Smoking bylaw in Hamitlon

[secondtube]

well, i'm happy.

i dont do anything to anyone else that disctintly causes problems to their health, why should i have it done to me, without my control?

i see it as simple as that.

[MarcO]

Gotta love Calgary's laws.

You can smoke in the majority of bars and restauants still, but you'll get fined if you light up on any patio.

ass backwards province i tell ya.

what's the theory behind that approach??

[CyberHippie]

Well I for one am pretty happy about it. The only thing I enjoyed about smoking in bars is that is was more likely that you could get away with smoking a little reefer. But I'll definitely enjoy breathing somewhat fresher air in bars, and not having my clothes reek at the end of the night.

As for the gov't cash grab on Tobacco? It's insane! I mean the gov't gets mad taxes from cigarettes, yet my taxes pay for comericals and stop smoking programs. As far as I'm concerned make the fucking things illegal already. Replace the tobacco crops with weed and hemp. If they legalized and sold weed, they could tax it 100% and it would still be cheaper than current street prices.

I understand it must suck to be a smoker, and no longer being allowed to do something you like to do. I'd be pissed too. But, it's all about me, so I'm happy for the ban!

[Esau]

I see your point Jim,but I am talking about bars,not resturants,as I mentioned I am all for the smoking ban within resturants,but a small pub/bar that serves minimal food (ie:wings/fries etc) will definatley lose,especially since here in Hamilton its the small business that is not in favour of a complete ban.

My point is not the smoking ban,its the business owner having the option to allow or not allow smoking.

If its openly stated and well visible to everyone that a bar is not smoke free then what is the preoblem with that? If I choose to smoke I follow the rules stated or do not enter that establishment,why is that so hard to go both ways?

No smoking clubs/bars AND smoking clubs/bars.

Its ultimatley up to the individual to decide whether or not they want to enter any place that allows smoking.I understand that folks do not put others at risk so why should they be put at risk,makes sense to me,but also if thats the case why would anyone put themselves at risk to begin with by entering the club/bar that allows smoking.And yes,I am completely aware of the risks I put on myself by smoking,but that is my choice just as it is a non smokers choice to not enter a smoking establishment.I know around here and in bigger cities,it has cost many their livinghood and as well there is alot of negative things been said about the ban.

I certianly don't think its an easy thing to figure out,except it seems easy enough to a degree.Allow bars (not resturants) to make the decision for themselves.If the majority is for non-smoking then it will hurt a bar if they decide to allow it.But the majority in this city are not for the complete ban.

I just don't understand why people have this problem with allowing a percentage of bars to have a smoking section,if they don't want to be around it then they don't have to enter.Goes both ways to,I don't have to enter if I want to smoke,I'm not going to bitch about it if a bar says no,I just don't go,how hard is that?

I see both sides of the coin myself,like alcohol or drugs the individual makes their own mind up if they choose to use anything,second hand smoke is a danger,yes, so is alcohol,drunk driving kills more people who do not drink then ones who do.Perhaps prohibiton should be re-entered? Not likely.

It can be argued to the bitter end,but in the end the gov't says cigerettes are legal,they make extremely large incomes from them but they also restrict it,seems hypicritcal to profit so large and at the same time confine.

Anyway,I ramblin' and I am just repeating myself,as are many of us here.And I'm not going to stoop to derogatory comments towards anyone who doesn't smoke as has and does get done to smokers.

I'm merely giving my opinion,not argueing or getting upset here,as the private messege indicated.

Ps.

Steve,just a question:

Are you dragged into the bar that allows smoking against your will or do you enter upon your own control?

[ollie]

I wouldn't sooo against the ban if they at least allowed private clubs to permit their members to smoke indoors. I know a number of organizations in Ottawa tried to do just that but were denied at every loophole. If everyone agrees to it and signs a form, blah, blah, blah... why try to stop it? I look at it as not allowing a certain demographic of citizens to congregate. It's fucking social engineering!!

And let's not go down the road of the cost smoking has on the healthcare system. Because then I want you to submit to me your daily diet and exercise plan. I also want to know about any negative thoughts in your head that might be affecting your health. I want to know if you see your doctor every year for a check up and practice preventative medicine. Besides, don't smokers check out earlier? Voila! Less burden on social security.

BTW, I'm in agreeance with Esau in that I have no problem with banning smoking in restaurants. I'm only talking about bars.

[NewRider]

i dont do anything to anyone else that disctintly causes problems to their health, why should i have it done to me, without my control?

i see it as simple as that.

I'm sure I've seen something smoking from your hand indoors before Steve. Smoke is smoke and breathing it in is never good for you no matter what it's from.

[SevenSeasJim]

And let's not go down the road of the cost smoking has on the healthcare system. Because then I want you to submit to me your daily diet and exercise plan. I also want to know about any negative thoughts in your head that might be affecting your health. I want to know if you see your doctor every year for a check up and practice preventative medicine. Besides, don't smokers check out earlier? Voila! Less burden on social security.

But ollie , us non-smokers care about you smokers. That's why we want you to quit

Of course you can bring up anything to defend yourself against the costs to the Health care system. However, we are talking about Smoking in this thread.

An interesting link http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/pphb-dgspsp/publicat/cdic-mcc/18-1/c_e.html

Latest I could find, however I'm sure that both numbers have risen proportionally.

[ollie]

But ollie , us non-smokers care about you smokers. That's why we want you to quit

Thanks but I don't smoke. Tobacco.

All I'm saying is it's unfair to use that argument against smokers when there are hundreds of other factors involved in one's health, most of which are not visible to the naked eye. Smokers are not the only drain on the health care system is all I'm saying.

[paisley]

as I said, The Free Times Cafe has always been smoke free and I've never had a problem with that... I could see Pepperjacks going that way because of the ventilation issues, but every single place in town? its like saying load music will destroy your hearing (which it will) and then outlawing sounds over a certain decible in the name of public health

Europeans frown deeply upon such governmental meddling, I don't see why we're following the American (destroy all liberty and freedom) model... I don't mind going outside for a smoke, but I do mind big brother setting down blanket laws that have no flexibility... it opens to door for other blanket laws... with the relaxed herb laws I thought we were going the right direction

the ideal way to handle this I think would have been to offer incentives to businesses to become smoke free, tax breaks, start a "Smoke Free Directory" for non smokers and things in that direction

oh well, gave me an excuse to go get drunk at the neighbourhood Rock Bar last night in any case (and enjoy smoking at the bar)... New Rider is right, a lot of places without patios will go under over this law

[MarcO]

Free Times is an exception not the rule.

No bar owner would voluntarily go smoke-free.

[secondtube]

Smoke is smoke and breathing it in is never good for you no matter what it's from.

There are major differences in the second hand smoke caused by tobacco and the second hand smoke caused by cig's.

and hey, trust me, there will be no more smoking pot indoors anymore....and i'm all good with that. its a trade off, and fair one at that.