Most of the modern cities that we look up to have allowed the smoking ban and those of us who enjoy cigars to co-exist peacefully.
New York, San Francisco, Portland and others maintain a smoking ban while allowing limited cigar bars to operate, especially if they are owner operated.
When th... more
Most of the modern cities that we look up to have allowed the smoking ban and those of us who enjoy cigars to co-exist peacefully.
New York, San Francisco, Portland and others maintain a smoking ban while allowing limited cigar bars to operate, especially if they are owner operated.
When the ban was enacted, a number of area businesses just plain shut down. Now the cigar crowd schleps to a casino and spends its money and time outside of the city.
Let's modernize and fix this.
Audiovore
Are there any sort of court cases looking to overturn the ban? Because regulating private business in this way is just ridiculous.
scoville
Cigars don't present the health problems that cigarette smoking causes. In fact, studies show that moderate cigar smoking actually reduces risk of smoke related cancers compared to those who don't smoke at all. There is a reason that most insurance companies that penalize for cigarette smoking are cigar friendly. There is little reason that these smoking bans should affect cigar smoking other than lack of general knowledge about the differences between smoking cigarettes and cigars.
I am all for the c... more
Cigars don't present the health problems that cigarette smoking causes. In fact, studies show that moderate cigar smoking actually reduces risk of smoke related cancers compared to those who don't smoke at all. There is a reason that most insurance companies that penalize for cigarette smoking are cigar friendly. There is little reason that these smoking bans should affect cigar smoking other than lack of general knowledge about the differences between smoking cigarettes and cigars.
I am all for the cigarette ban, but I agree that cigar clubs/bars should be exempt. I realize this law is statewide, like some of you have mentioned, but I still feel it's important to communicate our desire for an exemption.
inthemiks
Please lift off the ban!!! It's pathetic, if someone is so health conscious why are they in clubs and bars in the first place?! Most cities that have smoking bans at least have designated areas for smoking. Here everyone must stand next to homeless and garbage cans in the rain... It's just makes no sense. Clubs and bars are not gyms and spas.
Steven Gomez
While an argument can be made for the validity of smoking bars... unfortunately the I-901 passed smoking ban is a statewide ban and the City of Seattle does not have the authority to override it.
gary shutes
Live and let live (or die, maybe). I miss the days of cigar bars-it was fun, and people had fun at those places, like Belltown Billiards and Tini Bigs. If you don't like cigars, then there are lots of other choices for a party place. If cigars are so bad for you, why did Winston Churchill live to be 90, why did George Burns live to be 100, etc? LIke alcohol, there is a cost and a benefit to cigar smoking. I understand how some people dont like them, and those folks shouldnt have to put up with smell... more
Live and let live (or die, maybe). I miss the days of cigar bars-it was fun, and people had fun at those places, like Belltown Billiards and Tini Bigs. If you don't like cigars, then there are lots of other choices for a party place. If cigars are so bad for you, why did Winston Churchill live to be 90, why did George Burns live to be 100, etc? LIke alcohol, there is a cost and a benefit to cigar smoking. I understand how some people dont like them, and those folks shouldnt have to put up with smelling them. But why cant we have a choice here? Why does it have to be all or nothing at all? Time for a Montecristo, I say!
Butch
A smoking ban is a smoking ban. Why should cigars smokers be able to smoke and no one else. Let them stink up their own house if they want to smoke. This is a statewide ban. Seattle is special but not above the standard. This is not a good idea unless you smoke or sell cigars.
seattle98765
Ugh, just what we need - a breading ground for glenn beck followers. No thanks. I'll take the tax hit.
SPG
Nooooooooo! Tell the shirt tuckers that the cigar fad died with their lungs in the late 1990's. This is a horrible idea. The smoking ban was as much about the health effects of second hand smoke on the employees as those who chose to smoke. All the tax revenue from cigars won't offset the cost of treatment of lung cancer and lost productivity, so there isn't a very good economic argument either. And one more point, the smoking ban is STATEWIDE so Seattle doesn't have that much ability to do anything about it anyway.
Joan Furlong
Why not? Who cares? The cigar smoking crowd will bring revenue to Cigar Bars and to the exclusive tobacco stores like the one at the 2200 Plaza . I don't smoke but occasionally joined friends for their brandy and cigar rituals at ElGauch.
seanmb
This benefits you even if you're a non-smoker. A few points consider:
* Money spent at the casino does not benefit Seattle or the state of Washington.
* The smoking ban literally made people's businesses (cigar bars/clubs) illegal overnight and shut them down. That's less tax revenue, less money for people to pump into the local economy.
* Since there's virtually nowhere to smoke a cigar in the city, cigar sales drop dramatically during periods of bad weather. Again, less tax revenue, less money... more
This benefits you even if you're a non-smoker. A few points consider:
* Money spent at the casino does not benefit Seattle or the state of Washington.
* The smoking ban literally made people's businesses (cigar bars/clubs) illegal overnight and shut them down. That's less tax revenue, less money for people to pump into the local economy.
* Since there's virtually nowhere to smoke a cigar in the city, cigar sales drop dramatically during periods of bad weather. Again, less tax revenue, less money moving around in the economy.
* Less smoke for you, because cigar smokers will be smoking not outside, but in a nice cigar club/bar, somewhere you never have to go if you have a problem with smoke.