I find it interesting in all the arguments these non smokers that claim smokers are affecting THEIR rights and how THEY have the right to ‘CLEAN’ air. Fine, then make the choice to patronize places that don’t allow smoking, and let the smokers patronize places that do allow smoking.

As evident with states such as ILL, many, many places have been econimically hurt. Why would St Louis slit thier throats, especially now when business is in the toilet for most hospitality related businesses??

I, for the most part, quit going to bars after I quit smoking.
Periodically I like to get with a group a friends and dont really have a choice if I want to hang out with them.

Heres the thing. A smoker can spend a few hours at smoke free bar, going outside to smoke, with no ill effects. I, on the other hand, get home coughing, stanky, and feeling sick the next day or two (even if I dont drink).

I would really rather see ALL non smokers quit patronizing these establishments. You think a smoking ban will kill business? Try removing the majority of the population.

Finally, smokers? We non smokers arent the only ones forcing our opinions down throats. It works both ways.

It is attitudes like those of John Olsen that hold this region back from moving forward. You do not have the freedom to spew carcinogens in a public place. You’re confusing wants with needs. Does anyone need to smoke in public - no. Do you want to - sure. So you place your personal “wants” as a higher priority than the MAJORITY. And the MAJORITY of people DO NOT SMOKE. There is absolutely no damage done to anyone if smoking is not permitted in bars and restaurants - none. It is time that a ban at the State level is enacted. It’s already illegal in Illinois, so if you ban it in Missouri what is the excuse then?

I have many times sat outside at Milo’s in the summer and smoked a cigar. It’s a great atmosphere and I enjoy it very much. It would suck to not be able to do it anymore, but life would go on. Just like when I couldn’t smoke in the seats at Busch Stadium, or in class when I attended Mizzou, or on an airplane. It was not the end of the world. You’ll survive.

To all who support the non-smoking ban:

The city leaders seem to be scared of enacting a bill, and it appears that some of them are doing this for their own agendas. As stated in the article 3 alderman own restaurants/bars. Two of them were mentioned in the comments and they are:
-Ken Ortmann (9th Ward) owns the Cat’s Meow bar, located at 2600 S.
11th St
-joe vollmeyer owns Milos on the Hill

Bill Hannegan mentioned that the unions will not support this bill and they are organizing against it. Well we should organize too. My proposal is that anyone that is for the smoking ban should specifically boycott eating and dining at Cat’s Meow and Milo’s on the Hill.

Hopefully someone that is organized with the campaign to ban smoking reads this. If this was done the two alderman would then see that the majority of their customers are non-smokers when their business started to take a hit. Hopefully we can organize such a movement, but until the ban gets passed I will refuse to go to Milo’s and Cat’s Meow.

Hey buster1966! Your rationale is completely wrong. Here’s a great example about legality. It is complete legal to have sex, yet it is illegal to conduct sexual acts in public. The smoking ban would be very similar. You can indeed smoke outside or at home or any other private place. But if you are inside a confined public place, you can’t smoke. It’s very simple. Just like you can drink in a bar, but you can’t have an open container in a car whether of not you’ve actually been drinking.

I guess Missouri wants to ruin this state like Illinois did. If you don’t want to be around smoke then find a smoke free establishment. I did quit smoking but I am not against it. Why punish the businessmen that are trying to make a living and also the visitors that visit our state. Just roll up the sidewalks!

Ridiculous.

The City has huge crime problems, with shootings nightly and murders weekly. Now it’s becoming a regular event for pizza delivery drivers to be robbed and the stores from which they originate to be robbed.

Entire neighborhoods are still in ruins. Downtown, while showing progress, has a long way to go. Tax revenues are going to be down, especially with one of the largest sources of earnings tax revenue, A-B, jettisoning a large portion of its workforce.

Not only does an anti-smoking measure threaten the health of downtown eateries and night spots, it simply doesn’t rise to the level of importance of more critical issues facing the City. While the anti-smoking busybodies have their crusade, it is just plain stupid for the Board of Aldermen to be wasting time on it.

What I always find interesting is that everyone knows what is best for the owners of restaurants/bars. To allow or disallow smoking is one of many choices they have to make. There is a market of both smoking allowed and non-smoking establishments. Ten years ago, there was virtually no non-smoking establishments. Now its almost half of restaurants in St Louis are completely smoke-free. Even further - the ones that allow it restrict to the bar only. Its rare that you can smoke in the dining room of a restaurant.

Cheeseburgers kill too. Should we ban those also?
— Jan
10:58 am May 1st, 2009

umm. If the above cheeseburgers emit noxious fumes while being smoked by you that have been proven to be carcinogenic to the people around you, yep - we should ban those.

Now for the sake of a better analogy - is it okay for me to open a bug bomb inside an eating establishment, just because I like the smell of it? Even if there is a special ‘Bug Bomb Inhalers’ section inside the eatery?

Same old attempt. I don’t smoke…but there is a point where alderman and politicians need to BUTT OUT! If I don’t want to smoke, I know where to go. If I don’t mind the smoke…I go anywhere I want. Keep your lungs out of a smoking establishment if you don’t like it. Why is that sooo hard for stupid people?