DC Council Approves Smoking Ban

[northzax]

D.C. Council Approves Smoking Ban
Bars Should Smoke Free in January 2007
By Eric M. Weiss
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, January 4, 2006; 4:00 PM

The D.C. Council today approved a broad ban on smoking in District bars and restaurants. Mayor Anthony A. Williams (D) has threatened to veto the bill, but supporters have more than enough votes to override a veto.

The ban, which passed by a vote of 11-1, is modeled closely on similar restrictions in New York City. The District ban would first apply to all restaurant dining rooms upon enactment and then extend to bars, nightclubs and taverns in January 2007.

Council member Carol Schwartz (R-At Large), cast the lone vote against the ban. Council member Sharon Ambrose (D-Ward 6) was absent for the vote.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/04/AR2006010401310.html

[Skinner]

1. Interesting.

I'm not a smoker, so I can't say I'll mind going to smoke-free bars. But I'm not really sure if I agree with this.

On a related note... I'm guessing we'll see a lot of new "hookah bars". From the article...

The longest debate was over whether to exempt the city's eight hookah bars, where people smoke tobacco out of a shared pipe. Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) argued that hookah bars should be exempt because tobacco use is the central focus of their business.

Schwartz then jumped on Graham. "If it's all in the guise of protecting worker health, why would you want to kill off the hookah bar workers?" she said to laughs in the packed council chambers. "The hypocrisy is just astounding."

The council approved the hookah bar exemption, as well as an amendment by Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) to exempt any business that can show that it gets 10 percent or more of its annual revenue from tobacco sales, excluding cigarette machines.

[northzax]

2. and bars that sell smokes

since if they can get their sales to 10.1 percent, they get to keep smoking.

I guess this is the Chi-Cha exemption, with the hookah. Their value just went up.

[PoBoy321]

3. I've had similar feelings about the ban

I certainly agree with the smoking ban, as I think that its benefits far exceed the negative of removing a business owner's ability to decide for himself whether or not to allow smoking in his bar/restaurant, but I've had similar confusion about the ban not extending to hookah bars or cigar bars.

The way that I see it is this. In a bar, they sell food and drinks. The only intrinsic aspect of the bar are getting food and drinks, and everything else is cursory. There is no innate aspect of a bar which requires it to be filled with smoke. That is an atmosphere created by a considerable number of patrons who choose to do so inside of the bar.

In a place like a cigar or hookah bar, however, a very large percentage of their income comes from selling tobacco and allowing their customers to smoke there. So the obvious difference is that a bar is still a bar without smoke, but what is a hookah bar without hookahs?

[newyawker99]

6. Hi PoBoy321!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Ian in DC]

4. Smoking Ban now in Effect

I love the smoking Ban... I can actually go to lounges again next year.

But in the bizarro world that is the District of Columbia, the Mayor signing a bill does NOt mean it comes into effect. The U.S. Congress always has 30 days to nullify a law passed by the DC City Council, no matter how legitimate. But that 30 day timetable has passed and the first phase of the DC smoking ban is in effect... But the whole Congressional veto capability still makes me livid.

[Skinner]

5. Me too.

Welcome to DU, Ian. :thumbsup: