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Smoking Ban? Wrong Approach
by Hunter Davis

 

March 02, 2004
Tuesday


Visit any number of dining, drinking, or entertainment establishments in town and you will more often than not find a grey, stale fug hanging in the air. Do I like it? No, but then I do not have to frequent these places.

Lallette has perhaps the best reason for a smoking ban, that of the hired help. I agree fully with her reasoning on that point.

I frequent resturaunts that are smokeless. Not divided, because that does not work, at all, period. These resturaunts choose to be smokeless and there is no benefit, other than health, to them to do so, but I don't see standing room only at the reservation lines. Support those businesses that have made a non-smoking choice and let the smoking ones know why they do not have your custom. But a ban...?

A ban is just another case of Big Daddy using a sledgehammer to drive nails. There is no doubt that the sledgehammer will work, just as an ENFORCED, Draconian ban would, but do we really need more darn law? Instead of fining an establishment, on top of the loss of income that will follow elimination of smoking rights, why not provide a property or other tax credit for establishments that choose to go smokeless? Let them choose to stop, use a carrot, not a hammer.


Hunter Davis
Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

Related Viewpoint:

Fresh Air For All by Lallette Kistler - Ketchikan, AK - USA

 

 

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