Austin Considers a Smoking Ban
Mayor Gus Garcia is pushing to ban smokers from lighting up in all public places -- including bars.Some say when out at a music venue or bar, there's no butts about it-- drinking and smoking go hand in hand.
"These are beer joints, these are music venues and people smoke. In bars... they've been smoking in bars in Texas forever," smoker Poodie Locke said.
Mayor Gus Garcia wants to change that habit. His executive assistant, Adam Smith, is leading the charge.
"Right now, we're proposing to bring forward one ordinance and that would be a smoke free ordinance, which would ban smoking in all public places," Smith said.
The reason is second-hand smoke. The mayor's office cites statistics claiming 26,000 Texans die from tobacco related diseases each year.
"After looking at the recent data on the effects of second hand smoke the mayor almost feels obligated to bring forward smoke free," Smith said.
This is an issue with some history, history generated by the sickening predictability of politicians tripping over themselves to ban the risky and hurtful things in our lives. The history created with the caustic disregard for liberty.
The mayor apparently doesn't feel obligated to uphold individual responsibility and personal freedom. People in Round Rock, just north of Austin, are already rebelling against a smoking ban enacted last year. Is the mayor so stupid that he thinks a city that dwarfs Round Rock in size and dependence on live music and artsy entertainment won't stir up trouble here as well? Does he care so little for our freedom?
What the fuck is it with Texas? Dallas just restricted it. Del Rio is thinking about it. El Paso passed new laws. Is Texas trying to become New York or California? Is it all the negative publicity on our poor usage of state fund to prevent smoking? The state has started a new campaign to convince people to quit, and I bet it's done half out of political expediency and half out of a desire to reduce the state's costs on healthcare expenses related to smoking.
And, ignored and dismissed, are the smokers.
The argument goes that the government has the right to ban smoking because second-hand smoke hurt other people. Also argued is the fact that non-smokers have fewer places to hang out since non-smoking private clubs and bars are rare.
The first argument skips over the obvious: those who don't like inhaling cigarette smoke can simply choose to go elsewhere. Second-hand smoke indeed does cause damage, so anyone who is concerned about it SHOULD LEAVE THE FUCKING PREMISES. Either that or ask the owner to create a non-smoking section or have the place go completely non-smoking.
Which brings us to the second argument...if there was a serious consensus that non-smokers need a place to go to avoid second-hand smoke, then more non-smoking establishments would pop up to cater to them. That bars and clubs generally don't is NO FUCKING REASON to legislate them to. A better choice would be to reduce the costs to start businesses so that more people could afford to offer a service that non-smokers want.
I quit smoking back in October of 2000 after smoking for over five years. The explicit reason I quit was I had a hernia operation and any coughing hurt like the devil. I decided to quit temporarily for a few weeks to limit the tendency. After the wound began to heal, I noticed that I didn't really have smoking urges like I had feared. I decided to quit completely. I was tired of paying so much to smoke (fucking taxes you governmental prats!!!) and I was tired of the shortness of breath and chest pains I'd occasionally wake up with. Health and economic reasons.
However, nearly all of my friends smoke. I tolerate it because I know they can't always come over to my house, where I've requested that the only thing smoked is weed. I understand the trade-off between convenience and reasonable necessity.
These anti-smoking buffoons and their political mouth pieces don't care at all about that choice. They ultimately want to see smoking restricted to your home and vehicle...and I'm sure that in their final utopia, they'd demand smoking banned in those places too because some smoke will always leak out into outside air. They see this as a "public health issue," a keyword for other restrictions on personal liberty.
I sincerely hope this ordinance doesn't get passed. And I sincerely hope one of these bans/ordinances/restrictions in some city are challenged all the way to the Supreme Court and Constitutionally rejected.
UPDATE(6/2/2003 5:20pm)
Developments! And they aren't good. This damn thing has gotten farther than I thought it would.
UPDATE(6/6/2003 7:25am)
The ban has passed 4-3. Fuckers.
UPDATE(6/7/2003 8:28pm)
How the city plans to enforce this:
The ban will be enforced on a complaint basis, handled by Health and Human Services.
Any person caught violating the ban can be fined up to $2,000 and an establishment could have its operating license revoked.
UPDATE(10/15/2003 2:02am)
Good news: the Austin Smoking Task Force Report is in and it's definitely worth your read.
UPDATE(4/21/2004 4:14pm)
The ban, initially scheduled to take affect on May 1st, has been postponed:
The city of Austin's new smoking ordinance will likely be postponed a month until June 1. The main reason is to give restaurants more time to show they've improved their air quality.
Dan McClusky's owner Steve Batlin lucked out. His restaurant has always had a separate room for non-smokers and smokers."I really don't think it's necessary. I'm a non-smoker myself. I think it's coming," Batlin said.
The new smoking ordinance is coming, but now it may be one month later. Before they get a smoking permit, restaurants must show they have dual ventilation systems. Lots of business owners installed them to meet the previous ordinance, but the city didn't keep a list.
Copyright ©2004TWEAN News Channel of Austin, L.P. d.b.a. News 8 Austin
Pfft.
UPDATE(6/1/2004 11:03am)
Austin Smoking Ban in Effect Today
UPDATED 5/9/2005 9:20am
The Additional Tyranny - The New Austin Smoking Ban Passes
UPDATED 8/30/2005 2:03pm
Deadline for the Austin Smoking Ordinance
Comments
Hi this are David and Yeda in Ireland this is an essay that might give you some inspiration about the philosophical meanings of the lord of the rings if you like the story you will love this
+++ONE RING TO KEEP THEM IN THE DARK++++
Smoking a self-destructive habit, which started at some point in time in the Americas it just seems crazy when you think about it philosophically its an act violence on the self body & sole masochism to use the correct phrase it’s the hole in the bucket of your sole. Anybody who has given up will now how hard it is but how better you feel .I can only compare it to breaking free from a prisoner of war camp other smokers are the guards and all around. So to stay on top you keep fit which is a normal thing in its self
Smoking has nothing to offer society I and a lot of people believe it has a very bad effect on the collective consciousness and is a corner stone of the problems of the world effecting the perceptions of people themselves its like a blinker for the hole of humanity back hole for spirit a destroyer or vacuum of loves energy the it keeps us humanity from attaining holiness 100%spiritual awareness
The method I used to stop a pilgrimage the Camino Santiago de Compostela in Spain it took 36 days in total from the Pyrenees to Finisterra where you burn a set of clothes at the end. It’s a very powerful thing to do psychologically & spiritually the death of the old and start of the new. As for smoking I now have a massive immunity against them a buffer zone. But it’s not just the burning of a set of clothes the whole pilgrimage you are becoming more aware spiritually awoken other pilgrims may smoke but the tone is always down around where they are. With giving up smoking you have to break many psychological links like the link with food alcohol its like cutting out badges out of your physique your ego out of your fore conscience. Smoking keeps you from harmonising with your true spiritual self your inner child when your in harmony with yourself your dreams don’t seem so alien and you can decode them more easily. The Camino is a spiritual thing Camino means way and ultimately you find a truer way a better course and leave a lot of chains behind the only thing is its hard coming back into the horrible reality that exists in the world now .I personally believe two major things keep the world this way commercial separation separate commercial identities in competition with each other in other words inharmonious systems and the other is lack of respect for life not enough love and people in the dark with the bad systems being part of the problem not part of the solution a taker rather than a giver a world of givers is better than a world takers a simple philosophy.
I had a thought on the pilgrimage for the possible reason smoking started, something like that just doesn’t just happen for no reason. Smoking causes a spiritual vacuum. So possibly people like Columbus and others felt a draw over the ocean. The shamans of the Americas smoked because they thought it brought them closer to god. Well the Europeans who came over who had something the thing that made Europe great the Gospel. I also have a theory why smoking was allowed to continue even grow it was sort of like a blinker for the hole of humanity so the day when it ceased worldwide would be the day when humanity fully awoke.
Some countries have taken positive steps but the best way to deal with it is to treat it for what it is an illness a spiritual illness banning smoking from the work place & all public places is good but it does not stop it .It has to stop growing so dependent smokers should get a state card and only with this card can you buy cigarettes or you have to get a prescription for them after doing a medical until you attempt or the cut off point for a national or international effort to stop all at once stopping all production and distribution limiting sale to pharmacies. All the financial gain made from selling cigarettes should go back into structured government EU &international plans for getting people well if everybody gave up at the same time It would make so much easer This would have to be planned but there is no reason this can’t happen before Halloween or all saints day by the least? Doctors could prescribe pilgrimages something like the Camino a spiritual journey say on the Wicklow Leister way, which starts in Marley Park.
Health groups could provide a structure along the way accommodation food medical care ect they could study the Camino Santiago de Compostela in Spain that pilgrimage is about 1500 years old its symbol is the escallop shell. It depends on how dynamic the government or governments are. First the extra tax on the smokes would help doubling the price to really get the message home
Groups would see injustice and their power to change popular culture would come more into the light Our media would reflect the change from a bad news to good news Terror Terrorism would be a thing of the past and loose its grip love would prevail people would rise above the past hate fear anger all the things of the past Perfect systems would come into place
Rubbish would be a thing of the past. The EU would become the UE united earth or union of earth all pockets of hell on Earth would be removed the military would become a disaster reaction force the gun would be retired violence would end
People of different nationalities &cultures would not be looked at in a fearful way .the wealth gap would harmonise International Treaties could be passed like the formation of a new international Language a mixture of Chinese English Spanish Indian Islamic and African languages. To help bring the world together everybody in the world could communicate to each other you would then only need two languages your native language &the international one.
The pillars of our new world order would be Liberty & Responsibility. New trading methods could be put in place one where there is no inflation. Say a kilo of rice is one Earth credit or a kilo of wheat all separate commercial identities would merge into national services, food service, health services manufacturing services each nation would have a quota for trade 50% produce for home consumption 50% for export
How we can start is by sending this message to as many people as you can to Governments to translate it into the languages of the various countries this will reach the media public fingers the consciousness collective the world has the perfect medium in the internet just send it to everyone in your mail box photocopy it and give it to people we will all be part of this could reach a million people before next month its up to You
Posted by: dave | September 16, 2004 01:37 PM
I have a beef with a smoking ban. Why don't they try an alchohol ban. Smoking is not unlawful. You drink. I drink and smoke - if you don't like my smoke, move - go away - leave. Stay the hell away from me and go to a "no smoking" venue. If I can't have a nice cocktail and a cigarette, I can stay home. Hell, you don't need my money do you? Maybe some technological indians can come over and purchase your cocktails. I'm so fed up with every right I've had robbed from me. Do not make "smoking" legal, than after we've adopted a habit and yes, an addiction, do not try to stop what you've started. And besides, it's non of your damn business what I do with my body!!!!!!!!!!!! PERIOD. Like it or LEAVE. I will. Oh besides, I've never been stopped by a police officer for smoking in my car, but damned if I drink a beer while driving - please, make up my mind.
Posted by: Cheryl | December 16, 2004 10:16 PM
NO OFFENSE BUT WHY ARE YOU DOING A SMOKING BAN FOR BARS AFTER ALL THESE YEARS? I MEAN, I'M ONLY 14 YEARS OLD AND I HATE PEOPLE THAT SMOKE BUT, YOU AIN'T BEING FAIR TO THE PEOPLE WHO DO SMOKE. IT AIN'T EASY FOR THEM TO QUIT!
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 10 YEARS SINCE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SMOKING WHERE THEY PLEASE. WHY DO SOMETHING NOW INSTEAD OF HAVING IT DONE YEARS AGO? I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT. ALL I KNOW IS THAT IT IS REALLY WRONG ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING. PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT AND RECONSIDER WITH SOMETHING THAT IS FAIR TO ALL OF THOSE BAR OWNERS AND SMOKERS.
SENCERLY,
LILIANA RODRIGUEZ
Posted by: liliana rodriguez | April 27, 2005 02:31 PM