Here in Iowa and Illinois, they've banned smoking in bars for some time now. From my standpoint, I like it. No more getting home and smelling like an ashtray, and having to clean the smoky smell from your gear.
In the beginning, people would get up and go outside to smoke, and you never knew if they were coming back in or not. I saw the crowds slowly get thinner because of the smoking ban, but now after a while, people have gotton used to it, and the crowds are starting to come back. We even play at a bar in Illinois that allows smoking, they just haven't been caught yet. The ones that do get caught lose thier licence for a while, and that kills the bands. It's got to be a hell of a habit to stand outside when it's 20 below and smoking. You should be able to go to a bar, listen to music, get drunk and smoke. They all go hand in hand. But in this area, they still allow the casinos to smoke, so this issue still comes up.
In my opinion, they should leave to the decision of each venue to either allow the smoking or not allow it. No one is forcing anyone to go there.

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Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the less sh*t you have to eat.

I first experienced the ban when I lived in New York City, then it happened to Scotland and then the Republic of Ireland and now here in Northern Ireland.

As a smoker I personally hate it. Being outside during winter in any of those places I mentioned is not for the faint hearted. I can understand non-smokers not wanting it about but it would be nice if we had indoor areas to smoke instead of all these outside decks bars have built in Belfast that are only bearable 3 months of the year.

Its like being treated as a second class citizen in many places too. I was at an OUTDOOR train stop the other week with Binterz and a woman told us to stop smoking as it wasn't allowed and then she started rabbiting on about how its damaging her lungs. I then asked if she owned a car, which she did so I told her I didn't own one, which I don't, and that her exhaust fumes are probably causing more damage to my lungs and environment than my cigarette. She then started to say its against Northern Ireland Railways regulations to smoke at a stop so I asked her if she was going to complain to the train driver about his diesel fumes when the train arrived. That finally shut her up!

I miss sitting and having a pint and a cigarette. As a Scotsman in Ireland I think a lot of the culture has gone. Its just not the same. I also used to enjoy smoking while playing a gig. By the time I get to the end of our set I'm choking for one.

As for the smell, I also preferred the smell of cigarettes, during a big gig all I can smell is sweat, piss from the toilets and bleach from the cleaning. I prefer the smell of smoke to any of these!

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

I quit in 1998 after 32 years... yeah, I started when I was 12 years old. Punk!

Anyway... having flat-lined from cardiac arrest I accepted the wake-up call and gave 'em up. However... when I walk past someone smoking, they sure do smell good! On the flip side... someone who has just put one out and talks with me has got some nasty breath going on.

I'm not one of "those" reformed smokers... you know... the preachers. I don't mind at all if someone smokes around me. About once a year... I might even bum one.

_________________
You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.

Just don't ever ask to bum a faag!

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

I tried to post that even if I was in the UK I wouldn't call it that... the forum blocked the word when spelled with one "A". So I gave up on it!

_________________
You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.

San Antonio does not ban smoking in bars, but some places have realized it makes good business sense to do so anyway.

My wife has chronic asthma, so we never had much of an opportunity to go out and hear live music. But now that our favorite place is smoke-free, we go much more often.

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I really like all them "Aster" guitars. You know, like the Stratoc, Telec and Jazzm.

Even as a exsmoker I prefered the smell of smokey bars for exactly the same reason. The stench of urine and stale beer is stomach churning. My missus said the same thing to me when the smoking ban came in, I didnt believe her. I was smoking at the time and couldnt ever smell much. The thought of going to a pub where I couldnt smoke was so discriminatory I didnt frequent the places. When I quit smoking I walked into my local and walked straight back out. Desolate, dead and smelly.

I dont go to bars anymore at all. When I'm playing you wont find me inside the building much. I certainly wont drink from a place that smells so bad. I even take my own drink be it beer or soft drinks.

All the pubs and clubs here are closing down. Easy to see why, I reckon the tramps have the right idea. Sit round the pond swigging meths or cheap cider and smoking their heads off. Certainly better than being told what to do by these lefty zen facists we have in power.

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No no and no

years ago when the smoking bans began as a non smoker my position was that in bars smoking should still be allowed. i believed that it was such an important part of the bar experience for many that it should still be allowed.
but over the years i will have to say that as a nonsmoker i have really come to like the fact that when i go out to a bar now or when i am playing out that i don't have to be subjected to it.

Amen to that Nikininja!!

It's awful seeing cities like Belfast and Dublin so dead! I love smoking, I know it's bad for my health but to be honest so is crossing the road. Everybody's got to die from something. It's my choice and it shouldn't be anyone else's. And I don't adhere to the passive thing. As I said I don't own a car so I'm pumping less into the air than most people.

I can understand non-smokers point of view but I hate being told not to smoke cos its bad for me by someone drinking alcohol. Pot and kettle anyone?

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

At least there's some positives coming from the ban boss!

CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

i smoke but i always go outside even at home. it's unhealthy, expensive and it stinks. i go outside so i don't offend those who don't smoke.

The main thing is that nicotine and alcohol are quite dependant on eachother. You know what its like when you've had a few and you start getting really thirsty. Well alcohol chases nicotine out of the body, much the same way cafine does.

I dunno whats wrong with our elected dictators. Anyone with half a brain would have thought they'd love the extra revenue from the bar business. Instead they've killed it off, why? It's not like they care about public opinion.

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No no and no

The Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis South Dakota still allows smoking... especially in the "burnout pit"!

Had a nice photo here but decided it was a "little over the top" for a family forum Sorry guys!

This is for real, the upper deck outside the FTS. The smoke is from somebody in the burnout pit that was smoking off his rear tire. Made a heck of a >POP< when it finally gave up the ghost! A terrible stink it was too!

_________________
You're only as strong as
the drinks you pour,
the tables you dance on,
and the friends you roll with.

See now that I can understand. I dont smoke in my house or car, the missus and kids (2,7,12) dont smoke. What I find utterly reprehensible is my local authorities blanket ban on outdoor drinking and refusal to let pubs without beer gardens buy surrounding land to develop a beergarden where smokers could go. It's utter persecution.

The whole concept that if I owned a bar, as a smoker could not advertize it as a smoking bar. Or be allowed to smoke on my own premises is a absolute abuse of my human rights. Yet it's happened everyday to atleast 3 pub owners I know for a good few years now.

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No no and no

After 40 years of smoking I was outside having an after dinner ciggy one evening and for some reason it tasted vile. I threw it away and have never smoked since. During my smoking years I smoked in pubs, pre-ban, but never in my own home, other people's homes or confined spaces like planes etc. I agree with the public smoking ban although I guess I'm running slightly on the hypocritical ticket for doing so. Here in Europe there is a ban on smoking in pubs & clubs but only a fine if you get caught, no loss of license. Many bars poo poo the ban & pay the fine as they lose too much custom otherwise. I no longer drink so it's of no consequence to me.

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And the wild regrets,
And the bloody sweats,
None knew so well as I,
For he who lives more lives than one,
More deaths than one must die.