What do you think about smoking bans? I read an article about pub business suffering from these bans but do you support keeping cigarettes from being smoked in public enclosures?

The same sort of reaction happened when smoking started to be banned in Toronto but it was really just a small adjustment that I think was for the greater good.

Your thoughts?

We have these same laws here in the states. I can say that a lot of people seemed to not be happy about them at first but it really doesn't seem to have effected the bars business. It might have at the very beginning but not for long. I personally think it is a good idea. I am a smoker and wish I was not but I had already made the change not to smoke in public places.

Well, as a non-smoker it seems pretty fair that people aren't allowed to smoke in public places. I mean, I didn't really mind it so much when I was in Spain a few years back since everyone smoked and there was no getting around it, so I got used to it fairly quickly. But it's a matter of health, as secondhand smoking is very bad, so I think it makes sense to get people to smoke where they can't harm others. As for bar business, I don't see how it can make a significant loss, since bars/pubs are still places to hang out and drink, even if you don't smoke in there.

I think that the bars were afraid they might lose business because a lot of the patrons seem to be smokers. More so when they are drinking. It seems like a lot of places are following suit now.

But the thing is, where do the smokers go then? They don't go to pubs to smoke, or do they? I'm just curious, and I don't really know since I'm not a smoker.

Well smoker's still go to bars and pubs. I least from what I am seeing they do. Most of them just head outside if they want to smoke. Some owners have even added patio's outside so in the nice weather the smokers can go out on the patio and smoke.

As a non-smoker, I have no problems with the ban, but I agree with the comments above about the "pub regulars." It seems to me that most of them are smokers. I don't really think it will affect business if the other pubs have to abide by the same ban.

Yes, I mean it may definitely be bad if only one pub had to enforce this rule, but since all pubs are affected by it, I can't see why it should hinder business at all unless everyone stops going to the pubs altogether which is highly improbable.

brandon05 wrote:
Well smoker's still go to bars and pubs. I least from what I am seeing they do. Most of them just head outside if they want to smoke. Some owners have even added patio's outside so in the nice weather the smokers can go out on the patio and smoke.

I have actually seen owners adding patios for smokers quite a bit. Most of the time, they add a covered patio for smokers because it is cold outside in the winter. Some have even put heaters outside.

Yes, it seems to be what a lot of owners are doing now. I guess they had to find someway around the new law. I know that I wouldn't stand outside in the winter though. I am a freeze baby.