Comments on: Chicago Smoking Ban

By: Cliff

Cliff — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:18:07 +0000

I see a lot of strong opinions on here, and while I don’t have anything new to add in the opinion department, I would like to relate the following story as factually and objectively as I can, as food for thought.

I live in NJ (a smokefree state) and am a non-smoker. I spend a lot of time in NY (where I rarely go to bars) and PA (where I go to both smokefree and smoking bars). My wife recently became interested in the blues, and we conceived the idea of a trip to Chicago to tour some of the famous blues bars. As she is 4.5 months pregnant, and is concerned for the health of the baby (as well as her heightened gag reflex in response to bad air), she asked me to research the smoking laws in Chicago. I googled “chicago smoking laws,” which led me to this thread. Because of this law, we will be taking a trip that simply would not have happened otherwise.

By: Diana

Diana — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 01:12:26 +0000

My neice championed Smokefree Chicago http://www.maryrondoni.com Yes, she my neice but I don’t think people realize just how much her coming forward and fighting for this changes the lives of so many people. Please check out her site. She received no public thanks for her selfless work. Have a good day. Diana

By: does it matter

does it matter — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:27:40 +0000

I believe that people have known the effects of smoking on their bodies for at least a century. Definitely half that.

While I prefer to eat without smoke drifting over my plate, and while I enjoy a good cigar after a good steak, I remain mindful that God alone gave me choice. America has given us all the freedom to choose. And Americans have taken that away. We all have a have a choice to go somewhere and we all have a choice to go somewhere else.

If you had asked anyone in the 1960’s if smoking would be banned then I think most would reply that that is crazy. They would say that smoking might be bad but what business is it of mine if someone else chooses to smoke.

If you ask me today, in 2009, if black colored cars (which some claim are environmentally unfriendly) will be banned 4o years from today, then I would reply…

By: CIGARBARMAN

CIGARBARMAN — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:10:57 +0000

I moved to Chicago in January 2009. and when I was offered my job up here, I thought to myself what the city of Chicago was all about. Jazz, Nightlife, Bars, Baseball. Like St. Louis, and the blues musicians from where I grew up, Chicago has a reputation nationally as the cool place where the entertainment legends like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra drank martinis and smoked cigars. Hugh Hefner’s vision of Chicago became reality in the 60s with late night parties and televised musical romps with special guests that included people from all backgrounds and beliefs. Hef’s mansion was not smoke free. Gone are the nights with legends like Buddy Guy performing unforgettable ballads in dark smokey bars. There is something about walking in off the street and smelling the 60 plus year of history at your favorite bar or music venue. Smoking is a lifestyle people. If its not your lifestyle, then that is your choice. But I can’t envision walking into a clean room with white walls and “Glade plug-ins” all around me and hearing great music, meeting lively people and having a good time. Blues, Jazz, Rock and Roll- these movements have historically not been smoke free environments. They are movements of freedom of expression. People free to express their views through music, through discussion, and through drinking, smoking, and experimenting with other mind altering substances.

Our founding fathers met in smokey bars to talk of revolution against the tyranny of the British rulers. They conspired and believed in a free country where the people would not be oppressed. Taxes would not hinder prosperity, and freedom for everyone is gained by self sacrifice. I do not expect to go into a church on Sunday and hand out fliers to a local strip club, I do not expect to walk into a nursing home on a Tuesday and hand out door passes to a prominent club downtown. Everything has its place. I applaud those that respect this truth. We are a society of diversity and cannot be labelled, and cannot be forced to conform to all things. Embrace our differences, damn it.

I am all for personal freedom, personal choice and personal responsibility. I never smoke in the presence of children, while people around me are eating, or at venues where it is inappropriate. However, when I go to a bar, I should be able to choose a bar that will allow me to have an 18 year old single malt scotch and a $25 cigar. I appreciate that not all bars allow me to indulge in this. But I will choose to find one that will.

In retrospect shouldn’t the opposite be true? if you (the non-smoker) chooses to find an establishment that caters to your hatred of smoking. That is your choice. I respect that. But taking away ALL of the establishments where patrons can go to enjoy a smoke indoors with like minded pub goers is not just wrong, its mean-spirited. At the very least it is short-cited.

The Chicago smoking ban insures only that less people will be going to bars and socializing, less taxes will be collected from the bars, and there will ultimately be less places to go at night.

Remember to drink responsibly, smoke responsibly, and vote responsibly… live free my friends.

“I should never have switched from scotch to martinis.”—Humphrey Bogart’s last words

By: jollyrolly

jollyrolly — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:10:25 +0000

So now that the recession is ‘official’ with massive job losses for 2008, especially in Chicago, I have a few questions… How many bars in Chicago have closed their doors and have lost revenue this year due to the smoking ban? How many local music venues have lost revenue this year due to the smoking ban? How many service jobs have been lost never to return because of the smoking ban? Why in countries like Germany are they overturning the smoking ban? Could it be because bars/clubs have been hit so hard that they are losing money/losing their livelihood/their pride OVERTURN THE BAN

By: Colleen

Colleen — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 07:17:40 +0000

Would it be so terrible to find a compromise with the smoking issue? I live in St.Paul which, like Illinois, has a statewide ban on smoking indoors. Prior to the statewide ban, the city of St. Paul required that bars who wanted to allow smoking install special HVAC units that would remove smoke, and that the smoking area be partioned in some manner. Smoking would only be allowed in the bar area and not in restaurant location. For those of us in cold weather states, this is an issue. Smokers are participating in a legal activity and should be allowed to so in area that does bother others. I think both sides could get behind some sort of compromise.

By: Tom Bradley

Tom Bradley — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 20:31:09 +0000

As a restaurant and tavern business broker in the Chicago area, I have observed that the smoking ban has hurt business owner revenue. Some businesses in the food and beverage niche have been forced to sell as a result of direct and indirect taxation, such as the Illinois smoking ban.

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:29:27 +0000

Further to the above, I am coming to Chicago with my wife on the 20 May for a week. I hope I enjoy my stay!

By: Neil

Neil — Mon, 19 May 2008 00:20:32 +0000

I live in the UK where a non smoking ban in public places came in to being in July 2007 – bar trade is suffering and many are closing. I thought that the USA was the land of the free. The anti-smoking Nazis are everywhere and here the Gestapo enforce the law. Where is the freedom of choice? The non-smoking zealots want it all there own way.

What next?

Think of Germany in the 1930’s.

By: Chris

Chris — Sat, 17 May 2008 15:38:13 +0000

Joey-

Thanks for your comments and thanks for stopping by Chicago Hot Blog. You’re welcome to leave your link there.

All I have to say about the smoking ban has been said in the post and comments above.

-Chris