Smoking Ban in New Jersey
 

The New Jersey Assembly just passed the smoking ban in all bars and restaurants, exempting only cigar bars and casinos. The Governor is expected to sign the bill into legislation that will probably take effect in 90 days.

Is this a good or a bad thing? Did it really affect business in New York? How will it affect your travel plans?

P.S. Yes, it's a slow morning. :-) ((b))

The smoking ban has a somewhat weird effect on bar behavior, I've noticed here in Florida. It used to be that the smokers stayed at the bar and the fresh air junkies would go outside occasionally (or leave altogether). Now it's the opposite. Bar crowds have reversed, with the smokers either staying away altogether or drinking and rushing outside between food courses (how annoying is that?) for a quick smoke.

Also, restaurants with patio seating have become a magnet for smokers. They often stink so much that non-smokers decline to sit outside. Flip flop for sure!

Fail to understand why the states that do this always want to exempt the casinos....same thing going on around here as well...big push to ban smoking in all bars but let the casinos have free smoking. Seems idiotic to me. The places with the most smoke, stink, nasty air are casinos. They should be the FIRST place to be impacted by a ban. I realize that the states are just trying to protect a big revenue source but why should they be treated differently from the local mom and pop bar and grill? I really think that each establishment should make their own rules about smoking and let the market decide.

I have to agree with the posts above by Joan and Curt.

Here in NY the smoking ban has been disasterous for me.

No, I'm not a smoker, but now most bars are smoke-free enough (there's still some "cheating" going on) that I'm often going into the bar after a dinner for a drink or two!

And now, seriously -- sales tax reports/receipts from restaurants and bars are UP in NY state. Yes, there have been some "casualties" of businesses going under ... I have some, but not much, sympathy for them. What food service operator can't see the writing on the wall? With 70%+ of the population NOT smoking, would you pursue your market from the 30%- or the 70%+ share?

These bans are a result of operators not doing enough to segregate smoking from non-smoking. Some so an admirable job, many do a pzpoor job, almost holding those who want non-smoking (of which many ARE smokers) in disdain. So all food service operators end up paying for the sins of the few. I think smokers should be able to enjoy a meal too.

My travel plans are unchanged. If a restaurant anywhere does not care about my comfort enough to provide a (relatively) smoke-free area, then they obviously don't care if I spend money there or elsewhere.

In Massachusetts, a few years ago, restaurateurs were SO sure that the new smoking ban would doom them, since smokers would avoid their places. Guess what -- smokers managed to find other places to smoke, and business actually went UP because of all the nonsmokers who had apparently been avoiding smoky venues! So letting the owners set policies would have backfired on them.

Having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a pool.

We've had a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in California for quite awhile now. Like other places, people predicted doom and gloom for restaurants, bars, and tourism in general. That didn't happen.

The reason the casinos are exempt are simple.

Over 30% of all gamblers smoke. Ban smoking and the gamblers will avoid your casino.

The casinos that tried to go smoke free went out of business.

Casinos generate mucho moola for the state.

The casino exemption is only for their floor areas, not bars and restaurants. Although I am not a smoker and don't particularly like to breath someone else's smoke, I am against the smoking bans. We have become a nation of government control. If I want to drive without my seat belt, ride a cycle without a helmet, smoke in a smoking section of a restaurant then it is my business. Can you believe that I was pulled over in Central Park in Manhattan and received a ticket for not wearing my seatbelt? IMHO That was a total waste of police time.

I can't believe there are still people out there that don't wear their seatbelt!

The point is NOT if we should wear seatbelts or not. Of course we should! The point is how much control should the government have. I just happen to believe in less government control.

Concerning smoking/sealt belts and "Government control"...isn't it much more about Insurance companies and the costs?
If no one wears a seat belt and they all have injuries in a fender bender, insurance companies deal with personal injury, personal injury lawyers get involved and you know what that means!
If someone smokes for 50 years then gets lung cancer, they sue Phillip Morris for their problems. Lawyers, money comes into the mix.

Of course, there is so much more involved but I think it is much more about the money involved than "government control"..

Personally, I enjoy a smokeless environment no matter where I go. While we lived in NY, I never noticed a drop in business in any of the places we went, because they could no longer smoke inside.
I think it can only be a good thing in the long run.

I think the biggest "casualty" of the smoking ban has been the increased amount of sidewalk traffic outside popular bars. This has impacted the residents of the neighborhoods with a high density of bars (East and West Village, Chelsea, etc.) because of the added noise from packs of tipsy smokers and discarded cigarette butts. There has been a lot of press lately about residents in these neighborhoods standing up to the state liquor board and protesting additional liquor licenses for new bars wanting to open in these neighborhoods.

I am personally a social smoker, and I've found that the ban has encouraged me to smoke less. In the winter it gets too cold to go outside for frequent smoke breaks. In the warmer months, you have to find a smoking buddy to come outside! It's also kind of nice to not come home at night reeking like an ash tray. When I go to other states where smoking is allowed in bars and restaurants, I'm surprised by how much I dislike smelling it while I eat.

SusieQQ, while I respect your opinion, not wearing a seatbelt can have serious consiquences to someone who has nothing to do with your decision.

What if you and I had a wreck and you were not wearing your seatbelt and did not survive an otherwise survivable crash?

I would have to live with your death for the rest of my life. My insurance would also bear the brunt of your decision.

When this happened in New York all the smokers claimed they would stop going out and resturant business would be down. In fact, the opposite happened - and restaurant/bar business is up overall - probably because they're now more pleasant places to be.

So - it's helping increase profits - as well as benefiting the health of other patrons and staff.

It's great that another state is joining the 21st century.

I have just one word about the smoking ban in NJ..... YAY!

Great news!

The old idea that smoking is a personal choice is obviously being debunked. It is a personal choice- only if all smokers live in a bubble and pay out of pocket for their healthcare.

Otherwise, smoke affects non-smokers, both from a health standpoint, as well as a financial standpoint. Smokers have more health problems, which leads to health care costs going up, which leads to higher Medicaid/Medicare/Insurance costs.

True about smoking and healthcare costs, but obsesity is a FAR bigger problem.

Obesity is a much bigger problem, which is why many insurers cover gastro-bypass surgery.

Mah1980 hit the nail on the head. It is not about the smokers it is about the non-smokers. In essence when someone smokes they force everyone in there general vicinity to breath their smoke as well. I don't care if someone chooses to smoke until there lungs fall out, that is their choice but when someone smokes indoors it effects everyone else in the building. Overeating on the other hand only affects the person doing the eating. Smoking laws are not for the smokers but the non-smokers! In Florida it has been determined that the smoking ban has not caused restaurant business to decline.

I was responding to the comment that smoking costs us all in health insurance costs. As does obesity.