NJ Bans Smoking!!!

[disneysteve]

I have never been so thrilled with the result of the political process! The NJ Assembly voted today to ban smoking in almost all public places: bars, restaurants, etc. DW and I have been praying for this one. There are so many wonderful restaurants in our area that we have never been able to go to. Now, we can eat anywhere without worrying about smoke.

 

[vivilasvegas]

Chicago banned smoking too. In restaurants starting January 1, 2006 and in bars starting in....2.5 to 3 years!!!

 

[DawnCt1]

Ct. did this some time ago. Its nice to go into a restaurant and not worry about how close you are sitting to the smoking area.

 

[N.Bailey]

I think it's great for restaurants, but I feel sorry for bar owners. No one who smokes is going to be going into a bar if they can't smoke. IMO, it's asking too much of them and perhaps many will go out of business.

 

[cocowum]

 

[minniecarousel]

I'm always amazed that this isn't the way it is everywhere - here in California, there has been no smoking allowed in bars & restaurants for a very long time.

I've yet to hear of a bar going out of business with the "no smoking" ban.

 

[PrincessCLM]

Another happy New Jerseyian!

I was in CT when they switched over and none of the bars in that town were gonna go out of business.

 

[monarchsfan16]

I wish NH would do that, but since we "live free or die here", I doubt it will ever happen. Some restaraunts have gone smoke free, but not enough. It'd be nice to not have to worry about which places I'll cough the most in

 

[mommaU4]

I'm always amazed that this isn't the way it is everywhere - here in California, there has been no smoking allowed in bars & restaurants for a very long time.

I've yet to hear of a bar going out of business with the "no smoking" ban.

It took me a long time after we moved from CA to MI to get used to being asked if I wanted smoking or non-smoking in restaurants. It was a question I hadn't had to answer in awhile.

 

[hucifer]

For as much as I hate being around smokers, I cannot condone enforcing these laws on private restaurant owners. Just like we have the choice to change the channel on our televisions, we have the choice to not eat at establishments with smoke.

And believe me, I wish all restaurants were smoke-free, but by the choice of the restaurant owner, not the government.

 

[disneysteve]

No one who smokes is going to be going into a bar if they can't smoke.

They will if they want a drink .

Seriously, there are now 10 states with smoking bans and bars and restaurants have not gone out of business. People continue to go out and eat and drink. They just step outside when they want a cigarette. And folks like me and my DW who hate smoke and wouldn't set foot in a bar or restaurant that allowed smoking will now be free to visit all those places that we couldn't go before.

 

[Tinkerbelle739]

Oh the joy! The joy I say!!!!


No more smoky smelling hair as I pass through the smoking section!!


Oh today is indeed a happy day!! Thanks for sharing this great news!

 

[PrincessCLM]

No more smoky smelling hair as I pass through the smoking section!!

Ahh yes. No more showers when I come home at night because I can't stand the smell of smoke on me!

 

[N.Bailey]

They will if they want a drink .

Seriously, there are now 10 states with smoking bans and bars and restaurants have not gone out of business. People continue to go out and eat and drink. They just step outside when they want a cigarette. And folks like me and my DW who hate smoke and wouldn't set foot in a bar or restaurant that allowed smoking will now be free to visit all those places that we couldn't go before.

Are there any studies that show if their revenues have been reduced? I'd gladly change my mind if it turns out they are not forced to suffer because the government wants to have control over what private business does.

I live in PA and worked in a chain restaurant here years ago. The restaurant chose to go non smoking years ago and while there was initial resentment and boycotting, people got over it and eventually came back (well, most people). Smoker's do tend to smoke more when drinking and I'd think they'd choose (not all of course) to buy beer from a distributor and take it home.

 

[disneysteve]

Are there any studies that show if their revenues have been reduced? I'd gladly change my mind if it turns out they are not forced to suffer because the government wants to have control over what private business does.

I can't give you specific references, but each time a state has banned smoking, records generally show an initial drop in revenue for bars and they are generally back to baseline or better within a year's time.

Someone who enjoys going to a bar isn't going to switch to buying a 6-pack and staying home. They could do that already and chose not to. The bar has people, music, dancing, big screen tv, pool table, video games, etc. Just not the same as sitting alone in your living room.

 

[Mermaid02]

I think it's great for restaurants, but I feel sorry for bar owners. No one who smokes is going to be going into a bar if they can't smoke. IMO, it's asking too much of them and perhaps many will go out of business.

They did this in Maine many years ago and the smokers just go stand outside in the cold and smoke. I don't think it has hurt bar business one bit.

 

[mudnuri]

I can't give you specific references, but each time a state has banned smoking, records generally show an initial drop in revenue for bars and they are generally back to baseline or better within a year's time.

Someone who enjoys going to a bar isn't going to switch to buying a 6-pack and staying home. They could do that already and chose not to. The bar has people, music, dancing, big screen tv, pool table, video games, etc. Just not the same as sitting alone in your living room.

Well, I can tell you that living on the boarder of New Hampshire, those of us in Vermont felt the crunch financially that own/tend bars over here, when this happened here in September. Being that you can spit and hit new hampshire, people just chose to drive 20 minutes or so to a bar that you could smoke in.

The other downfall, is guilt by association associated with smoking outside a bar. I can not tell you how many times friends of mine have been pulled over leaving a bar, for the simple reason that the cop saw him/her standing outside smoking...didnt mean they were drinking in the bar.

Case in point- my car was parked about 1500 feet from the bar i was in. In a parking lot of a store. Cop drove by each time I was outside smoking.....cop knows who i am, and what I drive. I walked up to my car to leave, wasnt even in 2nd gear before that cop was behind me with blues on. I hadnt had a drop to drink...the only reason he pulled me over was he saw me outside the bar a couple times in the past 3 hours.

Brandy

 

[LBAK]

NY did this several years ago and it didn't hurt the bar business. They just a step outside and smoke. No one seems to complain, it's just a way of life.

 

[wvjules]

Why does the government even have to get involved in this? It should be up to the owner of the establishement to decide if they want to allow smoking or not.

 

[monarchsfan16]

Someone who enjoys going to a bar isn't going to switch to buying a 6-pack and staying home. They could do that already and chose not to. The bar has people, music, dancing, big screen tv, pool table, video games, etc. Just not the same as sitting alone in your living room.

There are some bars in the state of NH (in more upscale restaraunts) that my dad goes to almost exclusively, simply because they're nonsmoking. He has said many times, that if other bars were to go nonsmoking he'd expand his barhopping choices. My guess is there are others out there like him. So even if the smoking crowd dies out, there will be others that will take their place It might not completely make up for the abscence of smokers, but it won't destroy the place either.