Defying the Smoking Bans

Pervasive, unreasonable smoking bans have gotten to the point where I, a non-smoker, would be happy to light up a cancer stick just to piss off the moralists who insist I shouldn't, mustn't, and can't. I suppose I'm not alone.

Plenty of New York City bars have thumbed their noses at the smoking ban for as long as it has been the law. As early as 2004, The New York Times wrote about neighborhood bars that allowed friends and regulars to light up after closing time. In 2008, at the opening of the Libertine, a Todd English restaurant in the financial district, cigarette girls handed out free smokes that guests consumed liberally.

But corner bars that tolerate smoking have traditionally relied on flying too far below the radar to be noticed. By contrast, at expensive paparazzi-flanked nightclubs that appear in gossip columns, there seems to be a new brazenness.

Comments

[doug jenson]

A gentleman would never tell another gentleman not to smoke

[Jay]

Smoking bans are being defied in Europe and Britian in well, usually with lock-ins after a certain hour, and such. The penalties for non-compliance here in the UK are pretty steep, and I don't know how they compare with elsewhere in the world.

If I ran a pub, I'd let people smoke in it. I'd probably have a separate, well-ventilated room for smokers -- because forcing smokers to stand out in the cold is only going to make them sicker.

Spain has the right idea. They allow businesses to decide for themselves whether to allow smoking. Despite all its issues, Spain is looking mighty attractive to those who enjoy basic civil liberties like smoking in pubic. Good for you, Spain.

[Fred Mangels]

Here in California I believe smoking is allowed in private clubs. I've always wondered why more bars don't become private clubs? Seems to me it wouldn't take much, although I'll admit to not knowing what criteria is used by the State to describe clubs.

I figure it would be easy enough to just charge $1.00 for a year's membership (payable on entering the bar) and fill out a short membership application. Then you're a club and anyone can join and smoke in the bar. What about people who don't want to be members? I supposed they could be allowed in as "guests".

[Jay]

Since my comment yesterday, I've learned that Spain is considering legislation for this year to ban smoking in any public place. So, there goes my retirement plans... Goodbye, Spain. Would have loved to live there when I'm old. But you've joined the ranks of nannies and fascists, and now I continue my quest for a free society, and maybe the Holy Grail.

[ask doctor online]

In public places like amusement park, smoking should be really banned; since lots of non smoker typically go there.