Public smoking heavily restricted in San Antonio now?!

[fireheart17]

The only potential argument I can kind of see behind the anti-smoking crusade and not looking at drink driving/binge drinking etc. is that there's no such thing as passive alcoholism or passive obesity. You don't walk past a drunken idiot and get drunk just by staring at them. You don't get fat by walking past a morbidly obese person and watching them down their 3 Big Macs. (that's just a rough argument)

That being said, I'm a non-smoker. Unless I'm actually sick, if someone lights up in front of me I tend to tell them politely that while I don't mind them smoking, I can't stand the smell, and then they usually move a little bit out the way or they don't blow in my face.

[ZedOmega]

Hey, Mayor Castro's done a lot for our city. Don't getting pissy at him for doing one thing you don't like.

As a person who has to work in a club that gets very smokey, I'm so glad that they've done this. I'm so sick of people walking up and breathing half a pack into my face when they request a song. All my clothes get that smokey smell in them and it ends up permeating my room at night, giving me a headache.

Nicotine also affects eye-sight, and as someone hoping to become a pilot, it really pisses me off that I have to be exposed to that crap.

What I like isn't the point here. What the effect of the smoking ban is going to have on the local economy, on the other hand, is. It's bad enough that the local job market sucks so bad that we're gonna have an adventure trying to find a better job here in town, but to put the income of the local club scene on the line like that? The ones who're gonna suffer the most from this decision are the ones who rely on customers who smoke while they're in the building.

We made the decision to work for venues with patrons who smoke. Cross your fingers that the lost business a year from now won't result in both of our bars going out of business and us going back into a dry job market.

[Greenday]

As I've said, I've never heard of a bar that went out of business because you can't smoke there anymore. Smoking bans didn't hurt our tourism one bit.

[daleduke17]

Hey, Mayor Castro's done a lot for our city. Don't getting pissy at him for doing one thing you don't like.

As a person who has to work in a club that gets very smokey, I'm so glad that they've done this. I'm so sick of people walking up and breathing half a pack into my face when they request a song. All my clothes get that smokey smell in them and it ends up permeating my room at night, giving me a headache.

Nicotine also affects eye-sight, and as someone hoping to become a pilot, it really pisses me off that I have to be exposed to that crap.

There are other jobs you can get. It was, of course, your choice to become a DJ in a smoky club.

[Rageaholic]

This is one of those things I can see both sides to.

The libertarian in me hates this kind of government control. It should be up to the businesses to decide if they want a smoke or smoke free establishment. I felt the same way about the smoking ban in Michigan restaurants.

Then again, I also see why they did it. Others are affected by smoking, including the employees who have to work there. Perhaps a middle ground should have been taken instead of an all out ban in restaurants and bars. I see there were some exceptions, but it doesn't really go into depth on those.

[Hobbs]

We made the decision to work for venues with patrons who smoke. Cross your fingers that the lost business a year from now won't result in both of our bars going out of business and us going back into a dry job market.

I really don't give a damn. In a year I'm commissioning and pulling in a good 40k.

[Hobbs]

There are other jobs you can get. It was, of course, your choice to become a DJ in a smoky club.

Actually, I'm helping out my father. Excuse me for being a good son.

[ZedOmega]

I really don't give a damn. In a year I'm commissioning and pulling in a good 40k.

And that brings your own argument into a whole new light. To hell with your coworkers, you're gonna be alright next year. Meanwhile, everyone else in that place who depends on the business is going to be struggling. Way to be a team player there, boss.

This is one of those things I can see both sides to.

The libertarian in me hates this kind of government control. It should be up to the businesses to decide if they want a smoke or smoke free establishment. I felt the same way about the smoking ban in Michigan restaurants.

Then again, I also see why they did it. Others are affected by smoking, including the employees who have to work there. Perhaps a middle ground should have been taken instead of an all out ban in restaurants and bars. I see there were some exceptions, but it doesn't really go into depth on those.

That's what I'm thinking. The only way I can see this thing balancing out is if bar/club owners manage to convince Castro to offer on-premises smoking permits for their interiors. That's going to end up opening up a whole new can of worms right there, but it'll at least put some money in the city's coffers at the same time it regulates the air quality everywhere else.

[Hobbs]

And that brings your own argument into a whole new light. To hell with your coworkers, you're gonna be alright next year. Meanwhile, everyone else in that place who depends on the business is going to be struggling. Way to be a team player there, boss.

I technically don't work for the bar, I work for my father. So he's my co-worker/boss. As for all you're doom and gloom, people will still come. My father's been working bars since before you were born and he's not worried in the least. Maybe your going to be struggling next year, but most likely not. Way to complain about nothing, son.

[ZedOmega]

I technically don't work for the bar, I work for my father. So he's my co-worker/boss. As for all you're doom and gloom, people will still come. My father's been working bars since before you were born and he's not worried in the least. Maybe your going to be struggling next year, but most likely not. Way to complain about nothing, son.

So you don't actually work for the club itself, you work for your father. What about the other people working for him? How're they reacting to the news?

[Hobbs]

So you don't actually work for the club itself, you work for your father. What about the other people working for him? How're they reacting to the news?

What other people? It's me and my dad. I guess you could count my mom, but she helps him on weekdays. They usually work the Good-Meds around town and get paid very well. So the "other people" don't care either.

[Greenday]

Zed, look at it this way. Either smokers stay home and sulk, or they go out and just step outside to smoke since it's not a big deal.

Which one do you think people will honestly choose?

[Plaidman]

While I disagree with it, it's been proven to work out.

It's not like only smokers drink. Plenty of people that don't smoke, drink too. They will replace those smokers who choose not to drink.

Business may be slow at first, but it does pick up. Sometimes majorly as the people who were allergic, or just didn't like the smoke in the bar, start to come in.

It will be different, yes, but it's not going to be destroyed.

People were freaking out much like you are, (and rightfully so), but after the ban, nothing happened. At all. The smokers still went to the bar. Nonsmokers went into the bar as it was smoke free now. The food sales went up, as many people I guess, liked nonsmoked bar food. (Bar food is great no matter what. Smoke-free or smokefriendly, I LOVE bar food).

Many of the bars just added heaters to outside patios, with music playing on speakers and chairs. It's nice. It won't be the end of it. They just smoke outside, rather then inside the bar.

It will work out. Please trust me on that, if it's the only thing you ever belived me on.

[KnitShoni]

Zed, look at it this way. Either smokers stay home and sulk, or they go out and just step outside to smoke since it's not a big deal.

Which one do you think people will honestly choose?

I'm thinking they'll choose what smokers in other cities that have smoking bans have chosen: step outside.

[daleduke17]

I'm thinking they'll choose what smokers in other cities that have smoking bans have chosen: step outside.

In some places you can't step outside. If you do, you can't come back in.