busines because his customers come to eat, drink, converse, hear the music or watch the game, not to smoke.

My question to him is then why don't you go non-smoking on your own and get a jump on the competition? He is always conveniently occupied or absent whenever I stop by to query him.

When I was there last Friday afternoon there were 24 people at the bar - 19 either were smoking or had a pack of cigarettes on the bar in front of them.