Smoking Bits

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A few random thoughts on Springfield’s smoking ban and the issues surrounding it:

My theory on why many drinking establishment proprietors and employees oppose the smoking ban is they are smokers themselves and like to smoke at work. I know of one employee of a downtown bar that says she has not seen any decrease in business but the owner and employees (all smokers) signed a petition anyway requesting the ban be overturned. I suspect it’s because they miss being able to smoke themselves and will say anything to get that privilege back. Working in bars has to be a draw for the truly addicted since most work places already don’t allow smoking.

Rather than patronizing these places prematurely whining that business is down, I suggest we non-smokers do just the opposite. Any bar agitating for a repeal of the ban gets none of my money. Go out of business, good riddance. I used to frequent Break Time and their comedy club but I’m done with them until they drop their opposition to the ban.

A statewide smoking ban is needed to level the playing field. Smokers will return to their usual haunts when they have no alternative. I predict this will become a reality within a year.

This is a public health issue. Second-hand smoke is bad and should not be allowed in public places. Period.