Havasimy

New Jersey just enacted a new law banning smoking in all public buildings. When the law took effect at midnight, I was at a restaurant/bar that was following the law at midnight. The place is connected to another bar that was letting patrons smoke til closing. People kept coming in and asking for an ashtray to use on the smoking side. They didn't need the ashtrays over there. They figured that the ashtrays would no longer be needed and they could take them home with them. They were nice solid glass ashtrays. The owner of the bar also owns atleast one place in PA, where smoking is allowed, so the manager wasn't letting them take them, but still alot of people came over asking. Some outright asked to keep them. Some used the excuse that they were only taking them next door.

I heard that pretty soon there won't be smoking allowed within 25 feet of a bar or restaurant. I'm not sure if that law has been passed and just in a waiting period or if that law is still waiting to be passed.

I don't smoke, but have no problem with smoking. I tried to explain to someone why I didn't like the smoking ban. Part of it is the fact that people should be allowed to harm themselves and if a smoking ban is truly good for business, then bars would stop allowing smoking. The other part that once the health nuts win a total ban on all smoking, they'll go after stuff I do care about. I couldn't convince the people I was talking to, but I didn't have this article at the time. This article describes very well why I don't like bans on smoking.