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The smoking ban effect in January 2009. Are you happy? Are you annoyed? Bartenders, is this going to cost you money? Swingers, is this going to cost you scores?
I play live music in bars. My nose gets stuffed up and my throat gets scratchy when I have to perform in a poorly ventilated dive. However, I have spent many a pleasant night in smoky halls like The Horse Brass, The Sandy Hut, and The Twilight. Will it be the same or will the vibe be ruined?
Tell me what you think.
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{ 9 comments }
The Illinois ban is nearly a year old. The winter was very slow, but bar patrons went out during the nice weather. Going outside was not allowed in most bars until this year. It was a new experience. The neighbors did not like it, but the panhandlers and hookers downtown waiting outside are overjoyed with the ban. Now that winter is approaching, many small neighborhood bars are installing door buzzers to more easily ignore the ban. Is a person no one knows wants to enter, the cigs are immediatly gone. No one wants to catch pneumonia going out in sub zero cold. The customers pay the bills, not the state. Some Illinois lawmakers are reconsidering the strict ban that they fell for. Anyone who thinks bar patrons will not smoke are living in a dream world. Al Capone is laughing in his grave. As the novelty and hoopla are wearing thin, the ban is “going away” in a lot of small “mom and pop” bars.
My idea of hell is the County Cork pub and restaurant, with its well-lit, lifeless, orderly, sanitary atmosphere. What a snooze fest.
Bars are a place of ill-health, laughter, lust, excess, relaxation, and mirth. I can’t imagine them without the blue haze coming off the cancer sticks.
Good riddance. It’s an addiction, people. Would you want to hang around in a room full of crack or meth smokers? Have another drink, knuckleheads.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Personally, I am thrilled. Being able to go into any bar and know I will not reek of smoke is fantastically awesome, as a non-smoker. I get why some people are pissed and I don’t fault their logic. But in this instance, my personal comfort trumps any sound, logical counterpoint.
You know… I know what you mean. When they banned smoking in LA ages ago, we were very upset and everyone thought things would be terrible. People adapt and it was nice coming home and not smelling like you personally smoked 5 packs of cigs. Also, it’s LA so… it’s not like going outside was a big problem as it’s always pretty nice out. Still, there’s something to be said about sitting at a bar with a cigarette in one hand and a martini (my choice) in the other. AH! I’ve always said a little vice is nice…
In Ireland, when the ban happened there was quite the hullabaloo, however, 2 or so years later, things are fine and people have accepted it. When the boyo and I were there in March, people were telling us that if anything, the Irish have become more social . Gone were the days of sitting and having a pint and a cig by one’s self. Now, they said, people were talking to each other more, when they had to go out to commiserate with other smokers. Also, it just made pub going evolve… 4 months after the ban the BBC ran this article
that publication is from 2004. Since then, Many bars have closed.
The arguments from bar patrons may be interesting, but the crux of the matter is the health and safety of workers.
You’ve got the right to poison yourself, but that does not trump the right of every worker to a safe and healthy workplace.
That said, I look forward to my pre-hockey game drinks at George’s without having to smoke half a pack second-hand.
The bars that have been ignoring the ban in my area (Chicago)for the last eleven months have had no customer or worker complaints. Needless to say, they are popular places. Many of the patrons are politicians and off duty cops. Al Capone is laughing in his grave.
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