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A lot of you have talked about smoking bans in restaurants and bars. Well, I live in a community that has one, and it's been in effect for several years now. While people were initially fearful that business would decline after the institution of the ban, restaurant and bar business here actually INCREASED after the ban because more non-smokers started going out to eat or drink and enjoy themselves. Furthermore, the smokers didn't stop going out--no, they just smoke outside now.
As my SO's uncle told me--and he's a former smoker, and was at the time of the ban--he didn't think it was a good idea when it happened, but after enjoying our smoke-free restaurants so often, he finds it hard to go to other towns to eat or drink. And I have to agree with him--it's hard to go to other cities in Oregon who don't have the ban. Quite frankly, when I smell cigarette smoke while I'm eating, it makes me want to vomit. I had to leave a concert early last year because there was so much cigarette smoke. I paid the $15 for my ticket too, why am I less important than people with a bad habit?
Anyways, I would fully support a total ban on public smoking in Oregon, with similar restrictions to Washington state's ban on public smoking.
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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau
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