Ways around anti-smoking laws

[nimravus01]

From my understanding about the Washington state version of the law, all public places that have customers and staff must be smoke free. There was a revision in the works to allow "cigar lounges" where customers were self served, (employees are not allowed in the cigar section for their own health,) but, the revision died in committee.

The way Washington's law is written, I don't see a problem by having a private "club" since a private club is not a public place, nor do employees have to go in there.

It's funny... I do sound for a local band on the side and we play in a lot of bars. As soon as it's closing time and all the customers are herded outside, all the bar tenders light up cigarettes.

[havana_lover]

Well here in germany smoking is no longer allowed in Public buildings i.e. bus / trainstation airport or hospital. Granted there are still smoking areas in all of these places you just cant wall around smoking.. In Resturant and bars the ban should go into effect next year for us but Im not too sure if it will pass. I mean our president smokes for crying out loud..

Oh well, well see what happens on in cigar shops and clubs they cant make them stop so no worries for me..

[fizguy]

I'm pretty sure that in Maryland if you even had a thought like that the thought police would arrest you and no one would remember who you were.

[c2000]

While I'm reading this thread I'm thinking to myself how absolutely silly all of this has become, the public has been sufficiently brain washed into believing that any whiff of smoke and you are likely to go down. It seems to be a world wide phenomenon ..Some day this earth of ours is going to get hit by a great big rock and then everyone will be smelling smoke..


Jerry in Minnesota.

[Skinsfan]

Read this PDF file about www.titancigar.com getting around the state wide smoking ban in Maryland

http://www.titancigar.com/documents/...ingban_000.pdf

[butterbeezy]

Originally Posted by Wang Lung

Kalifornia's ban is based on employee protection, as opposed to the "child protection" angle some States have used.

Consequently, owner operated businesses and volunteer workers are exempt. e.g., bingo halls, run by volunteers, are exempt and can allow smoking if they choose. The hall I volunteer at to support our swim team has a smoking area. Unfortunately, cigars and pipes are not welcome. And the pool hall down the street from me is owner operated, and smoking is allowed. Cigars are welcome there.

The bar that i go to that allows smoking is owner operated (all the bartenders own a share). I know it's different for every state. There should be a loophole somewhere. I guess that's what attorneys are for.

[Skinsfan]

This restaurant in Washington DC beat the DC smoking ban somehow as well

http://shellysdc.com/cigars.html

[ritan]

All this to me is interesting. The only place close to all these draconian anti-smoking laws in many parts of Asia is Singapore where you have specially designated areas in sidewalks and outside buildings and bans on indoor smoking.

Recently, in Kuala Lumpur I pulled out a MonteCristo No.3 CC at the Mandarin Oriental lobby lounge and the waitress quickly brought a cigar ashtray and a lighter, no questions. Pretty much all of China allows smoking - indoors and outdoors. Hong Kong has smoking and non-smoking sections in restaurants, which is reasonable. Jakarta is easy, banned inside many malls but fine anywhere else; just sniff for the smell of clove cigarettes. Cambodia, Bangladesh are all smoke 'em if you have 'em. I just need to watch it when I go to Toronto to visit family. Sigh!

[kvm]

A friend of mine owns a bar here in NY and we have had several discussions about the smoking law. When NY instituted the ban if you proved a certain amount of business loss you could get a waiver or if you were registered as a cigar bar you were good. He was the first in the county to get a waiver and the entire building was open for smoking. Then the state gave him a few rules.

1. Only owners and volunteers could work in the smoking area. No employees.
2. The bands could not play in a smoking area.
3. Clubs with members only didn’t matter. Rules 1 and 2 still applied.

He now has a closed off room for smoking with windows overlooking the dance floor and pool table so he can still have smoking, bands and employees.
We had one cigar bar here and it closed down and was reopened by one of the original owners. The catch is the waiver doesn’t carry over and no new bars or restaurants opened after the smoking ban went into effect can even get a waiver.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Scud

I know there has to be ways around the laws, but can't find anything so if someone knows, please share. A friend's neighbor owns a bar in Illinois that he made a "club" and that people had to become members for $.50 and sign-up on a membership list. He's hoping to be able to offer a place to smoke after the first of the year, but is dealing with his lawyers to make sure he won't have his ass in a ringer.

The new law in Illinois says that a "private club" must be in existance for 4 years prior to being exempt from the smoking law. So unless he had this brainstorm in 2003, he will be S.O.L.

[omowasu]

Originally Posted by icehog3

The new law in Illinois says that a "private club" must be in existance for 4 years prior to being exempt from the smoking law. So unless he had this brainstorm in 2003, he will be S.O.L.

Might be time to join one of the local Moose lodges? If anything, I have heard that Moose, VFW. Legion, etc are exempt due to having >4yrs of status. Will see how it plays out early next year. I think Trackside is still exempt as well?