Michigan workplaces -- including bars and restaurants -- will go smokefree in May

[Destroit]

To mingle and socialize and DANCE?

Nah. That couldn't be it.

And bars are the only places to do this in the entire world? I did not know this.

Hell, most of the bars I go to don't have a dance floor...I'm wondering where all these people are dancing and socializing at.

Edited December 11, 2009 by Chernobyl

[Msterbeau]

And bars are the only places to do this in the entire world? I did not know this.

Hell, most of the bars I go to don't have a dance floor...I'm wondering where all these people are dancing and socializing at.

Where else would you go on a Saturday night to dance to industrial/EBM/Goth etc music and mingle with your friends that also like that? Is that the sound of crickets I hear?

[Rev.Reverence]

Where else would you go on a Saturday night to dance to industrial/EBM/Goth etc music and mingle with your friends that also like that? Is that the sound of crickets I hear?

...OH...THAT, is a CLUB...NOT, a BAR...

Distinct difference...restaurant..fine...CLUB, ok, for you..my weak-lunged friends, I have no care...at the bar down the street from me...THAT, is crossing "THE LINE"...there is seriously a correlation between smokers & pub frequenters...to the tune of at least 60%, if not 70%.

..& I don't REALLY care what hey play; I'm on a funk & rap tip lately anyhow...

[Nienna]

To answer Marc's original question... I LOVE to smoke. I revel in the action of it. I like how it tastes. I like having something to do with my hands.. I actually do, genuinely, enjoy it. I love smoking so much that I still do it, in spite of being asthmatic, and in spite of the fact that after a "whole pack night" at City, I'm wheezing for days. It's my choice.

Now the government is making my choices for me. They chose for me to not smoke cloves anymore, and now it is chosen for me that I will no longer be smoking when I go out. Soon, they will choose that I cannot have coffee.. or booze.. or whatever. It's a slippery slope my friends, and we are starting to slide.

[TheOsakaKoneko]

Sorry to all the smokers, but I'm glad I'll be able to come home from an event and not reek of smoke. That was one of the many reasons I quit. Cigarette smoke stinks. Plus, I will no longer get burned by some inconsiderate asshole who doesn't know how to keep their cigarette to themselves on the dance floor, nor will my eyes burn while talking to someone while their smoke plumes into my eyes.

I agree with this. I do feel bad for the smokers, I honestly really do, especially in MI where it gets SO cold. But selfishly this makes me sooo happy. Sorry guys. But this is good for me. (BTW this DOES include City, right? )

Why do people use deodorant when we know it's horribly harmful?

I've honestly never heard that! Really? How so?

♪♪The More You Know...♪♪

I honestly was more unhappy about the clove ban than this. There's nothing wrong with cloves, etc, more than cigarettes, and I'd rather be around someone smoking the former than the latter...and there really was NO reason for it. This at least I can see a reason, even if not everyone agrees whether it's a good one.

[Tacohitts]

so let me guess,its less harmful to put your mouth over an exhaust pipe than it is to smoke a cigarette,hmm I can see the comparison of apples and oranges.oh don't forget that welding smoke and factory smokestack smoke is also less harmful as well,lets throw some radon in there for good measure.

[bean]

I am laughing my fucking ASS off at how fucking IRATE most of you smokers are about this. Some of you haven't been so bad about it, but some of you...jesus fucking christ..it's like it's the end of the world or something. It's not like you've been told you can never smoke again.

[n0Mad]

Time for me to chime in. I am a non-smoker. I can't stay at City very long ever because that smoke really gets to my eyes and I have to leave. So, I should be all for the ban. I kind of am, and I am kind of not.

I am all for people living healthy lives and support anything that gets smoke out of my face. But politically I'm against the government trying to rule our lives. That being said though, I actually support the ban for the most part and am really happy to clean up the air in places I like to go. Here is what I am against, however:

• Cigar bars are an exception to this ban. I am all for that because it just makes sense. However, only existing cigar bars are exempt. No new cigar bars will be allowed to be created. WTF?! That's regulating business too much.
  
• Hotels are not allowed to specify certain rooms as smoking. Your residence is exempt from the ban but what is a hotel room but your home away from home while you're traveling. I think most of the rooms should be smoke free because I don't care how well you wash those sheets and vacuum the carpet, smoking rooms will always smell. But, I think a hotel should have the choice to allow some smoking rooms.
  
• Private clubs are included in the ban? NFW! They are private clubs, not public places. It should be up to the members to decide how they want to operate things.
  

I do kinda wonder what will happen at City. Did you notice the fine for violating the smoking ban will not be placed against the establishment but instead against those who are smoking? So Higgins won't care if people smoke in City at all. Smoke at your own risk I suppose. Maybe he'll bribe cops and health inspectors to look the other way. My guess is he already does this for many other things.

[AstralCrux]

I'm upset about not smoking in clubs, so as of May 1st I'm not going out to clubs/bars anymore, because I will have my stand that way.

I'm more upset about big government taking yet another decision from me. I more upset that the new Djarums don't have the same flavor as the old ones. I'm upset because they add so much crap to cigarettes now because of the government. (glue-substance to prevent the cig from causing housefires - no i don't understand how that's supposed to work out) I now have to go out of my way big time to smoke and I haven't figured out the right mix to make my own cloves, yet. But, I will.

So, who cares that they take our decisions away? It'll make me more healthy. But, then damn, make suicide legal, so I can go smoke in hell! I want to vomit every friggin' time the government restricts us more. At least my smokes would have made my misery more pleasant, but no. (For the record, I can't actually choke down a regular smoke- they taste like ass. I loved my cloves. Why take my happy stuff away?)

[candyman]

I am laughing my fucking ASS off at how fucking IRATE most of you smokers are about this. Some of you haven't been so bad about it, but some of you...jesus fucking christ..it's like it's the end of the world or something. It's not like you've been told you can never smoke again.

Thats because you are not one of us...so you can't understand...you have never gotten smoking tickets or had full bottle of water dumped on you or thrown at you.

See, I don't care if they ban it in restaurants, large clubs, or any place frequented by children. However, they are stretching this ban out to include places like Bobs...a bar WAY up north in Wisconsin where all the hunters go. We drink, smoke, swear, talk about deer, and talk about boobs. Sure there are a few people that don't smoke...but they don't care either.

My question is...and someone has yet to answer this to ANY effect...why ALL of the bars? What if we just had ONE bar that allowed smoking? Why not let the owners and workers and patrons work something out for themselves? Non-smokers keep talking about how they have no choices when it comes to non-smoking establishments, bullshit...do a little research, but instead of just going for choices they want everything?

And I have no HUGE problem going outside...when its warm I sometimes make a point of walking out of the bar for a bit. However, you know VERY well that it won't stop at just outside. It has already gone to the absurd "20 feet from a building" rule in most places...which sometimes places me in the middle of the road. I already have 5 smoking tickets for smoking too close to a storage shed at my college...a STORAGE SHED! It holds the track equipment...not people. Fine, send my ass outside but don't go telling me that now I can only smoke in special places outside.

Oh shit someone is getting passionate about something they like! How abnormal!

[n0Mad]

My question is...and someone has yet to answer this to ANY effect...why ALL of the bars? What if we just had ONE bar that allowed smoking? Why not let the owners and workers and patrons work something out for themselves?

Oh, this reminds me of something I was going to include in my post but forgot. What about a smoking license? Something a bar could purchase to allow smoking in their establishment. Not too expensive to make it unprofitable for the bar, but significant enough that a bar has to do a cost/benefits analysis to see if this is a good choice or not. Plus, this would bring in a bit more income for a state already going bankrupt.

[AstralCrux]

I now smoke almost never, but it's like... Well... Forcing me to quit. I've stopped smoking at random to prove to people that I could and that I have control over my smoking. I like to smoke! If it gets me 7 minutes closer to death with each cig. I don't really care. I don't want to get that old anyway. I don't smoke around people that it bothers. I will omit smoking in my own car for the consideration of someone else. My roommate doesn't dig smoking in the main part of the house, so I have a room set aside for smoking. It's my house!

I'm considerate of non-smokers every day of my life. And, if you wanted non-smoking venues so bad... Start one! Don't take from me. (I'm not that concieted, it's a royal we type of statement... I include my fellow smokers or rights activists that refrain from smoking.) Why should any of us suffer? There always was a compromise, and restaurants were capable of it. Many went non-smoking, so some smokers quit going there and some non-smokers started going there. But, we had a choice... All of us! And it restricted no one.

All I want is my choice back.... Is that too much for me to ask? Who are you (big you here, not a specific person) to make my decision for me? Why should I let you?

[TitsMcGee]

Oh, this reminds me of something I was going to include in my post but forgot. What about a smoking license? Something a bar could purchase to allow smoking in their establishment. Not too expensive to make it unprofitable for the bar, but significant enough that a bar has to do a cost/benefits analysis to see if this is a good choice or not. Plus, this would bring in a bit more income for a state already going bankrupt.

That is a really good idea I think. Frankly I don't get why no one in the government in thought about it.

Edit to add:

Oh wait that's because they are all stupid.

Edited December 12, 2009 by TitsMcGee

[candyman]

Oh, this reminds me of something I was going to include in my post but forgot. What about a smoking license? Something a bar could purchase to allow smoking in their establishment. Not too expensive to make it unprofitable for the bar, but significant enough that a bar has to do a cost/benefits analysis to see if this is a good choice or not. Plus, this would bring in a bit more income for a state already going bankrupt.

Thank you. And yes that is a good idea. However, at most of the state debates the anti-smoking people argues that TOO MANY bars would purchase the license.

Most of the bars I smoke at in Madison and Eau Claire, both cities have smoking bans, have you purchase an ash tray for about $5. If they ever get caught they just pay the fine with that money. However, it usually just builds up in your tab because nobody seems to care. Only a few bars do this which kinda sucks because they are always packed and you have to stand there with an ash tray in one hand and a beer in the other while trying not to get pushed around too much.

[n0Mad]

I like to smoke! If it gets me 7 minutes closer to death with each cig. I don't really care.

Well, considering it takes about 10 minutes on average to smoke a cigarette, you're netting 3 minutes so you're actually increasing your lifespan.

However, at most of the state debates the anti-smoking people argues that TOO MANY bars would purchase the license.

So what? At least it gives them the option. That's more than the state had before the ban, and more than the bars have after the ban. Great compromise over all.

[candyman]

Well, considering it takes about 10 minutes on average to smoke a cigarette, you're netting 3 minutes so you're actually increasing your lifespan.

So what? At least it gives them the option. That's more than the state had before the ban, and more than the bars have after the ban. Great compromise over all.

Its cold outside...it only takes about 5 min to smoke a cigarette now lest your hand become a claw...American Spirits still take about 2 days to smoke though...

Yeah I say "so what" too but apparently its a problem if too many bars decide they want to allow smoking. Something about how they say NO to that option REALLY makes me think that they don't give a shit about smoking or choices...more like control. In the state that our union is in you would think that compromise would be highly sought after to bring everyone together.

[n0Mad]

Something about how they say NO to that option REALLY makes me think that they don't give a shit about smoking or choices...more like control.

Ding, we have a winner.

[candyman]

Just for a few laughs...

[Tacohitts]

Fu&k Granmole Yes I would say that right to that bitches face,it's just like assisted suicide is illegal,gotta keep that tax payer alive so they can be ripped off,I just can't wait for freedom of speech to be fully banned,(off topic rant)I own my body not them,let me save myself from myself I don't need the help

[freydis]

I am laughing my fucking ASS off at how fucking IRATE most of you smokers are about this. Some of you haven't been so bad about it, but some of you...jesus fucking christ..it's like it's the end of the world or something. It's not like you've been told you can never smoke again.

I KNOW!

jeebus.

Youre all whinging a bit, arent you?

This doesnt mean you CANT smoke, it just means you have to do it outside.

A little bit of *manners* never hurt anyone.

Besides, there are all kinds of behaviour laws out there, how's this any different?

You cant go out in public drunk and inflict obnoxious behaviour on others (by public i mostly mean in public areas), so why was inflicting stink on others ok?

Michigan is not the first nor last place to enact a smoking ban, and theyve been survived everywhere else theyve gone in.

And Cherny--

Mostly, people go to bars to DRINK.

And as for the blowing smoke at people who did nothing to you because of the ban? I figure youd find it perfectly acceptable then if they farted at you in response?

[The Anchormann]

Considering that I am new to this site,I will say this,I 100% agree with a few here,even though I don't smoke,I think its ridiculous to ban this and everything else,and I thought the government worked for us,I see it definitely does not,I also agree with Chernobyl and esp tacohitts,no one owns my body and I really want to know if there is a law on threatening your own life as well,hey if I am depressed,terminally ill, I should have the complete right to go out to the woods with a shotgun and blow my brains out,its my body and I own it not them, not you,but me.this state is a joke

[freydis]

Considering that I am new to this site,I will say this,I 100% agree with a few here,even though I don't smoke,I think its ridiculous to ban this and everything else,and I thought the government worked for us,I see it definitely does not,I also agree with Chernobyl and esp tacohitts,no one owns my body and I really want to know if there is a law on threatening your own life as well,hey if I am depressed,terminally ill, I should have the complete right to go out to the woods with a shotgun and blow my brains out,its my body and I own it not them, not you,but me.this state is a joke

Those unspaced commas are mighty familiar....

heheheh...

[bean]

Those unspaced commas are mighty familiar....

heheheh...

Indeed

[jynxxxedangel]

Those unspaced commas are mighty familiar....

heheheh...

...they ALWAYS come back, usually with a new name.

[phee]

What I wonder is.... if people are aloud to smoke in bars and blow smoke on me... What's next? will I not be able to masturbate on people in bars anymore? It's my choice... It's my freedom... the government if they ban me masturbating on others in eating establishments, bars, and clubs... as well as smoking... what's next? I won't be able to take a dump on the dance floor anymore? How am I supposed to enjoy my drink, if I can't take a dump, spooge, and blow toxic fumes on people???

What a joke this law is....