
Totally agree. The best way to keep people from smoking where you
don’t want them to is to make it as convenient as possible for them to smoke where you
do want them to. Smokers are going to smoke, at least a few times over a 10 or 12 hour period - it’s simply going to happen. This idea of not enforcing violations is just ridiculous.
You’ve nailed it exactly on how to drive desired behavior! I’ve been an annual pass holder in the past and frequent Disney Parks often. I can honestly say I’ve never encountered someone smoking outside of a DSA and I would have noticed (my nose is like a trained Labrador lol).
Warning: Long winded below! Lol
That being said, other venues that have banned smoking all together is exactly where I’ve seen people smoking. Inside NFL, MLB, college football stadiums, etc. on the interior ramps, in bathrooms, or near busy concessions. In many cases, they aren’t hiding that they are doing it. In a lot of cases a small group will form.
My fiance is a Police Chief. I inquired why no one did anything about it. His response that particularly when there is more than one person, in a crowded venue, it is the SAFEST thing to do is for everyone to just leave it alone. Introducing confrontation in crowds in this day and age can turn something as simple as a dude with a smoke into a full on physical confrontation that could escalate putting numerous people at risk if not an entire stadium because just a verbal threat can lead to evacuation, riot scene, etc. He states that in crowded venues there are far more significant things the public knows nothing about that is at the top of police/security radar not a person sneaking a smoke/vape. While inciting a scene might not be PROBABLE it is POSSIBLE and to LEOs not worth the possible risk.
Additionally, my Aunt is a manager of a very popular nationwide retailer. Their employment policy strictly states that no store employee should ever try to stop or engage with anyone shoplifting, even if they are blatantly walking out with a TV. They are to call police and never engage for the above reason. Termination is immediate for anyone who tries to engage a shoplifter because it puts the whole store, all employees and customers at risk of unknown dangers.
(Needless to say, going anywhere with a Police Chief/SWAT Commander and having him vocalize things that he notices or sees that the average person is oblivious to is MIND BLOWING....he can spot security gaps, drug deals, shoplifters, impaired persons, hidden weapons, suspicious people, pick pockets, plain clothes officers, etc like nothing I’ve ever seen! I will never admit it to HIM but HE IS ALWAYS RIGHT! Hahaha!)
This is likely why CMs have directives to disengage after a friendly warning or not engage at all with implementing rules.