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| neural defect |
As posted on Chicago Tribune's website:
Beginning Jan. 16, you can't smoke in a movie theater lobby, in the hallway of an apartment building, while standing in line indoors – or in most every other public place in the City of Chicago.
That's the law under an ordinance approved today by the City Council. Individual violators are subject to fines up to $100; and businesses, up to $2,500 for repeat offenders.
The ordinance allows smoking in the privacy of one's home – though even here, there are exceptions – as well as in a tobacco store, an American Legion hall or a smoking-designated hotel room. Smoking also is allowed in freestanding taverns and restaurant bars, until July 2008.
Where will smoking be prohibited?
Amusement arcades, bingo halls, aquariums, galleries, libraries, museums and convention centers.
Movie theaters, live theaters and lecture, musical recital and other performance halls.
Health care facilities, adult care facilities and nursing homes.
Daycare centers, nursery schools, elementary and high schools, technical and specialty schools, and colleges and universities.
Lobbies, hallways and other common areas in apartment buildings, condominiums and enclosed common areas in trailer parks.
Polling places.
Buses, trains, taxis and limousines and ticketing, boarding and waiting areas of public transit stations.
Restrooms, lobbies, reception areas, hallways and other enclosed common-use areas.
Public elevators and indoor service lines.
Retail stores where merchandise is displayed and offered for sale, as well as grocery stores and shopping malls.
Meeting rooms of any city or state agency.
Sports arenas, gymnasiums and other recreational areas.
Government vehicles used for city business.
Within 15 feet of any entrance to an enclosed area where smoking is prohibited.
Where will smoking be allowed?
Private residences -- except when used as licensed child care, adult care, health care or home-based business of any kind open to the public.
Hotel rooms; however, no more than 25 percent of a hotel's rooms can be designated smoking.
Retail tobacco stores.
Private clubs or lodges.
Freestanding bars and taverns, until July 1, 2008.*
Restaurant bars -- and only within 15 feet of the bar -- until July 1, 2008.*
* Bars, taverns and other public areas or workplaces that install air purification devices that ensure the same air quality inside as outside can seek an exemption from the smoking ban.
The ordinance defines a bar or tavern as a business that derives 65 percent or more of its gross proceeds from liquor sales. A restaurant is an establishment that derives less than 65 percent of its gross proceeds from liquor sales. A "restaurant bar area" is an area of a restaurant that is primarily devoted to the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Individual violators can be fined up to $100; and businesses, up to $100 for the first violation, up to $500 for the second violation within a year of the first, and up to $2,500 for each additional violation within a year of the first. A business with three or more violations also could see its business license suspended for 60 days or revoked.
So, what clubs and bars, specifically, will be affected by the ban? What are they doing to accommodate the new ordinance? As a smoker in the process of quiting, I would love to hear others' opinions. And, what local promoters, TAs, Djs, and club/bar owners think?
Discuss. |
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| _Nut_ |
Hooo rah! Mine eyes will no longer burn!
Srry CTA's but this guy has reaction to smoke. |
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| Ang ' ela_ie |
I do too, Sambo.
Ok heres the thing. I didnt know what I thought about this when it first came up. I struggled with what position Id take on it because while I do not smoke, I still feel that its everyones right to make the decision to smoke, and we shouldnt be able to make them do anything. However, I dont think that this ordinance is preventing people from smoking. Instead, its upholding the rights of the people that really REALLY dont want to be around smoke. Its killing people that arent choosing to smoke, and these people shouldnt have to leave a restaurant because they cant breathe. |
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| lücid |
i actually really like the smoking ban (even though i'm a smoker when i'm out partying/drinking/clubbing/etc). i didn't think i'd like it at first but when i was in NY back in April that was the first time i was exposed to being at bars/clubs with the smoking ban, and i really liked it. for bars you have to go outside, and some clubs have smoking gardens so that you don't have to leave the club to smoke, but it didn't make it too inconvenient. if anything, it was nice to go home at the end of the night and *not* reek of cigarettes.
the only thing i didn't like is that at a lot of places you have to leave your drink at the bar while you go outside to smoke... and i don't like leaving drinks unattended. |
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