Statewide Smoking Ban in Georgia

[Adam Griffin]

How do you guys feel about this new law, if you know about it? Basically it bans smoking in all restaurants that do not have protective "smoke barriers" or establishments with more than 10 employees I believe. It is also a family matter with me, considering that my great uncle (Don Thomas R-Dalton) was the main sponsor of this bill. What are your thoughts?

[??????????]

How do you guys feel about this new law, if you know about it? Basically it bans smoking in all restaurants that do not have protective "smoke barriers" or establishments with more than 10 employees I believe. It is also a family matter with me, considering that my great uncle (Don Thomas R-Dalton) was the main sponsor of this bill. What are your thoughts?

Anyone who is for this is a freedom hater.

[Jake]

Over the line. Though banning smoking in private restaurants is something that I would consider a good thing, you must take private property rights in consideration here.

[patrick1]

Bars were never supposed to be health clubs--there are no safe realms from the health conscious yuppie/hippies.  Beware: An inch turns into a mile real soon.

[Bono]

Over the line. Though banning smoking in private restaurants is something that I would consider a good thing,

Stillflirting with fascism?

[John Dibble]

How do you guys feel about this new law, if you know about it? Basically it bans smoking in all restaurants that do not have protective "smoke barriers" or establishments with more than 10 employees I believe. It is also a family matter with me, considering that my great uncle (Don Thomas R-Dalton) was the main sponsor of this bill. What are your thoughts?

See signature. Since you're a newbie here, I'll give ya the lowdown on my opinion - I don't believe that privately owned restaraunts should be considered public, therefore it is no business of the government to determine their policy on smoking. These places are private property, and therefore the owners have the right to choose their own policy. I feel that if you do not like a restaraunt's policy on smoking, you should exercise your own right to choose not to go to that restaraunt, not use the guns of government to force them to comply. I am absolutely fine, though somewhat ambivalent, when it comes to banning smoking in truly public places - that is, owned by the government, which since we live in a democracy is technically owned by the people. I hope you tell this to your great uncle, so that he can at least hear the opinion of one of the state's residents on this matter. Also, just to note, I do not smoke, so a ban wouldn't harm me, I simply hold private property rights in high regard.

[minionofmidas]

Opposed.

[Hitchabrut]

How do you guys feel about this new law, if you know about it? Basically it bans smoking in all restaurants that do not have protective "smoke barriers" or establishments with more than 10 employees I believe. It is also a family matter with me, considering that my great uncle (Don Thomas R-Dalton) was the main sponsor of this bill. What are your thoughts?

Anyone who is for this is a freedom hater.

[Jake]

Over the line. Though banning smoking in private restaurants is something that I would consider a good thing,

Stillflirting with fascism?

Oh yeah, of course, don't quote the next sentence where I state my position.

[A18]

Over the line. Though banning smoking in private restaurants is something that I would consider a good thing,

Stillflirting with fascism?

Oh yeah, of course,

Well, obviously.

[Banana Republic]

Bars were never supposed to be health clubs--there are no safe realms from the health conscious yuppie/hippies.  Beware: An inch turns into a mile real soon.

^^^

[Adam Griffin]

I totally agree with you guys. Being a smoker myself, I think that the decision should be left up to the individual restaurant owners; however, even before I was a smoker, I felt the same on this issue.  It is funny how Republicans around here are typically for large-scale legislation that calls for bigger government and more regulation, and then in turn give these same reasons why they do not vote for Democrats in national elections. My great-uncle is a doctor, so I know that is the main reason behind this law, however, you can't play doctor to an entire state.

[KEmperor]

How do you guys feel about this new law, if you know about it? Basically it bans smoking in all restaurants that do not have protective "smoke barriers" or establishments with more than 10 employees I believe. It is also a family matter with me, considering that my great uncle (Don Thomas R-Dalton) was the main sponsor of this bill. What are your thoughts?

Anyone who is for this is a freedom hater.

I'm afraid I must agree.  We have the same law in New York, and it's a pain in the ass at bars.  I strongly oppose it.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

While we don't have such a law in Minnesota, we do in Minneapolis and one was recentely passed in my city even though it doesn't take effect for another year. Every time I'm in Minneapolis, I think it's great. It's really nice being able to go to all the hangouts, bars and strip clubs up there without breathing that disgusting cancer causing sh**t.

[Erc]

Yes, yes, I know it's a violation of property rights, and all that...but I love these laws.  Anything that minimizes my contact with smokers is a good thing in my book.

Besides, it might save restaurants on money if they don't have to have the big separation between smoking and non-smoking sections anymore.

[John Dibble]

Yes, yes, I know it's a violation of property rights, and all that...but I love these laws.  Anything that minimizes my contact with smokers is a good thing in my book.

It's all about you, isn't it? I swear we've become so damn spoiled about getting our way in this country...