Smokers win out in Pierce County (Tacoma WA) | Seattle P-I

[Ediacara]

Smokers win out in Pierce County
With ban overturned, Board of Health to take case to state high court

By JEFFREY M. BARKER
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

TACOMA -- Pierce County's smoking ban was blown out again yesterday -- this time by a trio of state Court of Appeals judges who gave no explanation why they overturned an earlier ruling letting the ban stay in place.

Peggy Warren, owner of the historic Flying Boots restaurant and tavern in Tacoma, immediately ran home to get her stash of ashtrays.

"We're smoking in the bar again!" Jim Mather, a cook at that restaurant, said last night.

More at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer

[Renew Deal]

1. That's unfortunate

:smoke:

[Bandit]

10. My sentiments also

I don't care what a person does in the privacy of their own home but when they enter the public domain they should not be allowed force such filth on the public. A person can't masterbate in public and that doesn't even affect the health of others. Fifty three thousand people died in the US from second hand smoke last year alone. A whole nother Vietnam all over again only we can't fight back.

[FeebMaster]

2. Score one for the good guys.

I think Kevin Phelps should have "authoritarian" tattooed across his forehead.

This issue is not going to go away," he said. "In the near future, this will become a smoke-free state -- it's the trend not only around the country, but internationally."

[Beacho]

3. Good news

I'm a smoker and live in Pierce County.

If the people of Pierce County want smoke free bars, then I can live with that.

What I can't live with is some non elected health nazi ruling by fiat.

Cruz needs to be thrown out on his ass.

[progressivebydesign]

5. See.. the tobacco lobbyists wrote the lameass law we have now.

Unfortunately, it comes down to having people in the government that do not receive tobacco money to tackle this issue. It makes me ill (literally and figuratively) to go into smoke filled restaurants and bars. Unfortunately for the musicians in this state, you either die of starvation or you die of second hand smoke.

If any of the people against the smoking ban actually did some reasearch, they'd find that business improved greatly for bars and restaurants in areas where a smoking ban was enacted.

I do think, however, a compromise on a statewide smoking ban would be feasible if it exempted those cheezy private casinos, and bars smaller than a certain size... those hole in the wall taverns (the social clubs for the hard core drinkers and smokers). I think that would be an acceptable way to do it.

I think smoking IS a dire public health issue, I applaud Cruz for having the balls to do something. Smoking declined 11% in New York City after their ban was enacted. In a are of .. was it South Dakota or Montana (?), the emergency room visits and heart attacks were significantly reduced during their ban.. which, of course, was overturned thanks to tobacco money.

I still have no clue why anyone would want to kill themselves slowly like that. Having lost a father, both grandfathers, an aunt, two uncles, nearly a brother and another aunt to smoking... it just makes no sense. Of course, the funniest thing is an acquaintance who smokes two packs a day and buys bottled water.. "because of all those bad chemicals in tap water".

I'm in Pierce County, too.

[AngryAmish]

7. Why smoke?

Because I enjoyed it. Smoked for eight years, quit a few months ago. I'm kinda shy and it gave me something to do with my hands. It helped me meet girls.

Bars should always allow smoking. Restuarants should make up their own minds.

Going to bars creates some craving, but at about the same level as pizza for me.

[candy]

4. That's one for freedom,let the owner decide.

Most are smokefree anyway.

[progressivebydesign]

6. No they're not.. where do you get that idea? N/T

[candy]

8. The article said that 90-95%would remain smokefree---

I assume that's what the owners want.

[KT2000]

9. This is too hilarious

The Tacoma/Pierce Country Health Department is so worried about the health of its citizens that it had enforcers out giving citations and fines to businesses that allowed smoking.

Tacoma has been home to some of the worst polluting mills there are - dioxin covers the entire county - arsenic too.
The bay is filled with toxic chemicals.

The health department would never run over to Weyerhauser and tell them to quick making the citizens sick with cancer, birth defects and more. Not a peep - ever!!

The ex-director of the EPA had top recuse himslef from discussion about agent orange because as ex-director of Weyerhauser he knew that the ingredients of agent orange were sprayed all over the Northwest as part of the company's maintenance of their forest land. Where was the health department when that was going on???

[slydemfox]

11. Non-smoker says alleluia!

I hate smoke as much as anyone and have a 3 year old son I like to protect. However, it's called capitalism. If people don't want second hand smoke--don't go there. Business will go down and owners will change. I didn't join the military because I didn't want to go to war. I didn't become an asbestos remover in case the suits didn't work. I don't go to restaurants that are smoke filled--that is my choice. I don't need the government making it for me. Heaven knows Ashcroft is in my life enough already! I'm a big girl now. If everyone is worried about the second hand smoke they are breathing in restaurants--maybe they need to stay home and have a family dinner around the kitchen table with some healthy food--after all, obesity is now the second leading cause of death behind cig. smoke.