Virginia is ready to institute its own smoking ban in restaurants. Many non-smokers rejoice in this, but they don’t realize all the consequences to businesses. I’m personally not in favor of such bans, even though I don’t smoke cigarettes, since it forces the hand of business owners. But really, in the long run, most restaurants and bars manage just fine.
There are some establishments, however, where smoking is an integral part of the environment. Cigar shops and hookah bars make their living by providing havens for people to smoke. NBC highlights a few hookah bars in Virginia that are under threat from the ban. After reading that, I see no reason why cigar shops and hookah bars should not be exempt from the law, as was done in DC. Customers going to and employees working in such establishments know up front that they are in a place specifically meant for smoking. So the argument of “protecting the employees” is just silly.
I enjoy the occasional cigar and hookah, so I’ll be very sad to see this ban take place if the exemptions are not made. Charlottesville is seeing a rise in popularity of Middle Eastern dance, and some of the same venues that feature dance also offer hookahs. We’ll have the food, the tea, the music, the dancers… but no hookahs? That’s just a shame.
Buy me a pretty hookah and we’ll party at my place!
I’m a 7th (and final!) year
4 responses so far ↓
Caravan Trading Group // February 26, 2009 at 15:50 |
The problem with smoking bans like these is that they seek to “protect” a perceived right of some at the expense of a true right of others. Just as anyone who doesn’t want to hear racy music, watch sex scenes in film, or listen to graphic language on television can exercise their right to turn off the box or change the channel, people who don’t want to be around smoke can exercise their right to stay away from places where it takes place. Employees of establishments where smoking devices are part of the business know about, and by default agreed to, what they will experience at work.
People who want to institute smoking bans really need to re-read John Stuart Mill’s essay On Liberty!
invaderxan // February 27, 2009 at 06:12 |
Yeah, it was a similar situation here in the UK a couple of years back. I’m sure several Hookah bars have closed down by now, and I know one lebanese restaurant which just won’t be the same…
There is one place I know which now serves hookahs at an outdoor table. Somehow that doesn’t quite seem the same, either — British weather is… non-ideal.
Kimbo // February 27, 2009 at 07:30 |
Although I support smoking bars and the like, I do not support smoking just anywhere. Just as there should be havens for people to smoke, there should be havens that are smoke-free for people who are sensitive to it or make a conscious effort not to be around it. As it was, there was smoking everywhere. That was hardly a fair situation either. There needs to be a middle ground.
Michael Caton // February 27, 2009 at 22:14 |
Smoking ban went into effect in Cali in 98. No mass extinction of restaurants and bars. One of the best arguments is protection of workers, because now people don’t have to work in smoke-filled rooms.