One Non Smoker's Take on the Smoking Ban

One non-smokers thoughts on the smoking ban in bars

Okee, here’s the deal: I don’t smoke, never have. I have been a long time bar musician, and patron. No, I don’t like coming home smelling like smoke, no I don’t like my hair being all stinky till I take a shower. But, I have always understood that if I CHOOSE to work and socialize in that environment, that there would be smokers. No one was forcing me into these establishments.

I think these bans are great for grocery stores, straight up restaurants, and other public places. But, if these places serve booze, and are open past 10pm, then the smokers should be allowed in. What the non-smoking people don’t understand is that a bar survives on the people who sit, drink & smoke every day or every weekend. I believe this ban was brought about by people who go out once in a while (if ever) and are home by Midnight. No thought whatsoever about the waitresses, bartenders, bar owners and musicians out there trying to make a living at these places. Not to mention an entire portion of society who LOVES to go out to a packed bar, listen to music and have fun with their friends, smokers or not.

Are all these non-smokers going to suddenly become party animal drinkers who stay out till 2am every weekend? I highly doubt it. So, while this ban has made it more comfortable for the people who go out once in a while, it has pretty much obliterated the vibe inside the bars for those who are there regularly.

It would be different if the smokers had been replaced by this huge flock of non-smokers who have been chomping at the bit to go to the bar, drink and stay out late every weekend. But, no, that hasn’t happened. If you are going to make rules, and complain, you better be getting your asses in there to make up the difference. Your $20 tab every 6 months isn’t going to help anyone.

I would like to ask the non-smokers: Was your only reason for not going to the bar the smoke? Are you going more often now that there is no smoke? Or was it other factors, like finances, not liking to drink, or be around drunks, not liking to stay out late, or a ton of other reasons. If the ONLY reason was the smoke, where are you? Why aren’t you out wooping it up now that you got your way?

Yes, where are all you non-smokers who wanted these bans? Not at the bars here in NC. Nothing has changed for you people, you’ll still come out once in a while and spend your meager amount of cash. But those of us who are there every weekend now serve less people, in a boring atmosphere…thanks a lot, my checkbook really appreciates it.

So if you were one of the ones on the high and mighty “no smoking anywhere ever” band wagon, get out there and spend some money at the places you have hurt, and do it a hell of a lot more often than you did before the ban. Bars should be overflowing with people who couldn’t wait to get in there and drink smoke free.

Every time you see a small local pub or bar go out of business, you can know for sure it was your fault entirely. Your fault by 1. taking away steady business and 2. not going in there any more than you did before anyway. Way to go.