Chicago passes smoking ban

[Do I Know You]

Reuters

CHICAGO, Dec 7 (Reuters) - Chicago, aiming to follow the lead of other major U.S. cities, passed a law on Wednesday to ban smoking in most buildings and public spaces except for bars, where smokers can puff away until mid-2008.

[CoasterDude12-2]

BOOOOO

[Trailblazer Tony]

YYYEEEAAAHHH!!!!

No offense, but with my allergies, my eyes always water A LOT when i am around cigarettes.

[msoeagle]

I HATE CIGARETTES!!!!! To bad I dont live in chicago.

[[jonrev]]

It's death on a stick. I'm glad it passed.

[CoasterDude12-2]

I like the smell of cigarettes but I don't smoke.

[FRD714]

Too bad for all of you smokers out there.

[msoeagle]

I like the smell of cigarettes but I don't smoke.

Thats just gross!

[[jonrev]]

The smell can still kill you.

[rich12_16]

I smoke, but agree that you shouldn't be able to smoke in public places, just for the courtasy of others.

[Aero737]

I feel it's up to the restaurant owner to decide whether or not to allow smoking. Yes, smoking will kill you, but if you don’t like someone smoking, don’t go to that restaurant. Hey, you got legs, go somewhere else.

This is one of the things that I strongly feel is limiting our freedoms in America. DeKalb is trying to pass a ban similar to this (no smoking - even bars) and I'm strongly opposed to it.

What’s next, drinking bans in restaurants?

I feel this will hurt certain restaurants that have built reputations as 'smoker hangouts' or clubs where you could go and smoke. I hope these types of bans don't last.

*note, I am in favor of no smoking in government buildings such as court houses, police stations, etc ...

[Galvan]

I couldnt have said it any better myself Aero.

[sfgam05]

Dido, if people dont want to smell the smoke then they should leave, i dont smoke, i cant even if i wanted to cause im under age, not that i want to, but its up to the owners. What gets me mad is all the cheap shots they are taking at smokers, they are doing this whole campaign, they are raising cigarette prices, and many more things to come. Instead of focusing all this attention on cigarettes they should focus on all the corrupt politicians and cops, and on serious areas in need of financial help. To me the whole campaign is a waste of resources.

[Trailblazer Tony]

^All that that is doing to smokers is getting more and more people to quit. I see that as a good thing. I can see how eliminating smoking in a resteraunt can take away a sense of freedom, but it's just as controlling to expect people like me who get sick around cigarette smoke to move to a different location. Is it really that hard to go one hour without it?

[Aero737]

Its not limiting people's freedom to expect them to move away from smokers. It's the individual's choice to dine in a resteraunt that allows smoking. If that person chooses to go somewhere else, it's not by force, it's their own choice.

Preventing people from smoking where they once were is limiting their freedom, and I feel that the ban is obsurd. It's not the governments responsibilty to keep you away from smokers.

[Trailblazer Tony]

^It is no more limiting than telling people that they have to where shoes to restaurants. I personally see it as a pain to have to carry shoes whenever i decide to roller skate to McDonalds or something. In both cases, it grosses some people out to allow it while at the same time making people feel limited and uncomfortable to not allow it. The law is the law so just live by it, that is my thinking.

[sfgam05]

Would you listen to the law if it told you to murder your family or friends? The government would be plain stupid if they pass the law, it would be dumb financially, for example. If they were to pass this law, people would stop so many packs of cigarettes, do you people not realize that that is money the government is losing out on, so why would they cut holes in their own pockets? They might do it to shut up all you stupid whiners. I can see how some families find it annoying, but it should be totally up to the restaurant, not the government.

[Aero737]

Smoking is an addiction, an addiction that dictates how many packs of cigarettes a person needs per week. I don't think this smoking ban will make any impact on the number of packs a person would smoke a week. People need their nicotiene and probably would just smoke more before/after meals outside of restaraunts.

[SFGA Bob]

most likely, there wouldn't be a law dictating that certain people be killed by ordinary citizens. if anything, it'd be a "racial" group and citizens would only be forced to turn in suspects or some such.

in any case, the law isn't telling people what to do, its telling businesses what to do. people can still smoke if they want, just not indoors around other people.

[sfgam05]

Exactly, maybe people will get pissed and boycott cigarettes all together. I know some people who buy extra packs of cigarettes for during meals inside restaurants, so it could affect the amount of packs bought.

[mnel18]

I am an occasional smoker and can totally understand no smoking in resturants as a food establishment is not the proper atmospher since there are little children around as well as older people, But there are 2 things I dont understand. Not only does this ban affect resturants but also bars and nightclubs which are the proper atmosphere in my opinion. Whos going to want to go out drinking if they cant enjoy a smoke. Thats where my occasional smoking comes in nothing like a smoke after some drinks and conversation. The next thing I find to be ridiculous is that they take away these smoking privilages yet the only chicago tax increase was on cigs....now come on we hear about how bad smoking is yet its the smokers who are keeping (for the most part) my property taxes down as well as some other taxes, if they are our taxes backbone they should have somekind of smoking privilage even if just bars and clubs. Well enough of my rambling.

[twixmix0303]

What does little children or older people have to do with anything? Is everyone else just supposed to be immune to the harmful effects of cigerettes? And if your main aim by smoking is to keep property taxes down, you need to set your priorities straight. If you can afford to smoke, then you can afford to stop smoking and use what you're saving to pay the higer taxes. That is one of the dumbest arguements I've heard in a long time.

And for those of you that say it should be up to the individual restaurant owner, I see your point. But what about the workers there that don't want to sacrifice their own health over someone else's bad habits? If the only choice was waiting at a bar or not having a job at all, we'd all probably agree that you've got to take the job.

[mnel18]

As for the workers in a resturant, they are the ones who choose the job and if there was smoking before they started then heck theres gonna still be when they start.

[twixmix0303]

So, I guess it would make sense that there is no need for OSHA? Does this mean that we should have no standards for working conditions in factories, mines, etc.? The workers there did in fact know that air quality is not good, but who cares? They are the ones that chose the job...

[sfgam05]

Dude quit getting mad, the point is that the workers could in fact work somewhere else if they do not feel comfortable in that enviornment. If they find the atmosphere so intolerable then why risk their health for money?