Well, they did it. Allegheny County Council went ahead and passed the smoking ban.

Anybody out there slitting their wrists over this?

I’m cool with it, and honestly could live with it either way. Sure, I’d LOVE not to come home from a restaurant, bar, or club smelling like a cigarette, and sure, I’d love not to have to breathe in what as a nonsmoker smells to me like pukish death. But I’d deal with it the same way I deal with it now — Tide with Febreeze and carefully timed breathing.

The vote was 11-1 (UPDATE:  Reader Matt H informs me the vote was actually 14-1), and that means if Danny O decides to veto, his veto will likely get overturned. Voting against was Richard Narone, or now The Smokers’ Hero!, who said:

“I’m a little concerned about passing legislation when you start taking rights of individuals away,” said Mr. Nerone, who is a non-smoker. “I honestly believe this is a state issue and should be taken care of at the state level.”

I totally understand his position on the state, however, please people stop talking about your RIGHT to smoke in a public place. If it is even a right, what about my right not to breathe in your noxious fumes? Fumes that if you smoke indoors, linger for all of us to inhale. So if somebody’s got to go outside, it should be the smokers so their smoke can just fly up to the clouds and dance away.

The article quotes a bartender:

Ms. Steenson said of the non-smoking ban: “This will really hurt. I’m worried we may have to cut down on the number of employees here. People will have to lose jobs.”

Lord, lady. Why don’t you give it a month before you start freaking out the employees of the bar with your, “Nobody is going to come here anymore if they can’t smoke!” message?

My question, if you are a smoker and there is a bar or establishment that you particularly like and are a regular at, if you can no longer smoke while you eat and drink there, will you simply continue to go there and maybe have a smoke outside or afterwards, or will you drive to another county, pick a new “regular” place, and never ever go back to where you used to go? Be honest about it. Really.

My hunch is that the smokers will adapt in the same way that they have in other cities.

And FINALLY (man, this post is long),

Council amended it last night so that nonprofit organizations can apply for a waiver to allow smoking at fund-raisers.

Anyone care to explain that one to me? Why do nonprofits need to allow smoking at fund-raisers? Why the nonprofits? Huh?

Category: Dan Onorato, Eye rolls | September 27, 2006 | | ShareThis