[ChrisNoF4i]

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — New Hampshire on Tuesday moved a step closer to banning cigarette smoking in all restaurants and bars.

The House approved a statewide smoking ban, 189-156. It now heads to the Senate.

Ain't that about a bitch?

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"Will we soon be told which direction the toilet paper must hang from the roll?"

[stoinkythepig]

As a non-smoker, banning smoking will surely be a benefit for me, but I am against such a law in principle. I choose not to frequent establishments that are too smokey for my taste and have always been fine with that. I have never been anywhere that was too smokey and too good to miss either...

I don't know how to feel about people that work in smokey environments. Sometimes I figure, if you don't like smoke, you don't choose to tend bar, wait tables, or strip. Other times I think it's improper to allow a working environment with known carcinogens wafting in the air when it is so easy to eliminate them.

One of my favorite places in the lakes region of NH, Patrick's in Gilford, has instituted a ban on smoking, but they offer $10 vouchers to former smokers who have quit for a month. That's kinda cool.

[mzdagrl]

Gotta admit, not too upset about this one.

[bigred875]

LIVE FREE OR DIE...unless you want to smoke in public

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by bigred875
LIVE FREE OR DIE...unless you want to smoke in public

Or go more than 45 MPH in your boat.... almost.

[dhuze]

Originally posted by stoinkythepig
Or go more than 45 MPH in your boat.... almost.

Or over 40 on your snowmobile

[ChrisNoF4i]

Originally posted by dhuze
Or over 40 on your snowmobile

Or have sex with a prostitute who told you repeatedly that she was "totally cool" with erotic asphyxiation, but when push comes to choke, she can't really handle it.

[dhuze]

Originally posted by ChrisNoF4i
Or have sex with a prostitute who told you repeatedly that she was "totally cool" with erotic asphyxiation, but when push comes to choke, she can't really handle it.

All this talk about not smoking is already getting to you?

[odduc]

I don't smoke any longer, either. But I must disagree with this law, in principle. If you read any of my comments on the "my politics" posting it just goes along with how I believe. Private business owners ought to be able to make their own decisions about whether or not they allow smoking in their restaurants/bars/stripclubs. If you're not a smoker, you can choose NOT to go to a place that allows smoking. There are plenty of establishments that do not allow smoking. The choice should, ultimately, be up to the individual.

This law is just another in a long line of laws that the government imposes in order to save us from ourselves because "BIG BROTHER" knows better than we do.

[benVFR]

I'm ambivalent cause I don't hang out in bars all that much anyway.

However unlike Boston, Cambridge, etc.. my town allows smoking in bars and restaurants.

But pretty much every bar/restaurant in town that I go to does not have a smoke problem. With a good A/C unit they can keep the air pretty clean.

I do really fuckin hate going somewhere and having my clothes stink of smoke, etc.. though.

In terms of getting angry about it though.. smoking has just been proven to be way too harmful to really fight this kind of stuff. People are too naive about how much damage their doing by smoking. You wouldn't think it was OK if I wanted to wear radioactive clothes into your house or bar would you? It's almost that bad.

But for a bar specifically it's all kind of funny, there is absolutely nothing healthy about going to a bar. You're going in there to poison your body for fun, if people are OK with that they shouldn't have such a huge problem with smoke.

[highsider]

Originally posted by odduc
Private business owners ought to be able to make their own decisions about whether or not they allow smoking in their restaurants/bars/stripclubs. If you're not a smoker, you can choose NOT to go to a place that allows smoking. There are plenty of establishments that do not allow smoking. The choice should, ultimately, be up to the individual.

This law is just another in a long line of laws that the government imposes in order to save us from ourselves because "BIG BROTHER" knows better than we do.

There is no smoking in any of the bars here in Burlington, which is nice if you're a non-smoker, but I always feel bad for the poor bastards freezing their posteriors off out in the street.

If a bar is non-smoking, it will have a certain clientele, and if it allows smoking, it will draw junkies....I mean smokers.

[bigred875]

as a non smoker i dont really care...and dont mind the fact that smoking isnt allowed however I agree that it should be up to the business owners what they allow in their establishments...fuck the consumers and fuck the employees.....they can go to a place that doesnt allow smoking if they prefer...

[mikeb]

Originally posted by bigred875
as a non smoker i dont really care...and dont mind the fact that smoking isnt allowed however I agree that it should be up to the business owners what they allow in their establishments...fuck the consumers and fuck the employees.....they can go to a place that doesnt allow smoking if they prefer...

+1 since i quit i can't fucking stand the smell of smoke. i just don't go were there's smoking. i think the writing is on the wall though pretty soon it won't be allowed anywere but your home.

[stoinkythepig]

The general agreemment amongst folks here about this issue is rather shocking. I thought I'd be in the minority on this one.

[slaps76]

Originally posted by benVFR
However unlike Boston, Cambridge, etc.. my town allows smoking in bars and restaurants.

Are you sure about that? As far as I knew, it was a state-wide ban. And I've been to bars in Waltham recently, haven't noticed one person smoking inside.

Either way, I can't say I disagree. I f'n hate cigarette smoke, it sucks for non-smokers to be around it. As the ban was taking place in MA, smokers were freaking out about it. Never heard anyone bitch about it 2 weeks after it took place. Now I can walk out of a bar without my clothes drenched in cigarette smoke.

[benVFR]

You're right actually... when I first moved here we did still allow smoking but now it is a statewide ban.

The bizarre thing is when I googled "MA restaurant smoking ban" I found some articles that claim restaurants and bars have actually gained revenue since the smoking ban to the point they have created jobs.

[odduc]

Are you guys missing the point???????

This is another example of the government making a decision for you, BEFORE you even get the chance to decide for yourselves. You should all be insulted by this and other laws that prohibit you from making your own decisions. YES, we all agree that cigarettes and smoking are unhealthy, but if a person wants to smoke, knowing all the risks, it is their decison. If you go into a smokey bar and you don't like it, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE !!! If the business owner finds they are losing business because of the smokey atomoshere, it is up to them to make it more attractive to their clientele, NOT the government.

Have I made my point clear? I don't want to start a pissing match, I just think it is important for us to fully understand what is happening.

[stoinkythepig]

Originally posted by odduc
Are you guys missing the point???????

This is another example of the government making a decision for you, BEFORE you even get the chance to decide for yourselves. You should all be insulted by this and other laws that prohibit you from making your own decisions. YES, we all agree that cigarettes and smoking are unhealthy, but if a person wants to smoke, knowing all the risks, it is their decison. If you go into a smokey bar and you don't like it, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE !!! If the business owner finds they are losing business because of the smokey atomoshere, it is up to them to make it more attractive to their clientele, NOT the government.

Have I made my point clear? I don't want to start a pissing match, I just think it is important for us to fully understand what is happening.

Oh, now I get it.

[ChrisNoF4i]

I guess this should be in controversial topics.

I quit smoking, so my only smokey joy in life is secondhand smoke at the bar. And now they are trying to take that away from me. It's just sad.

And for the record, my toilet paper always hangs down over the top. It just makes more sense that way.

[Brian_C6]

Originally posted by odduc
Are you guys missing the point???????

This is another example of the government making a decision for you, BEFORE you even get the chance to decide for yourselves. You should all be insulted by this and other laws that prohibit you from making your own decisions. YES, we all agree that cigarettes and smoking are unhealthy, but if a person wants to smoke, knowing all the risks, it is their decison. If you go into a smokey bar and you don't like it, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE !!! If the business owner finds they are losing business because of the smokey atomoshere, it is up to them to make it more attractive to their clientele, NOT the government.

Have I made my point clear? I don't want to start a pissing match, I just think it is important for us to fully understand what is happening.

You elect the people who make the decisions.... hense, the reason for an "Election". "The People" elect people to represent "The People". If you feel you aren't being represented properly, then vote next time around. Just remember, majority rules.

For the record, I don't smoke and hate the law. Doesn't make sense... it takes away our freedom of choice. I can think of MANY other things more harmful to me than SECOND hand smoke. We've become to liberal. Everyone thinks their rights are being violated.... and then we create new laws to protect them.... all the while, we're losing rights with the new laws, which were created in order to protect them. Its a stupid circle. Hey, here is something to think about... If you want to preserve a "free society", then stop MAKING FUCKIN RULES!!

Brian

[odduc]

Oh, now I get it.

As I said, I'm not starting a pissing match, therefore I would not expect sarcastic comments.

And I agree that this thread might be better off in CT.

At least Brian_C6 understands where I'm coming from on this subject: FREEDOM OF CHOICE

[benVFR]

If smokers were the majority this would not have happened.

Basically less people smoke that's why this happened. Sorry but our government favors the majority, that's just the way it works unless corruption takes over a specific issue.

Given that most of us don't smoke these days letting smokers smoke up every bar and restaurant is hurting the rights of the majority to go out and enjoy themselves without sucking down lots of harmful smoke.

I suppose your answer is that everyone should have to accept smoke so a few people can smoke?

You have a continual disdain for everything the government does, and you think we're all idiots cause we don't agree with you. Sorry but when a majority of people hold a certain viewpoint and the government goes along with that viewpoint or protects that viewpoint, people are not going to be naturally enraged by the government taking that action.

This is just like me not favoring the Iraq war. I can say it all sucks but Bush was elected and Congress did vote for the war so I really can't say the government has failed here, the war represented the majority opinion.

[odduc]

Wrong again, Ben! I don't think that anyone on this board is an idiot...except YOU!!!!

Yes, I do have a disdain for much of what the government does simply because they fuck up EVERYTHING!!!!!

I understand the whole concept of majority rules...I GET IT, OK?!?!?!?!?!?! However, I do take issue with the fact that too many people are blindly following the rest of the "sheep" to slaughter. If the majority jumps off a bridge, are we all supposed to blindly follow? We're supposed to have freedoms and inalienable rights, but the more laws, the fewer rights. That's all I'm trying to say. I have no problem with debate or difference of opinion, that's why we are the greatest country on the planet. We have many different ideas and opinions.

[hessogood]

Originally posted by odduc
, that's why we are the greatest country on the planet.

I agree with everything but this.

What makes us better than every other country? because we say we are? The greeks say greece is the best, the italians say italy is the best, and so on.

And yes this topic needs to be in the 'pissing match' forum


Odduc, i'll let you in on a little secret I got....it's an ignore list, works mint!

[benVFR]

Please leave and go live on an anarchist Island or something, maybe one of those nice countries in the middle east where people like to shoot each other for wedding celebrations, etc..

You just sound way too much like an anarchist. If our government is totally evil and they fuck up everything they touch then we by definition are a pretty shitty country, cause we created our own government.

So how can we be the greatest country on earth and still be fucking up everything? Do you ever vote?