Ireland is about to ban smoking in pubs. You think it'll fly?
Aug 16th, 2003, 04:26 PM
#41
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Glad that made you laugh, Babette.
As to whether, as you put it, "<i>everyone has become positively mean to smokers and they are treated like second class citizens everywhere now</i>", I can't say from experience since I'm not a smoker. All I can say is that many non-smokers likely feel that <i>they've</i> been treated as second class citizens for many years.
Re: <i>I believe that the best solution is to let bar/pub owners decide whether they wish to offer a smoking bar or a non-smoking bar. And the employees can choose to work in the environment that suits them as well.</i>
Well that's certainly an interesting philosophy. Do you feel that employers should have the right to have whatever working conditions they please -- no matter how hazardous -- and then employees can simply choose whether or not they want to accept these conditions? In otherwords, do you feel that government has no business whatsoever regulation workplace safety, that it should be left up to business owners?
As to whether, as you put it, "<i>everyone has become positively mean to smokers and they are treated like second class citizens everywhere now</i>", I can't say from experience since I'm not a smoker. All I can say is that many non-smokers likely feel that <i>they've</i> been treated as second class citizens for many years.
Re: <i>I believe that the best solution is to let bar/pub owners decide whether they wish to offer a smoking bar or a non-smoking bar. And the employees can choose to work in the environment that suits them as well.</i>
Well that's certainly an interesting philosophy. Do you feel that employers should have the right to have whatever working conditions they please -- no matter how hazardous -- and then employees can simply choose whether or not they want to accept these conditions? In otherwords, do you feel that government has no business whatsoever regulation workplace safety, that it should be left up to business owners?
Aug 17th, 2003, 01:12 AM
#42
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No, I don't think hazardous working conditions should be encouraged but when the law went into effect in Southern California some of the loudest complaints came from bar employees, many smokers themselves. I believe that adults should have the right to make their own choices.
I also believe there are many working conditions for more hazardous than second hand smoke. What about the poor people that work at the drycleaners with all those toxic chemicals in the air? What about the butcher that could easily chop his arm off? What about the PR executive certain to die early of a stress-related illness? I could go on but I'm getting too scared to go to work>
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I also believe there are many working conditions for more hazardous than second hand smoke. What about the poor people that work at the drycleaners with all those toxic chemicals in the air? What about the butcher that could easily chop his arm off? What about the PR executive certain to die early of a stress-related illness? I could go on but I'm getting too scared to go to work>
!
Aug 17th, 2003, 05:32 AM
#44
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Maybe they'll go back to the days of the Public Bar (Pub) with Snooker table & dart board, male: Smoking permitted; Saloon Bar with Piano & mixed crowd: non smoking; and the Private Bar where 'Members' do as they please (Smoking permitted). Most newer Pubs (and Sports' Bars) were not built to accomodate that arrangement but older Pubs (pre-1950's) were.
Aug 19th, 2003, 08:22 AM
#45
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And just to top it off completely - from today (Monday 19th Aug. 2003) our government has banned "Happy Hour" in all bars and any bar caught serving someone who's already drunk will be liable for a hefty fine. So basically, those who want to celebrate the introduction of no smoking in bars are in trouble as well.
