It's official - Washington State is going Smoke Free on Dec 8th

brick · #1 11-10-2005, 03:19 AM

I'm thinking about quiting live poker for the next month,
but I'm worried that I might have withdrawl symptoms from the second hand smoke.

http://www.komonews.com/stories/40178.htm

OLYMPIA - Smokers will be evicted from bars, restaurants and private clubs across the state next month after voters overwhelming approved a statewide indoor smoking ban. Some bar owners worry that their businesses will go with the smokers.

With about 70 percent of the expected vote counted Wednesday, 63 percent of voters supported the more restrictive statewide ban on indoor smoking, 37 percent opposed it.

"I don't look at it as much as a smoking as a personal rights issue," said Bob Materne, owner of The Swinging Doors, a restaurant and sports bar in north Spokane. "My customers can go to war, but they can't smoke."

Materne said the ban - which takes effect Dec. 8 - could force him to lay off of as many as 15 of his 50 employees due to expected loss of business.

#2 11-10-2005, 03:26 AM

Hey, just in time for me to start playing B&M!

Only drawback is it takes away a major tell (according to Caro), but I can live with that (double meaning intended). Maybe the smokers will tilt more.

[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Edit: sounds like the Swinging Doors is one of those rare bars that actively cultivates a smoking clientelle. He might need some good service, atmosphere or prices to make up for that now.

BigBrother · #3 11-10-2005, 04:21 AM

hehe we posted at the same time. I don't get down to Olympia much, but the Spar is a landmark. It would be a shame to see it go.

mike4bmp · #4 11-10-2005, 05:26 AM

the businesses in WA will do fine....the same law is in effect in California...and the last time I was in LA (last December) people were content with having to go outside. I fully support this law...as I am an ex-smoker and sometimes it is hard for me to be around chain smoking poker players. blah!

RadioMike · #5 11-10-2005, 05:26 AM

The best thing to happen to Tacoma since they improved the odor technology at the pulp mill. After choking on fumes and having my eyes water during $3-6 games, I can't wait to play smoke-free poker around this town!!!

pheasant tail (no 18) · #6 11-10-2005, 03:02 PM

Non-smokers will rejoice to be sure.

But lets be clear. This is about being annoyed and not health. I find it disturbing when annoyances are legislated. Not one blurb on the news showed someone walking out of a bar glad for their health. It was mainly platinum blond bimbos who said that they are glad that they will not smell like smoke anymore when they are out ho'in it up.

Card rooms have always had the option to be non-smoking and if all the non-smokers had really cared that much the hideaway would still be in business or at least it would have forced sh!t holes like Parkers to do the same or lose business. (I, BTW both smoke and play in a non-smoking room and agree that it is invasive.)

When super majorities can get away w/ this sort of legislation don't you think that there are things that you like that are in jeopardy, like cardrooms.

Look around next time you are in some dive in shoreline. Do you think any of those places contribute to society. Just one high profile crime by a regular poker player and the voters could take that away in an instant.

Democracy w/o guarantees of personal freedom can be very tyrannical to those who do not fit in a majority.

You can be glad that now you do not have to exercise a choice and not go to a place that allows smoking (like I have), but I'm not so sure that this is really a victory for anyone except the self rightious Washingtonians, of which there are plenty.

brick · #7 11-10-2005, 07:03 PM

The idealist past of me wants to be a libertarian but I realize that we need laws to improve life for the majority. As the standards of the majority change so should the laws.

tonypaladino · #8 11-10-2005, 07:18 PM

[ QUOTE ]
the businesses in WA will do fine....the same law is in effect in California...and the last time I was in LA (last December) people were content with having to go outside. I fully support this law...as I am an ex-smoker and sometimes it is hard for me to be around chain smoking poker players. blah!

[/ QUOTE ]

People don't mind going outside in LA because it's usually nice weather. NYC bars have suffered from the law here. No one wants to stand in the snow to smoke, and people in WA probably won't either.

wayabvpar · #9 11-10-2005, 07:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
No one wants to stand in the snow to smoke, and people in WA probably won't either.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not many people want to stand in a cloud of smoke to drink or play cards either.

Less than 20% of the population smokes. Imposing their will on the vast majority of nonsmokers hardly seems fair.

I am uncomfortable with the perceived invasion of personal rights, but in this case I think it is well justified. Smokers aren't being told they can't smoke; they just can't do it inside public buildings.

#10 11-10-2005, 08:07 PM

Why is it always ok to have the majority rule the minority? Why not let the business owners decide how they want to run their business. If there are so many poker players or people who frequent bars that are non smokers they should open there own business.
If it truely is 20% of people who smoke your business will boom.