Am I the only one who is sick of politicians minding everyone else’s business? If you don’t like the smoke filled bar, drink elsewhere. And no, I’m not a smoker - I’m an ex-smoker who doesn’t feel that my intolerance should rule the affairs of private businesses.

I was in a bar in Chicago last winter and it was amazing to be smoke free. If it works in IL there is no reason it can’t work here. I am deeply disapointed in Mayor Slay and Exec. Dooley that they have not shown leadership in this area and hope we can have better succes statewide.

Back in 2005, when we beat Odenwald’s smoking ban, we didn’t know about possibilities of air filtration in bars. Now we know that air filtration can make the air of a venue that allows smoking cleaner than the air outdoors. Air filtration is the real answer to this issue.

http://keepstlouisfree.blogspot.com/2008/11/air-cleaning-mailer-get-your-own-at.html

Matt

Its not working in Illinois. Just because they jumped off the bridge doesn’t mean that we should as well. The Casinos were off on average 17% last year compared to the year before. That average was boosted by the loss limits in Missouri. Ask anyone from Chicago - many bars still allow smoking making them criminals.

Here is what a smoke-free law will bring to Missouri.

It will make a legal product illegal to use. If you own a bar or a business - then you will have to make a choice. Either you allow smoking illegaly or you go out of business. It doesn’t make sense when the economy is good and it certainly doesn’t make sense now.

The question is why we need a law to begin with. First, most restaurants don’t allow smoking in their dining areas. Second, its still a choice you have to make. If you don’t like smoke, don’t go.

We have done it here in KC and it is working just fine. Both the city and most of the suburbs have smoking bans now. If it can work in Missouri’s largest city, then it can work in St. Louis too.

Can someone tell me how passing laws proven to decrease business is a good thing? I lived in Springfield Illinois when it passed the ban before the statewide order. Friends of mine reported an immediate loss of business. One closed an entire bowling center. And joh in KC - please go down to The Quaff on Broadway, and ask owner Joe Bonino how he likes the law? Tell ‘em I sent you.

Hey Beth,
How about picking up my leaves in front of my house? They’ve been there for two weeks. Perhaps you should consider taking care of our city before you start wasting time on interfering in areas where you don’t belong.

I notice C.C. has no problem with accepting the sales tax on cigs.

I hav a friend who is a liquor wholesaler in Illinois. His income dropped by 40% after the ban. You are going to see many restaurants and bars go under anyway in this economy. This would only increase the number.

I see that Smoke-Free St Louis now has a billboard on 44 and Kingshighway. How is it that they can pay for fulltime employees, pay for a billboard, pay for surveys, pay doctors and pay for public relations. They are well funded and that money comes indirectly from the Pharmacuetical Industry. Big Pharma pushes smoking bans to increase their market for nicotine replacement products.

They are trying to fix a problem that doesn’t exist. There are hundreds of restaurants and bars in St Louis that do not allow smoking. If you want to smoke or it doesn’t bother you - you have a choice. If you don’t like smoke - you have a choice.

If you’re a non-smoker, you have choices about where to go to eat. If we impose a smoking ban, there will be nowhere for smokers to go to eat/drink. It stands to reason that many smokers will cut down the number of times they go out to drink and smoke. I don’t smoke and hate smelling like smoke but I make the choice to go to the restaurant/bar. Non-smokers seem to think they should be the only ones with rights.

The smoking ban seems to be working fine in Columbia, MO. I think it has an effect on the students and I see less and less young people smoking in Columbia, I think it is a positive. It is such a difference between Columbia and St. Louis, its nice to not have to come home reeking of smoke.