The Smoking Ban in KC: How Bad Will It Be?
by LaToya Prater, vice president, Parliament Lights Inc.
A lot of smokers are getting squirmy. The ban on smoking has been put in place in
many major cities: New York, L.A., and…um…Lawrence, Kan. And it's only a matter
of time before it comes to Kansas City. But what does "ban" really mean?
On a visit to Bakersfield, Calif., just after the ban went into effect, I found
myself smoking it up with everyone else at a local dive bar that flat out refused to
enforce the ban. And not one cop was there to fine the bar or me.
Sure, people who want a smoke-free environment should have that option, but does
that mean people who want a smoke-filled environment should be totally hosed? What will
happen to bars that are for adults who want to drink their life away? These people aren't
there to eat, or entertain their kids or talk about EPA polices. They're there to smoke
their generic Always Save 100s and expedite the liver damage ASAP.
KCDrinker recently visited Austin, Texas. And everyone knows that's a party spot.
They've got the smoking ban. It didn't seem to mean much. From the photo below, you can
see what happened in the course of a night at Jackalope, one of the Sixth Street hot
spots. Sure, the bar provides plenty of NO SMOKING signs and no ashtrays, but patrons are
sneakier than that. By the time it got dark, tiny orange flares and burning circular coals
were alight everywhere and the sweet mellow taste of tobacco filled the air and my lungs.
It's on the smoker's head, too. You, not the bar, get fined if you get caught.
As I snuck my ashes in to one of the many rocks glasses the bar seemed to
unnecessarily provide, I got nervous when I found out there was actually a cop in the bar,
but he was off-duty, and anyway, he was smoking while he played pool.
"What, me, smoke??"
So I guess it must be pretty expensive to put your city's finest on patrol every
night to catch those naughty smokers. We went around and asked some Kansas City locals
what they thought.
KCD: With the mayoral race well underway, closer looms the threat of a ban
on smoking in public places. What do you think about the smoking ban?
Melissa Harfelt
schoolteacher
"They're making another Smoky and the Bandit? Why not just give it up already?? I
mean, after the seventh one, "Mission to Moscow," I think everyone's had enough.
"
Carl Jackson
senior vice president, ABank
"This means smoking weed in public is now legal, though, right?"
Sam Adams
brewer, patriot
"Who gives a f*ck? I'm a brewer and a mother f*cking patriot!"
Michael P. Curry
beverage services professional
"*&#($^(#^ f*cking Eddy ^#()%$(^%)7 Eddy goddamned &%$(%& Eddy!"
Courtesy of www.stuffonmycat.com
