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Thursday, December 15, 2005
Smoke gets in your eyes. And your hair. And your coat. And...
After yesterday's repeal of the Hennepin County smoking ban some Minneapolis bar owners are apparently excited at the prospect of making their patrons stinky and sick, too. Thanks to a flip flop by failed mayoral wannabe Peter McLaughlin bars in several parts of the county are now exempt from the full smoking ban in place in Minneapolis, Bloomington and Golden Valley. Such an exemption is fortunately going to be a tougher sell here in the city.
Last week was my first trip to First Avenue since the smoking ban and if they are losing any money over it I will gladly accept a surcharge on every drink. It would be worth every penny. I know I'm not alone among music fans who are tired of having to endure the carcinogens and stench just to see the occasional band. It especially sucks in the winter as you have to dig out a second string coat to wear to the bar since you know you will be without it for the next several days while you wait for it to come back from the dry cleaner.
The simple answer to bar owners who claim they lose customers to bars in neighboring areas is to put thru a state wide ban. If Ireland can do it why can't the sate of Minnesota?
That of course doesn't do anything for all the smokers whining about their rights being taken away. Well you know what phlegm-boy? You still have every right you had a year ago. "Smokers' rights" is a misnomer. There's no such distinction, smokers' rights are the same as everyone else's, no more no less. What you're talking about is a right to smoke in public. And unless I fell asleep in Con Law there's no such thing. There are plenty of things that are perfectly legal--barbecues, masturbation, singing show tunes--that we rightfully deem to be unacceptable in a public building. You want to smoke in your home or your car? Go right ahead. When you're in a public space you follow the same rules as everyone else. There's no special right that let's you spew your noxious gases at strangers.
4 Comments:
Jambo,
Spot doesn't think you fell asleep; he suspects you were actually paying attention.
Thank goodness out here in the wild west we're still allowed to sing show tunes in public.
By 
Joseph Thvedt, at
6:43 AM
We're on that...
Don't worry, the Minneapolis, Golden Valley and Bloomington bans are still in place. More local bans are in the works, everywhere in Minnesota.
Check our blog for regular updates and info.
American Lung Association of MN
Wasn't there a recent report on the ecomonic effects of the smoking ban?
An alternative to the smoking ban would be to mandate indoor air quality standards that all public places have to meet. If bar A wants to meet the standards by installing industrial air filtration systems, great. If bar B wants to ban smoking, that's great, too.
