Smoke-free bars
As of midnight tomorrow night, smoking will be banned in all bars in the state of Maryland.
Yippie!
Now why can’t Pennsylvania get on board?
I know it’s not a popular decision among the smoking crowd, and many bar owners probably fear they will lose business if lighting up a cancer stick was banned.
But people go to bars to do more than smoke. They go to listen to good music, to socialize and have a drink with friends.
And that’s not going to stop just because people can’t smoke inside.
In Maryland, bans were implemented on a county-by-county basis. When the first bans happened, people just smoked outside. The bars were still packed. Clearly, business wasn’t suffering all that much.
Some businesses in Pennsylvania have gone smoke-free without legislation mandating them to do so. The campuses of both hospitals in York are an example.
But what’s the deal with the bars?
I’d love to not have my clothes, my hair and my coat smell like smoke every time I go out.
I guess I could just stay home, but where’s the fun in that?
What do you think about the places that have banned smoking so far? Love it, hate it? Wish more places would do it? I’d love to hear.
Brendan · January 30, 2008 1:55 PM
It should be the decision of the owner of the bar. I already have a mother and don't need the government to be a second one for me. I don't smoke, but if I don't like people that do, I avoid places where people smoke...if it is really the more "popular" thing to not be around second hand smoke, then the market will demand the ban of smoking from the bar owners. In a free economy, that's how things work, not from fascist government mandates.
Dave · January 31, 2008 5:50 PM
Try visiting DC, NYC or California or anyplace with non-smoking laws. What a relief! We gave up trying to go out anyplace in York -- even the "non-smoking" sections smell like ashtrays. Going out for a drink and appetitizers? Wish we could, but not an option. I think bar owners would be presently surprised by how much business they have been losing. Wake up. Non-smokers outnumber smokers, and we like to go out too -- but can't! Join the 231st Century York.