NJ Smoking Ban Starts Tomorrow!

[puggymom]

There are places here in NJ that are starting to build patios for this reason. Only problem is they would be very cold in the winter and parts of fall and spring. If they enclose them then they have to deal with different types of permits from the towns and servers would still not be allowed in them.

Adam aka Big Dude

The ban extends 25 feet, so even putting a patio would not exclude you.

 

[Kimberly]

Can't wait. We have been avoiding some pubs in the area because it's too hard to breathe in there. We finally have more variety in the neighborhood.

 

[Big Dude]

The ban extends 25 feet, so even putting a patio would not exclude you.

That in itself is another issue. I live in a town where most of the drinking establishments are on the main street. The buildings have an 8 foot wide sidewalk in front of them and then the street.

My question would be, say there was someone who is just walking down the sidewalk, with a lit tobacco product, in front of a drinking establishment. They did not patronize the establishment. Are they in violation of the 25 foot ban?

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[Big Dude]

I don't understand this logic. No one is forcing anyone to work at the casinos.

By the way, I don't smoke.

The "spirit" of the law is to protect the health of workers who are exposed to second hand smoke. Casino floor workers are exposed to second hand smoke just as the local bartender. I'll even go out on a limb and say...if you interview all of the workers that work in this environment in New Jersey, the majority would be against this legislation.

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[Dan Murphy]

Around here, we are improving, but still a hodge podge since no state laws as of yet, sure wish they would. We have town/vaillage laws, county laws, and Chicago, all non smoking, but not uniform.

As for casinos, it would work if it was banned, totally. Just like with bars and restaurants, people need to eat, and want to drink. If every place is the same, no lost business. If one casino in LV is non smoke, sure it will go out of business, as such an ungodly percentage of people who go there smoke. But, if you could not smoke in ANY casino, would people quit gambling and looking for hookers, of course not. It has to be uniform to work.

 

[kelleigh1]

It's been that way in Massachusetts for a long time. I don't hardly think about it, but then we'd got to NJ to visit the in-laws and I'd practically get sick whenever we'd go out to eat.

FIL will not be happy, I'm sure. But MIL and I will be. Hubby will probably be happy too since he's slapping on the patch this weekend to help him quit.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Can't wait. We have been avoiding some pubs in the area because it's too hard to breathe in there. We finally have more variety in the neighborhood.

Woohoo!!

 

[Tiggeroo]

The goal of casinos is to keep people from leaving even for a few minutes. This why there are no windows or clockst to show passing of time, it's why they bring you drinks, etc. Some people have been known to not leave to even go to the bathroom, yuck.
The problem is that the failure to ban smoking in the casinos places non-casino bars at a disadvantage.
It's easy for people to say go work somewhere else. But if you have no college degree and are supporting a family you generally have no choice. Waitresses, bartenders and casino dealers make a better income then anything else around here. If you have children or must put yourself through college you may very well have no choice. Often people with good education or good jobs say things like, well just go work somewhere else. The casinos are the predominant industry here in south jersey. A person with only a high school degree could easily make $50,000 a year waiting tables in the casino and would make much less elsewhere.

 

[txSleepingBeauty]

The goal of casinos is to keep people from leaving even for a few minutes. This why there are no windows or clockst to show passing of time, it's why they bring you drinks, etc. Some people have been known to not leave to even go to the bathroom, yuck.

and that's why casinos will never be smoke free. then people would have to get up and go outside to smoke and would realize that time has passed and might leave....personally, I'm not happy that they banned smoking in resturants here in Houston and I will be even more unhappy if they ban it in bars.Nobody is forcing you to bartend. most waiters I know preferred the smoking section anyway-better tips.

 

[ShuisFan584]

I'm so excited about the smoking ban!! I just wish it could have been around a long time ago. It's just annoying when we go into restaurants, request for nonsmoking, and get the seat that's right next to the smoking section. I hate being annoying, but in those cases we have to request to move because I have asthma, and I really like being able to breathe!!

Also I've been a bowler all my life, and during high school bowling and some league bowling, they wouldn't allow parents or anyone to smoke during the games. Unfortunately, it was very hard for me whenever I wanted to practice outside of the league because sometimes I would walk into a room full of smoke, and I would just end up leaving.

And I don't understand why they'll still allow smoking in casinos. I went to Atlantic City for the first time last month, and I was really disappointed at how many people were smoking inside! I had no idea that smoking was allowed in the first place, and it was hard to find a place sometimes where I didn't smell smoke.

Too bad they couldn't just outright ban smoking everywhere! I would be absolutely thrilled if that day ever came.

 

[disneysteve]

failure to ban smoking in the casinos places non-casino bars at a disadvantage.

Let me say first that I agree that casinos should be smoke-free also.

But I disagree with this statement. It is ONLY the gaming areas of the casino that are allowed to have smoking. The casino's bars and restaurants and public areas (shops, lobby, etc.) are all covered under the ban. So the non-casino bars really aren't at any disadvantage.