Not being a smoker, I can only relate my common experiences with those who do, and the vast majority involve visitors to our fair city.  I always encounter these “out-of-towners” while at various bar/restaurants in the west county area, and even though they all come from every corner of our great country, they all say the exact same thing: “Wow, I can’t believe you can sit here and smoke without……” You can finish that sentence with either the words “worry”, or “a hassle” or “having to step outside”. They all really mean the same thing and this point is not lost on all our welcome guests. 

But an even more glaring point should be to voters here, ANYBODY from ANYWHERE can come here and smoke to their heart’s content at indoor public places without the fear of persecution!  Is this a great town or what? This can be the new tourism slogan: Come to St Louis and smoke all you want!  But, is this what we really want to be famous for, around the country?….a safe haven for smokers? Well, based on my encounters, we already are!  So, to paraphrase a popular slogan: Isn’t it time for a change…..?