The majority of Americans do not smoke. Why should a minority interest such as smokers decide this issue. Havings there own place to smoke is not discrimination but reasonable accomodation.

The majority of Americans do not smoke. Why should a minority interest such as smokers decide this issue. Havings there own place to smoke is not discrimination but reasonable accomodation.

singmesweet,

Then it isn't a nice change.

I hope VA smokers have some self respect and will go to bars less. Just like some did in California.

I am a non-smoker and have always been a non-smoker.

I think these laws are crap!

Smoking is a legal activity that consenting and now surely informed (you'd have to be living under a rock to not understand the possible dangers of smoking) adults may choose to engage in.

Please don't give me that crap about second hand smoke. If the government really cared about environmental dangers (second hand smoke is an environmental danger) to adults and children they'd be much more worried about cleaning up industrial pollutants in the food supply, air and water than second hand smoke.

These laws are just another case of parent government imposing it's will on a citizenry they figure is too stupid (humm maybe we are) to take care of themselves.

Do smokers cost the rest of us more money in health care? Perhaps but following that logic so do over weight persons, drug users and drinkers. Bet many are thinking...well that's fine they should stop that too. But follow it some more and so do people with genetic dispositions to cancer, people who have more than one child, people who are chronically ill...the list goes on.

I cannot wait till the government decides to legislate against all those things too under the guise of "protecting us" There might be some howling then but gosh...what will there be to point to? This issue...the first step (okay maybe not the first) on the slippery slope to the government managing our private lives in our own best interest (sarcasm on) for the financial benefit of our employers and insurers.

People sitting back taking this and worse yet being happy about it makes me more ill than someone lighting up to smoke while I am eating. (Rude)

If they choose not to go to a bar because they canot freely smoke in any area of the bar, rather than smoking in the designated area, that's their choice.

It hasn't affected business in neighboring states around here.

...and not to mention a little thing called " private property rights "...

Yeah? How would you like them to force you to breathe smoke by law?

In Kali, many bar owners wish they could have some property rights, right about now, seeing their business going down the drain.

In the past, if any non-smoker wanted to go to a bar around here, you couldn't do it without sitting there and not breathing in smoke. Sure, we had the "choice" to go to a non-smoking place, but where were they? There weren't any. Of course, it was a choice for me to go out, though. Just like it's a choice for the smokers to go out.

A smoking ban in Maryland and DC had been passed a while ago. Not much has changed, since then.

First of all, you always had a right to complain to an owner. But you never did respect the owner. To you, he is nothing, but the government, is everything. You wanted the people with guns to come and force everyone to what you want.

Secondly, no, it isn't the same.
Before, it wasn't by law that you had to smoke in a bar. People just chose to.

Now, thanks to folks like you, who just can't live with others in peace, there is a law. There is no more choice.



The reason that the country is in dire straits, is because of folks like you. I don't want to go as far as to suggest that you desire to ruin the united states.

However, it is precisely the removal of choice in every matter, be it employment or entertainment, consumption or production, that is tightening the rope around this country's neck.

What you do not realize, is that in absolute, when you force everyone to live as you like, it is going to be only you left there to live. Everyone else will be forced of this planet, so that you can fully enjoy it the way you like.

You do realize smoking bans are a worldwide thing, right? Not just a US thing.

Q: What prevented you from not visiting those places where owner didn't restrain his smoking patrons?

A: Nothing. I had the choice of whether to go or not. Just like the smokers have a choice of whether to go or not.

This is ridiculous
the fact is that smoking IS bad
whether you smoke it from the stick
inhale it second hand
or even off the clothes of smokers
the ban is good
and i also agree that it should be the smokers who are forced to go elsewhere to smoke.
non smokers don't increase cancer risks nor do they increase the risk of death or heart disease.
it doesn't matter what the initial arguments were to GET the bans enforced.
and it doesn't matter that they infringe on the 'rights' of smokers.
i smoked....quit 6 years ago...best think i ever did. hardest too.

BUT when i DID smoke i respected others around me and would again if need be.

*sits back and covers head waiting for the lashes*

in a bar where smoking is permitted- and a sign to let people know if u dont like smoking- dont ****ing come in and start complaining go to a bar where there is none.

all bars, all restaurants, basically any public place ...
i honestly don't think it's such a bad thing

are there smokers that are SO addicted that they can't wait to smoke until they get some place away from others?