My recent post requesting a smoking ban for the region & state generated the most comments for a single post for the entire 4+ years I’ve been writing this blog. While many found smoking to be as equally disgusting as me, others took a more libertarian viewpoint — let customers, business owners and the market — not the government — decide. Fine.
I’m no longer going to patronize establishments that permit smoking anywhere. I encourage others to do the same.
The whole non-smoking section is really a joke anyway. If smoking is allowed indoors with the same ventilation system then the ill-effects of smoking are throughout.
But avoiding smoking places is not good enough. We non-smokers need to tell the smoking places why we are no longer going to patronize their establishments. And we need to make sure the non-smoking places we do visit know we are there, in part, because they are 100% non-smoking. So how do we do this?
First, if you are heading out to dinner call ahead and ask if the establishment is 100% smoke-free. If the answer is no say something like, “Oh, too bad. Thank you, but I won’t be eating at your place as long as smoking is permitted.” I know it sounds harsh and perhaps you can suggest different phrasing but they need to understand that allowing smoking costs business. When you visit a place and they ask “smoking or non-smoking?” you can respond with, “Oh, I didn’t realize you still allowed smoking.” Ideally you’d do a 180 and leave. I did this recently even though I was ready to eat then. If you don’t want to find another place to eat go with, “I guess we’ll stay this time, please seat us as far away from the smokers as physically possible.” Remember, most likely the person seating you didn’t make the choice to allow smoking so you don’t want to direct your anger at them.
I’m convinced many restaurant owners only see and count the smokers. These owners fail to realize they have more non-smoking customers than smoking customers. Recent reports indicate that less than 20% of U.S. adults smoke (source). Owners are afraid to ban smoking because they might lose a minority of the population. They don’t fear losing the non-smokers. We need to change that. Instill some fear.
Most places I visit are 100% smoke-free. But I will stop going to a few places — Chimichanga and City Diner to name a couple — that are not 100% smoke-free. Since I started writing this post a week ago I’ve found myself in places with smoking allowed at the bar. It certainly won’t be easy. Friends might not so understanding when I insist we go elsewhere. No everyone is comfortable being perceived as confrontational or difficult. So to help out I’ve created some card templates that can be left behind when you leave.
For those unpleasant places that still allow smoking:
The above language works for contacting restaurants through there websites. Just copy & paste:
I enjoy your establishment but the presence of cigarette smoke makes the experience less than ideal for me. I eat out less due to the economy so when I do I want to enjoy it. Please remove smoking so I can return.
For those awesome places that are smoke-free:
Click each of the above for a PDF document set up with 10 cards per sheet (Avery 5371). Just print, cut and carry. Leave them behind at places so they hopefully get the message. It is a tough economy out there and we non-smokers account for 80% of the population. We don’t need to be subjected to the disgusting addictive habit of the remaining 20% of the population. We, the complacent non-smokers, have the purchasing power to rid smoking in places. We just have to speak up.
